# Scrivener vs Pythonista 3

The clearest difference is price: Pythonista 3 at $9.99 against Scrivener's $23.99. Pythonista 3 also leads on review sentiment (73% vs 46%) and rating (4.5 vs 4.2). Scrivener's advantage is update cadence (every 3 months vs every 19 months). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scrivener costs $23.99 and Pythonista 3 $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Pythonista 3 holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.6K and 1.5K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 46% of Scrivener's written reviews are positive against 73% of Pythonista 3's.

Scrivener ships an update every 3 months, Pythonista 3 every 19 months. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Scrivener | Pythonista 3 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $23.99 | **$9.99** |
| Rating | [4.2 (2.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scrivener/id972387337/reviews) | **[4.5 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pythonista-3/id1085978097/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.6K** | 1.5K |
| Positive reviews | 45.6% of reviews | **73.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 19 months |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#6** | #15 |
| Size | 27 MB | 853 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Literature & Latte](https://appshunter.io/developer/418889514) | [omz:software](https://appshunter.io/developer/285608316) |

## What reviewers say

### Scrivener

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scrivener/id972387337)

**Currently charting:** #6 Top Paid · Productivity, #168 Top Paid (US App Store)

This app is a comprehensive writing tool designed for long-form manuscripts. It allows users to compose text in any order, manage research materials alongside their writing, and export to various formats. It supports flexible outlining and restructuring of content.

**Highlights:** Manuscript composition in sections, Research material integration, Flexible outlining and reorganization, Export to multiple formats, Interactive tutorial, Project-wide search

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Pythonista 3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pythonista-3/id1085978097)

**Currently charting:** #15 Top Paid · Productivity (US App Store)

Develop and run Python 3 scripts directly on your iPad or iPhone. This complete scripting environment includes popular third-party modules and allows access to iOS features like sensors, location, and photos. Automate your device with app extensions and integrate with Shortcuts and Siri.

**Highlights:** Powerful code editor with syntax highlighting, Interactive prompt with code completion, Integrated visual debugger, Offline Python documentation, UI editor for prototyping, Share sheet and system-wide keyboard extensions, Shortcuts app integration

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Scrivener free?

Scrivener costs $23.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Pythonista 3 free?

Pythonista 3 costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Scrivener or Pythonista 3?

Pythonista 3 is rated higher. Scrivener averages 4.2 out of 5 from 2.6K ratings, while Pythonista 3 averages 4.5 from 1.5K ratings.

### Do Scrivener or Pythonista 3 have ads?

Neither Scrivener nor Pythonista 3 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Scrivener or Pythonista 3?

Scrivener ships an update every 3 months, and Pythonista 3 every 19 months. Most recently, Scrivener was updated on October 8, 2026 and Pythonista 3 on October 7, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Scrivener or Pythonista 3?

Scrivener currently peaks at #6 in the App Store charts, and Pythonista 3 at #15. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*