Overview

Campfire brings manuscript drafting, story planning, collaboration, and publishing into one platform for authors and publishers. It is strongest for writers who want their reference material close to their manuscript; its mobile app has a different set of capabilities and requires an internet connection.

Founded in 2018, Campfire also includes an eBook store and reading app. Authors can publish eBooks and digital bonus content through it while retaining ownership and publishing elsewhere, but the platform is not a fit for a workflow that depends on offline mobile writing.

Key features

Drafting and organization

The Manuscript Module combines drafting with chapter organization on a digital corkboard through Index Card View. Word-count goals and writing statistics add ways to track progress. That combination makes Campfire more useful than a bare drafting space for writers who plan as they write, though the value of the workflow depends on wanting these functions together.

Worldbuilding and collaboration

Separate modules cover characters, cultures, items, locations, philosophies, religions, species, systems, encyclopedia entries, magic, maps, research, timelines, arcs, calendars, languages, and relationships. The breadth suits fiction with substantial worldbuilding, but writers who need only a place to draft may find much of the structure unnecessary.

Authors can invite as many collaborators as they want to view, comment on, or edit a project. Campfire also states that storage is unlimited across its apps. Projects remain viewable only to invited people until shared or published, and Campfire says it backs up work with Amazon servers.

Export and publishing

Campfire can compile manuscripts and export them as PDF or EPUB files ready for publication. Its publishing tools currently cover eBooks and digital bonus content. Authors who monetize through Campfire connect a Stripe account for royalties and sales analytics; those who prefer another outlet can publish elsewhere simultaneously.

Pricing

Campfire uses a freemium model. Try For Free is free, is billed monthly, requires no credit card, and gives limited access to writing and worldbuilding modules. It is a practical way to explore the workflow, but the limited access makes it less suitable as a long-term choice for writers who need the full set of tools.

Standard Monthly costs 19.00 USD per month, billed monthly. It includes access to all modules, collaboration, unlimited storage, and PDF and EPUB export. This is the more complete option for writers who need the full planning suite or want to work with collaborators; the free plan gives up module access and export.

Campfire states a paid starting price of $0.50/mo, while its listed Standard Monthly plan is 19.00 USD per month. The mobile app permits unlimited element creation, but browser and desktop access enforce free-plan element limits, so the mobile allowance should not be mistaken for unrestricted free access across the platform.

Platforms

Campfire is available on Android, iOS, macOS, the web, and Windows. The desktop app is free on Mac and Windows and supports offline writing sessions. The CF Creators mobile writing app works on iOS and Android but requires an internet connection and does not include every module. Mobile supports unlimited element creation; browser and desktop use the free-plan element limits.

Who it's for

Campfire is best suited to authors who want drafting, extensive story reference, collaboration, and publishing options under one roof. It is particularly compelling for projects with complex settings or multiple contributors. Writers who need only a focused manuscript tool, or who need to write offline on a phone or tablet, should look elsewhere.

Pros and cons

Pros: Manuscript planning and a wide range of worldbuilding modules can live in the same project, keeping story reference close to the draft.
Pros: Unlimited collaborators, stated unlimited storage, and PDF and EPUB export support shared and publication-oriented workflows.
Pros: Authors can sell eBooks and digital bonus content through Campfire without giving up ownership or the option to publish elsewhere.
Cons: The free plan has limited module access, and browser and desktop access enforce element limits.
Cons: The mobile app requires an internet connection and lacks some modules, so it is not a full offline counterpart to desktop.
Cons: The full listed Standard Monthly plan costs 19.00 USD per month, a notable step up from a free plan for writers who need all modules and exports.

Alternatives

For wiki-first projects, consider Wikily, which offers free wiki creation and reading on iOS, web, and Windows. Nectory is another fit for a team wiki: its free plan includes one wiki space, three team members, 1 GB of storage, public wikis, full-text search, and a draft-and-publish workflow. Huijiwiki offers free web-based wiki hosting, though applications are not guaranteed approval.

Obsidian Portal may suit game masters who want campaign-focused wiki hosting: its free Basic plan allows two campaigns, 2 MB per campaign, one map, and public campaigns, while Ascendant is $5.99 per month for unlimited campaigns and 10 GB per Ascendant GM. wiki.gg is a free hosting option for web wikis, with an application process, case-by-case acceptance, and a wiki.gg subdomain.

Kanka, World Anvil, and Miraheze are alternatives for readers comparing worldbuilding and wiki tools. For broader category browsing, see Book Writing Software, Writing Apps, and Game Wiki Software.

Verdict

Choose Campfire if you want manuscript drafting tied to extensive worldbuilding, collaboration, export, and optional eBook publishing. Its broad toolkit is the main reason to choose it; the restricted free plan and internet-dependent, less complete mobile app are good reasons to look elsewhere if you need a simple, fully mobile workflow.

	Campfire	ILYS
Free plan	Yes
Paid from	$19/mo
Platforms	Android, iOS, macOS, Web, Windows	Web
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Publishing tools	Yes	No
Real-time collaboration	Yes	No
Version history	Yes	Yes
Offline mode	Yes
Mobile apps	Yes
Export formats	extensive	extensive
Paid from	0.5 /mo
Collaboration	Yes

Campfire vs ILYS

Campfire

ILYS