9 Best World Building Apps for Fantasy Writers (Free & Paid)
Building a fantasy world is all fun and games... until your kingdoms, magic systems, and ancient prophecies are scattered across twenty sticky notes and three half-finished Google Docs.
That’s where world building apps come in, helping you organize your ideas, connect your worlds, and actually finish your novel.
In this guide, you’ll find the best world building apps for writers (both free and paid), plus the smartest way to keep your entire story world in one place.
• Notion – Best all-in-one customizable worldbuilding hub (top pick ⭐️)
• World Anvil – Best for deep lore and complex worldbuilding
• Scrivener – Best for drafting and organizing story + worldbuilding notes
• Obsidian – Best free worldbuilding app for visual thinkers
• Vellum – Best for writers who want structured, clean organization
• Reedsy Studio – Best free and simple writing + outlining tool
• Notebook.ai – Best for writers who want guided worldbuilding templates
• Campfire – Best modular worldbuilding tool for character and plot building
• LegendKeeper – Best private world wiki for authors and fantasy creators
1. Notion (top pick ⭐️)
If you’re looking for the most customizable, distraction-free world building app out there, Notion is where it's at.
It’s a blank canvas, meaning you can build worldbuilding databases, connect character profiles, map out plots, and even track your writing progress in one place. Plus, it's clean, intuitive, and free (unless you want fancy upgrades).
Top features
Customizable interconnected databases
Linked pages and powerful search
Multiple flexible views (tables, kanban, galleries, calendars, etc.)
Writing and planning tools integrated
Templates marketplace (free + paid)
All-in-one workspace
Pros
Highly customizable
Free for personal use
Beautiful and minimal layout
Easy to link characters, magic systems, locations, and plotlines (best feature!)
Cons
Slight learning curve at first
Needs some initial setup (unless you just grab a pre-built template)
Pricing:
Free for personal use.
Paid plans start at $10/month.
2. World Anvil
World Anvil is basically the Swiss Army knife of world building apps. It’s packed with features: timelines, family trees, diplomatic relationships, interactive maps — the works.
Honestly, it can be a lot. But if you love diving deep into lore, World Anvil is one of the best world building apps out there.
Top features
Extensive worldbuilding templates
Wiki-like interconnected articles
Interactive maps and timelines
Novel writing integration
Collaboration and privacy controls
Rich media embeds
Pros
Immense depth for worldbuilding geeks
Community features for sharing and feedback
Tons of templates for different genres
Cons
Overwhelming for beginners
Not visually appealing
Some features locked behind paywalls
Pricing:
Free basic plan.
Paid plans start at $7/month.
3. Scrivener
Technically a writing tool first, Scrivener is popular with novelists for a reason. You can create folders for your worldbuilding notes, character sheets, and settings all within your project.
It’s a bit old-school looking, but super powerful once (if) you get the hang of it.
Top features
Binder organization with folders/subfolders
Custom metadata, labels, and keywords
Integrated manuscript and notes
Flexible project structure
Importable worldbuilding templates
Pros
Great for organizing drafts + worldbuilding
Corkboard view for plotting
One-time payment (no subscription)
Cons
Steep learning curve
Desktop-focused (mobile app is clunky)
Pricing:
Free trial available
$59.99 one-time payment.
✨ P.S. If you want to dig deeper, check out this post on the Best Scrivener Alternatives
4. Obsidian
Obsidian is a local app (your files are saved on your computer) that lets you create interlinked notes, almost like building your own Wikipedia.
If you love seeing connections between your ideas visually, Obsidian will make you swoon.
Top features
Bi-directional linked notes
Graph view visualization
Markdown-based with plugin support
Personal knowledge base for lore
Pros
Local storage = no internet needed
Wiki-style note linking
Insane flexibility with plugins
Cons
No built-in collaboration
Interface feels technical at first
Pricing:
Free for personal use.
5. Vellum
While Vellum is designed for formatting ebooks, its clean structure makes it unexpectedly great for organizing worldbuilding notes. Especially if you’re someone who loves clean layouts without distractions.
It’s not free, but if you’re publishing too, it’s a two-for-one.
Top features
Professional book formatting and publishing (no dedicated worldbuilding)
Pros
Gorgeous formatting
Great for planning structure + aesthetics
Easy exports to ebook formats
Cons
Mac only
Expensive
Pricing: $249.99 one-time purchase (Mac only).
6. Reedsy Studio
Reedsy Studio is one of the best free world building apps if you want to keep your planning ultra simple. It’s mainly an online writing tool that lets you track chapters, character arcs, and settings without the clutter.
Top features
Collaborative manuscript editing
Outlining and chapter organization (no specialized worldbuilding)
Pros
Writing studio is 100% free
Clean and simple interface
Chapter and character tracking built in
Cons
Limited customization
Not ideal for in-depth worldbuilding
No offline mode
Pricing:
Free
Premium plans start at $4.99/mo
💡 Tip: You can combine this with a world building app like the Notion Worldbuilding System if you want a dedicated writing tool and an in-depth world building hub.
7. Notebook.ai
Notebook.ai offers ready-made templates for characters, locations, creatures, items, and more. It’s great if you don’t want to build everything from scratch.
Top features
AI-assisted prompts and suggestions
Dedicated modules for characters, locations, items, etc.
Privacy controls
Tagging and search
Pros
Easy to get started
Lots of worldbuilding templates
Privacy controls (you choose what’s public)
Cons
Some templates locked behind paid plans
Limited formatting options
Pricing:
Free basic account.
Premium plans start at $9/month.
8. Campfire
Campfire is made for storytellers, full stop. It offers character profiles, magic system builders, timeline creators, and even relationship web charts.
Its modular approach makes it one of the best world building apps for writers who like to pick and choose features.
Top features
Modular worldbuilding tools (characters, timelines, maps, relationships)
Visualization of relationships and timelines
Writing integration
Collaboration features
Pros
Highly modular pricing
Pretty UI
Deep character building features
Cons
Can get pricey if you need many modules
Online use only (for now)
Pricing:
Free basic plan.
Modules priced individually (~$2–$5 each) or full access for $15/month.
9. LegendKeeper
LegendKeeper is like having a private wiki for your fantasy world. It lets you create interactive maps, linked articles, timelines, character bios, and more, all tucked into one space.
If World Anvil feels too overwhelming, LegendKeeper might be the perfect middle ground.
Top features
Interactive annotated maps
Wiki-style interconnected articles
Hierarchical organization and linking
Collaboration support
Pros
Private worldbuilding wiki
Interactive maps
Clean, distraction-free interface
Cons
Paid only (no free plan)
Smaller community compared to World Anvil
Pricing:
Free trial available
Starts at $9/month or $99/year.
Pricing and features comparison
| Tool | Standout Feature(s) | Pricing Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Notion |
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| World Anvil |
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| Scrivener |
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| Obsidian |
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| Vellum |
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| Reedsy Studio |
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| Notebook.ai |
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| Campfire |
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| LegendKeeper |
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Why Notion is the best app for novel worldbuilding
Look, all of these apps have their strengths. But if you want:
Full customization without limits
A simple, clean user interface
Easy linking between magic systems, locations, characters, and scenes
A free (or affordable) tool you can grow into
…then Notion is hands-down the best app for novel worldbuilding.
You can literally design your own worldbuilding bible exactly the way your brain works — no shoehorning your ideas into rigid templates.
And if you don’t want to start from scratch?
Grab my Pro Notion Worldbuilding System, specifically made for serious fantasy writers who want an in-depth, organized system.
FAQs about the best world building apps
What is the best free world building app?
Notion is one of the best options. It gives you full creative control so you can build a worldbuilding system that is made for your specific needs. You can learn how to structure Notion for worldbuilding here.
Which worldbuilding app is best for fantasy writers?
World Anvil is great if you want to dive deep into lore. But if you want clean organization and full customization without the overwhelm, Notion (especially with a good template) is your best bet.
Can I use Notion for worldbuilding?
Absolutely — and it's fantastic for it. With a good setup, you can track locations, characters, cultures, religions, magic systems, and even timelines, all neatly interconnected.
Is it better to use a worldbuilding app or just a notebook?
It depends on how your brain works. If you love flipping through physical notes and don’t mind a little chaos, a notebook can work fine. But if you want to actually find what you wrote about the Duke of Nowhere three months ago without digging through piles of paper, a worldbuilding app is going to make your life a lot easier.
Can I build a fantasy map inside a worldbuilding app?
Yes, some of the best world building apps like World Anvil, Campfire, and LegendKeeper let you create interactive maps. If you’re using a tool like Notion, you can link locations manually, but for actual fantasy map drawing, you might want to pair it with a visual tool like Wonderdraft or Inkarnate.
