# Lists for Writers vs Save the Cat!

Lists for Writers and Save the Cat! both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 84% of Lists for Writers's written reviews are positive against 38% of Save the Cat!'s. Lists for Writers also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 10) and chart position (#146 vs unranked). Save the Cat!'s advantage is price (Free vs $2.99) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 9 months). On rating, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Save the Cat! is free to download; Lists for Writers costs $2.99 up front. Save the Cat! sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Lists for Writers asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Lists for Writers against 4.7 for Save the Cat!. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 494 and 473 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 84% of Lists for Writers's written reviews are positive against 38% of Save the Cat!'s.

Lists for Writers ships an update every 9 months, Save the Cat! every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lists for Writers | Save the Cat! |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (494 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lists-for-writers/id506577862/reviews)** | [4.7 (473 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/save-the-cat/id1495073895/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **494** | 473 |
| Positive reviews | **84.0% of reviews** | 37.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#146** | — |
| Size | 10 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Thinkamingo](https://appshunter.io/developer/506577865) | [Blake Snyder Enterprises](https://appshunter.io/developer/333296577) |

## What reviewers say

### Lists for Writers

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lists-for-writers/id506577862)

**Currently charting:** #146 Top Paid · Education (US App Store)

This app provides extensive lists of prompts and ideas for creative writers. It covers a wide range of categories including character traits, plot lines, settings, and vocabulary to aid in brainstorming and writing projects. Features like shuffling, searching, and an integrated notepad enhance the user's creative process.

**Highlights:** Extensive lists of writing prompts, Character, plot, and setting ideas, Search and shuffle functionality, Integrated notepad for collecting ideas, Dictionary support for word lookup, Multitasking support on iPad

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### 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 Lists for Writers free?

Lists for Writers costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Save the Cat! free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Lists for Writers or Save the Cat!?

Lists for Writers is rated higher. Lists for Writers averages 4.7 out of 5 from 494 ratings, while Save the Cat! averages 4.7 from 473 ratings.

### Do Lists for Writers or Save the Cat! have ads?

Neither Lists for Writers nor Save the Cat! shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lists for Writers or Save the Cat!?

Lists for Writers ships an update every 9 months, and Save the Cat! every 2 months. Most recently, Lists for Writers was updated on November 1, 2026 and Save the Cat! on November 3, 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.*