# MapScribe vs Novelist

The clearest difference is price: Novelist at Free against MapScribe's $2.99. Novelist also leads on rating (4.4 vs 3.3) and review sentiment (79% vs 50%). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Novelist is free to download; MapScribe costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Novelist holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 46 and 214 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of MapScribe's written reviews are positive against 79% of Novelist's.

MapScribe ships an update every 3 months, Novelist every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MapScribe | Novelist |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.3 (46 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mapscribe/id1271371859/reviews) | **[4.4 (214 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/novelist-write-novels/id1564737393/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 46 | **214** |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **79.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 36 MB | 54 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.1** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Daniel Eskridge](https://appshunter.io/developer/1271371858) | [Alessandro Riperi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1564737395) |

## What reviewers say

### MapScribe

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mapscribe/id1271371859)

Easily create antique-styled maps on your iPad or iPhone.  Utilize a variety of "brushes" to paint features like mountains, trees, and towns.  Export your creations in multiple resolutions.

**Highlights:** Draw antique-styled maps, Finger swipe and tap interface, Variety of map feature "brushes", Multiple map resolutions, Selectable fonts for text, Color brushes for terrain

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Novelist

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/novelist-write-novels/id1564737393)

This app provides a comprehensive suite of tools for authors to write, organize, and plot their novels. It offers features for scene creation, story structuring, goal setting, and manuscript export. The platform is designed to support the entire novel-writing process, from initial ideas to the final draft.

**Highlights:** Plotting with customizable story elements, Scene writing with rich formatting, Story organization into acts and chapters, Word count goals and deadline scheduling, Manuscript export in EPUB, ODT, HTML, Autosave and version history, Companion web app

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Amazingly different application
- 🔒 Completely free, with no ads or in-app purchases
- 👍 Well-organized all-in-one app for writing, plotting, outlining, and scheduling
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 👍 Helps with organizing and keeping things clean

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Confusing menu options and backup/restore process
- 🐛 Glitches when editing text, cursor behaves unexpectedly
- 🐛 Crashes or freezes on some devices
- 🐛 Syncing issues between devices
- 🐛 Lack of font customization options

**Reported bugs**

- Backup/restore process can lead to data loss
- Cursor and text editing issues
- Crashes and freezes on some devices
- Syncing problems between devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to import/export in various formats (PDF, Markdown, etc.)
- Improved syncing and cloud integration
- More font and formatting options
- Ability to add images/illustrations to the book
- Collaboration/co-writing features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MapScribe free?

MapScribe costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Novelist free?

Novelist is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, MapScribe or Novelist?

Novelist is rated higher. MapScribe averages 3.3 out of 5 from 46 ratings, while Novelist averages 4.4 from 214 ratings.

### Do MapScribe or Novelist have ads?

Neither MapScribe nor Novelist shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MapScribe or Novelist?

MapScribe ships an update every 3 months, and Novelist every 6 weeks. Most recently, MapScribe was updated on October 26, 2026 and Novelist on October 24, 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.*