Every once in a while I run into a writing tool that clearly has a lot of thought behind it. You can tell the developers really tried to build something that solves multiple problems writers run into when they’re working on a book.
Squibler is one of those tools.
When you first open it up, you immediately see that it’s not just trying to be a simple writing app. There are templates, project dashboards, outlining tools, story organization systems, and even AI writing features all built into the same platform. The idea seems to be that instead of using separate tools for planning, drafting, and organizing your manuscript, you can do everything in one place.
Now, depending on how you like to write, that could either sound fantastic or a little overwhelming.
I’ve tested a lot of writing software over the years while running Kindlepreneur and helping authors figure out which tools actually make their writing life easier and which ones mostly just add friction. Some tools are incredibly simple and stay out of your way. Others try to build an entire ecosystem around the writing process.
Squibler definitely leans toward the second category.
After spending some time inside the platform, there were a few things I liked and a few things that made me hesitant to recommend it broadly. So I figured the best way to approach this review is just to walk through what Squibler actually does, where it works well, and where it might not be the best fit depending on the kind of writer you are.
But first… There is actually another tool that I recommend more than Squibler called Atticus. It's not just a great writing program built for authors, but it's also the best book formatting platform on the market. If you want to know why it's our favorite, check out our comparison of the best writing tools on the market (and spoiler – Squibler didn't make the cut).
What is Squibler and What Does it Do?
At its core, Squibler is a writing platform aimed mostly at authors, screenwriters, and people working on longer projects like books or scripts. But unlike tools that just give you a blank document and let you start typing, Squibler tries to structure the entire writing process.
When you start a project, you’re usually working from some kind of template. That could be a novel outline, a screenplay format, or another kind of structured project setup. The idea is that instead of figuring out how to organize everything yourself, the platform already gives you a framework to start from.
From there, the software includes different tools meant to help you map out characters, plot points, and sections of your manuscript. You can move pieces around, track your progress, and keep different parts of your project organized inside one dashboard.
More recently, they’ve also added AI writing features that can help generate text or expand sections of what you’re writing.
So instead of being just a writing tool, Squibler is really trying to be a planning system plus a writing environment rolled into one. For writers who like having that kind of structure around their projects, it can actually be pretty appealing.
For writers who prefer to just open a document and start typing, it might feel like a lot happening before you even get to the writing part.
Squibler: My Take
The easiest way to describe Squibler is that it’s a tool built for writers who like systems.
There are a lot of moving parts inside the platform, and once you start clicking around you realize pretty quickly that the goal here isn’t just to give you a place to write. It’s to give you a place to plan and manage an entire writing project.
Some of the features actually do a nice job of helping you keep things organized, especially if you’re working on something big like a novel where you’re juggling characters, scenes, and plot threads.
At the same time, I also had moments where it felt like the software was doing more than it really needed to. Sometimes a simpler tool that lets you focus on the words themselves can be more helpful than a system that tries to manage everything around the writing process.
But there are definitely some parts of Squibler that certain writers will enjoy, so let’s walk through the features that stood out the most while I was using it.
Organizational Features
One of the first things you notice when using Squibler is how heavily it leans into organization.
Squibler includes several tools that allow writers to manage their manuscript and outline more effectively. Writers can break their work into chapters and sections and move them around easily within the interface.
So, if you’re working on a book, Squibler allows you to create a chapter within a draft, which is very helpful since it enables you to write chapters separately instead of having to write big chunks in one place. Squibbler separates your work and divides it into smaller sections in these drafts so you get to focus only on the chapter you’re working on.
Additionally, you get to move any chapter you want by dragging and dropping them, which is also a great feature when you’re working on a book as you don’t have to do all of this annoying, time-consuming cutting and pasting. This feature is particularly useful when you have a lot of chapters in your book and want to move them with ease.
You’d be also happy to learn that a table of content is added to any project you write in Squibler. This table of content shows any changes you make to the chapters’ order. But the chapter number is not corrected by Squibler, so you need to correct it manually.
Writing Templates
Squibler also comes with a large library of templates for different types of writing projects.
Some writers will probably like this a lot, especially if they prefer starting from a structured outline instead of a blank page.
Squibler provides templates for things like novels, screenplays, and other long-form writing projects. Adventure, Romance, Mystery, Fantasy, and general fiction and Non-fiction are a few examples. You also get a variety of templates for scripts in adventure, comedy, horror, and tragedy genres.
Smart Writer
Squibler also includes an AI writing assistant called Smart Writer that can generate text based on prompts.
This is one of those features that seems to be showing up in almost every writing tool lately, so it’s not exactly unique to Squibler.
That said, it can still be helpful for brainstorming ideas or expanding sections when you get stuck.
Of course, as with any AI tool, the output will likely need some tweaking, however, I've found that just getting something on the page can save the author a huge amount of headache, even if you have to go back and rewrite the whole thing over again.
But I actually found the output to be not half bad.
Now, a tool like this is great for the average author, but if you're an AI enthusiast, this isn't going to be as robust as a platform like Sudowrite, which is entirely structured around the concept of AI for fiction writers. But most authors aren't going to need that. Most authors are just going to want a great way to describe someone crossing a room that doesn't sound boring. And an AI tool like what Squibler offers may be exactly what you need. It's not the main feature, and it's not supposed to be, but it will definitely help the well-rounded author.
Also, the free version gives you 6,000 words and the option to generate 5 images with AI, and the paid version gives you unlimited words, which is extremely generous given the costs of using AI.
Elements
If you're looking for a writing program that acts as a place to write your first draft AND a place to create your story bible, then Squibler might be right for you. The Elements feature lets you add all your notes for:
- Characters
- Companies
- Features
- Objects
- Persons
This is a great way to mark down any particularly important information that you need to know at a moment's notice while writing your book.
A Robust Free Version
Even though the premium version of Squibler can be kind of pricey, you actually get a lot with the free version, and for a lot of authors, you won't need more than what the free version offers. It includes all of the main features, but just puts limits on how much you can do overall, limits like only 20,000 words for the AI Smart Writer, or only being allowed up to 5 projects.
There are definitely reasons why you would want to upgrade (like the limited “files”, where chapters count as a file, or the ability to export to all formats), but there is more than enough for any author to get started.
Exporting Options
Once you complete your project in Squibler, you can export it to different types of formats, including Kindle, TXT, DOCX, and PDF. keep in mind, though, Squibler’s table of content is not recognized by Kindle. So you’ll need to use another writing tool to do this on Kindle.
Full-Length Manuscript Prompt
It's not how I would recommend using Squibler, but I'd be remiss if I didn't mention its prompt feature that allows you to create a “full-length manuscript in minutes” using AI.
For manuscript type, you can select fiction, non-fiction, short story, or script.
I would advise against using Squibbler (or any AI tool) to write an entire manuscript for you. However, if you're a beginner, and you need a “jumpstart” to give you a “version 1.0 draft” that you can then heavily edit and revise, it could be a handy training tool.
What I Don’t Like About Squibler
While Squibler has a lot of features packed into it, there were a few things that kept popping up while I was using the platform that are worth mentioning.
None of these are dealbreakers for everyone, but depending on how you work, they could end up being frustrating over time.
In a few cases, it’s just small usability things. In others, it’s more about the tradeoff that happens when a tool tries to do a lot of different jobs instead of focusing on one thing really well.
These were the main issues that stood out to me.
It's Pricey
Squibler offers you multiple premium services if you subscribe—for $29/month or $16/month when billed annually—including import and export features, Squibler editor, the ability to share work, templates, corkboard, notes for brainstorming, split screen, tracking, and goals.
However, Squibler's price is likely to be a turn-off for some authors, especially when compared to other writing apps that cost less and have even more robust features than Squibler does. We’re not saying that Squibler is not worth it, we’re just saying that you should explore other cheaper options before you decide to subscribe to Squibler.
This is especially true if you DON'T need the AI Smart Writer.
That said, if you DO use the Smart Writer, $29/month is actually quite generous for unlimited words, and might be one of the best AI options out there for fiction writers, given the price.
Not Fast Enough
Another annoying issue that you could face while writing in Squibler is that the app is not fast enough. Squibler is pretty slow when clicking on chapters and trying to see its subsections. So you may get disappointed by the fact that the app does not always run smoothly, especially that it’s a paid, online app.
Limited Formatting
Even though Squibler does output to PDF and an Ebook file, it still lacks considerably in decent book formatting. That's why I would recommend Atticus as the better tool, because it's a robust formatting platform that also happens to be a writing program similar to Squibler.
And it's also a lifetime product, so you won't be paying an annual fee.
Squibler is Good, But Atticus is Better
Squibler is clearly trying to solve a real problem for writers. A lot of authors struggle with organizing their projects, outlining their books, and keeping everything in one place, and Squibler leans hard into helping with that side of the writing process.
If you enjoy planning out your story, mapping out characters, and working inside a structured system before you start writing, there’s a good chance you’ll appreciate what Squibler is trying to do.
But for many writers, it may feel a little overbuilt. There are a lot of moving parts in the platform, and at $29 per month it’s not exactly cheap, especially considering you’ll probably still need another tool later for formatting your manuscript when it’s time to publish.
That’s one of the reasons tools like Atticus tend to be a better fit for most authors. It keeps the writing environment simple, but it also handles formatting for print and ebook in the same place, which removes a lot of extra steps when you’re getting your book ready to publish.
So while Squibler has some interesting ideas and features, it’s probably best suited for writers who really enjoy the planning side of writing and want a system built around that. Check it out if that's you, but for everyone else, a writing tool like Atticus that also handles formatting will usually make the whole process easier.
