# Writerly vs Save the Cat!

Writerly and Save the Cat! both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 76% of Writerly's written reviews are positive against 38% of Save the Cat!'s. Save the Cat!'s advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 10 months) and ratings volume (472 vs 112). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Writerly sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Save the Cat! sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Writerly against 4.7 for Save the Cat!. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 112 and 472 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 76% of Writerly's written reviews are positive against 38% of Save the Cat!'s.

Writerly ships an update every 10 months, Save the Cat! every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Writerly | Save the Cat! |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (112 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/writerly/id1143101981/reviews) | **[4.7 (472 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/save-the-cat/id1495073895/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 112 | **472** |
| Positive reviews | **76.5% of reviews** | 37.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 79 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Russell Archer](https://appshunter.io/developer/1112550413) | [Blake Snyder Enterprises](https://appshunter.io/developer/333296577) |

## What reviewers say

### Writerly

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/writerly/id1143101981)

This app guides aspiring and experienced writers through creative writing with advice, exercises, and AI-powered tools. It offers features to spark creativity, brainstorm ideas, research, and develop characters, acting as a constant writing companion.

**Highlights:** AI Toolkit for research and brainstorming, Character development tools and exercises, Daily writing prompts, Techniques to combat writer's block, Sensory detail guidance, Built-in timer for exercises, Home screen widgets

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A Year of Prompts | $0.99 | one-time |
| Ways into Character | $1.99 | one-time |
| Meet your Characters | $1.99 | one-time |
| AI Toolkit | $2.99 | one-time |


### Save the Cat!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/save-the-cat/id1495073895)

This app helps writers structure stories for screenplays, novels, and TV episodes using a proven methodology. It guides you through developing loglines, genres, beat sheets, and scene organization with features for emotional arcs and character development.

**Highlights:** Develop logline and title, Choose from 10 story genres, Complete Blake Snyder Beat Sheet (BS2), Organize scenes with 'the Board', Track character arcs, Create emotional changes per scene, Sync files across devices

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Essentials Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Premium Monthly Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Pro Monthly Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Essentials Subscription | $21.99 | per year |
| Premium Subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| Pro Subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| Upgrade Premium to Pro | $9.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Essentials | $21.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Premium | $29.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Pro | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ✍️ Excellent script outlining tool
- 🎯 Effective Save the Cat methodology implementation
- 📱 Good mobile app functionality
- 🔄 Syncing between devices works well
- 🎨 Visual board feature enhances creativity

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model with limited free features
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 🔐 Website login problems
- 📝 Poor UI/UX design and clunky interface
- 💾 Data loss and unsaved work issues

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when opening Board feature
- Beat selection stuck in window mode
- Login credentials rejected on website
- Crashes every 10-15 minutes
- Unable to upload attachments

**Requested features**

- Monthly subscription or free trial option
- Spanish language support
- Downloadable desktop app with same login credentials
- Printable outline/board export
- Scrivener export functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Writerly free?

Writerly is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Save the Cat! free?

Save the Cat! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Writerly or Save the Cat!?

Save the Cat! is rated higher. Writerly averages 4.5 out of 5 from 112 ratings, while Save the Cat! averages 4.7 from 472 ratings.

### Do Writerly or Save the Cat! have ads?

Neither Writerly nor Save the Cat! shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Writerly or Save the Cat!?

Writerly ships an update every 10 months, and Save the Cat! every 2 months. Most recently, Writerly was updated on October 20, 2026 and Save the Cat! on October 23, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*