FAQ
FAQ
This page addresses many of the frequently asked questions about World Anvil. If your question isn’t answered here, please shoot us an email at [email protected]!
What is World Anvil?
What is World Anvil, in a nutshell?
World Anvil is an award-winning worldbuilding toolkit, novel writing software and RPG Campaign Manager. It’s the most powerful and feature-rich software of its kind available, and its community has a wide range of users, from absolute beginners, to serious hobbyists, to gaming studios, bestselling authors and professional Game Masters.
World Anvil was created with love by two nerds (Janet Forbes, a writer and Dimitris, a GM) who just NEEDED it to exist, and it’s grown into a friendly, creative community of over 3 million users! It helps create, organize, store and share your creative work, as well as inspiring you to craft richer worlds for your stories and games.
How is World Anvil different from other worldbuilding software?
World Anvil is the most popular and powerful worldbuilding software available, and includes a full novel-writing software and RPG campaign manager. World Anvil is designed to make all your worldbuilding—whether it’s text, images, interactive elements or other media—organized, connected, and beautiful. Our users include best-selling authors, tabletop RPG publishers, video game studios, pro gamemasters, and serious hobbyists who have written over a million words of lore in a single project. It’s supported by dedicated developers and responsive customer support, and maintains an Excellent 4.5 Star rating on TrustPilot.
How is World Anvil different from other novel writing software?
World Anvil’s Manuscripts feature is an online novel writing software that fully integrates with your worldbuilding bible. In addition to the worldbuilding features, the novel writing software includes plotting and planning tools, drag-and-drop chapters and scenes, covers and community building tools.
For self-published or hybrid authors, World Anvil can also integrate with your Kickstarter, Patreon or other crowdfunding platforms, and supports online novel and serial fiction publishing which can be monetized.
How is World Anvil different from other DM tools?
World Anvil’s Campaign Manager is not a virtual tablet top (VTT) or a map-making software. It is a complete campaign management toolkit, with support for 100+ RPG systems (and counting!) This includes character sheets, stat blocks you can copy (and customize), session notes, virtual handouts, and more. Our interactive maps feature allows you to make your uploaded maps clickable, with details about locations, NPCs, and events available as pop-ups. You can add layers and shapes to create a “fog of war,” or hide unexplored areas, and also link maps to drill down from world map to area or city map to building or battle map. You can collaborate with co-DMs and invite players to help you build your world, while you maintain ultimate control. Even more features and upgrades are on the way.
How can I get in contact with World Anvil?
Whether it’s a technical question or a query, we want to help! You can contact us in the following places!
- For questions about using World Anvil: [email protected].
- For membership questions and all other questions: [email protected]
- If you think you found a bug, tell us here: https://www.worldanvil.com/udan-tracker/
- If you’re interested in sponsorship, follow the instructions here.
Using World Anvil
Where can I find help with using World Anvil?
If you’re just getting started, check the Beginner’s Tutorial. You can also check the Learn section to find guides and how-tos for every feature on World Anvil.
If you can’t find an answer to a question on Learn, email us at [email protected]. You can also join our community Discord server and use the #help channel, where you’ll find fellow Anvilites who’ll be happy to help you!
What worldbuilding features does World Anvil have?
World Anvil provides creators with a complete toolkit for building, organising, and presenting your worldbuilding. It includes multimedia-rich articles, with prompts to help you expand your setting, and an auto-linker to make crosslinking instantaneous. It also offers interactive maps, family trees, diplomacy webs, fantasy calendars, timelines, RPG statblocks, Player Character sheets for over a hundred systems, and whiteboards for mindmapping and plotting. All the features work together to help you keep your world consistent, easy to navigate and quick to reference.
World Anvil also has presentation features for your worldbuilding, so you can make your world look beautiful when you share it with others. Some guild tiers also have access to white labelling, SEO tools and other professional features. You can see our complete List of Features by Guild Level here.
How can I suggest a new feature for World Anvil?
If you’re a Guild member, you can open a new feature suggestion here: https://www.worldanvil.com/community/voting/. If there’s enough interest from the community and it fits our vision for World Anvil, we might accept it for implementation! If instead you’ve found something that doesn’t quite work as you think it should, you can report it as a bug here: https://www.worldanvil.com/udan-tracker/
Is World Anvil suitable for beginners?
Yes, World Anvil is suitable for beginner worldbuilders. As well as a complete online course to help you start worldbuilding, World Anvil has a course of beginner tutorials to start using the software. Every feature has extensive documentation, but the interface is pretty intuitive to get started with.
If you do get stuck, World Anvil also has a warm, supportive and helpful community of Discord, which is a great place to ask for help using the platform. You can also email us at [email protected] for technical support and we’ll try to get back to you soon!
Can I learn to worldbuild on World Anvil?
Yes, you can learn to worldbuild using World Anvil—we have many resources for beginner worldbuilders. World Anvil offers a complete online course to help you start worldbuilding, and also has a series of beginner tutorials to start using the software. World Anvil’s Worldbuilding Academy also has worldbuilding guides and methods, novel writing advice and GM tips to help you continue your learning journey.
Do Writers and Game Masters get different features on World Anvil?
Feature groups on World Anvil are available to all users on a per-account basis, and any account on World Anvil can turn feature groups on and off - for example, writer features, RPG features, community features.
Is there a limit on articles, images or anything else?
Free members can have up to 2 worlds, up to 42 articles and up to 100 MB worth of images (each of which can’t be larger than 1 MB). Guild members have unlimited articles and more image storage—check the pricing page for details.
Can I publish or share my world on World Anvil?
Yes, you can publish your World Anvil world publicly, sharing it with others. Or you can keep it private, or share it only with specific readers or players, as a guild member. World Anvil lets you choose who sees your content. Worlds, and individual content inside them like campaigns and novels, articles, timelines, maps, and more, can all be public, private, or restricted to selected subscriber groups (perfect for early readers, patrons, or RPG players). Depending on your membership tier, you can even style your world with themes and presentation features to make it look like a professional website, use white labelling, and have your own custom URL.
Can I import my work into World Anvil?
You can copy and paste text directly into World Anvil, and upload images and maps. Most writers simply paste chapters, notes, or worldbuilding text from other tools they’ve used before into World Anvil, to keep it safe, accessible and organized.
Can I export my work?
Yes, you can export everything you wrote. Your work is your work, period. Guild members have access to both article and world export while free members can export each of their articles individually. Check how to export your world for details.
Is World Anvil good for D&D? Which RPG systems are supported?
Yes. World Anvil supports several version of Dungeons and Dragons (2024, 5th edition, 3.5 edition, AD&D) as well as over 100 other RPG systems, including Pathfinder, Call of Cthulhu, Vampire the Masquerade, Tales of the Valiant, and many more. World Anvil has character sheets, statblocks, maps, and campaign management tools, as well a community library of statblocks you can use, copy and edit in your own worlds. You can also use World Anvil to homebrew your own system, if you prefer.
Can I use World Anvil offline?
No, World Anvil is a browser based software and you must be connected to the internet to use it. World Anvil is optimised for desktops, laptops and smartphone browsers. For the best performance, we recommend an updated chrome-based browser like Google Chrome, Opera, etc.
Is World Anvil secure? Is my work safe on World Anvil?
Yes—World Anvil is designed to keep your work safe. We take the safety and security of your worldbuilding very seriously at World Anvil—after all, we’re creators too and we use World Anvil for our own work!
All content is served over an encrypted HTTPS connection, and our servers are monitored and backed up regularly to protect against data loss. Your worlds, articles, images, and manuscripts always remain your intellectual property. We do not sell your data or use your data without your consent, and we do not train AI models on your work.
If your content is private, only you (and any co-authors or subscribers you explicitly add) can access it. Private material is never visible to the public or to search engines. Public content remains fully copyrighted by you: we simply host it, and you control its visibility at all times.
World Anvil is maintained by a dedicated development team supporting millions of users, and we take data security, privacy, and creator rights extremely seriously.
Is there a World Anvil mobile app?
On mobile, simply log into World Anvil using a web browser - we recommend Chrome or another Chrome based browser for the best performance. On mobile, the website will appear optimised for mobile usage. There is not currently a mobile app for World Anvil.
Can multiple people work on the same World Anvil world?
Yes, on World Anvil, world owners can add co-authors, editors, writers. This is ideal for co-writing partnerships, co-DMs, or game development teams working together. Co-authors do not need a Guild membership; they gain access to Guild features for your world automatically. You stay in full control of permissions and your world’s content, and you can remove co-authors whenever you wish.
World Anvil Guild Memberships
Is World Anvil free?
It’s totally free to make a World Anvil account and start worldbuilding! With a free account you can create 2 worlds, 42 articles, create an interactive map, timeline and join community challenges! If you want access to more advanced worldbuilding features (like the novel writing software, family trees, co-authors), or more space, you’ll need a guild membership. Guild memberships are inexpensive and available in monthly, annual and lifetime options.
Does World Anvil have gift memberships?
Yes, World Anvil has gift memberships, and it makes an excellent gift for the writer, game master or creative in your life! You can see the options and purchase on our World Anvil Gift Subscriptions page.
I have a code for a World Anvil membership. How do I activate it?
First, make sure you have created a World Anvil account and that you are logged in. Next, go to https://www.worldanvil.com/activate and enter the code. It’s that simple! If you already have a membership, you’ll need to wait for that to expire or email us at [email protected] to sort that out.
Is World Anvil worth it?
World Anvil is designed to save you time, keep your work organised, and help you build a deep, coherent world setting. It also supports your novel writing and RPG campaigns. Many users replace several tools, like notebook software, wiki platforms, plotting apps, novel writing software, and campaign managers, with World Anvil’s features. If you’re worldbuilding seriously, running RPG campaigns, or writing fiction, the Guild tiers offer excellent long-term value.
What happens when I upgrade my World Anvil membership?
All membership upgrades to a different Guild tier or duration are prorated: you will only pay for the remaining time and the difference. For downgrades, the downgrade is applied at the end of the term of the current membership. Previously canceled memberships will automatically be uncancelled when you upgrade.
As a special note, if you have purchased a membership within the last 5 days and you have used a coupon code for the original purchase, and you wish to upgrade, talk to us before upgrading so we can apply the code to the upgraded membership—on the house!
Which World Anvil subscription do I need?
That depends on how you want to use it! If you’re using World Anvil for professional purposes, the Sage tier is specifically designed for professional users, with features like custom domains and whitelabeling. Check the workflow for professionals for details. If you’re not a professional, check the Pricing page to see whether Master or Grandmaster best fits your needs as a hobbyist. All three are available as a monthly or annual recurring subscription. Lifetime memberships are also available (although we recommend trying the software first to make sure it’s the right fit for you!). Upgrades are pro-rated, so you can always upgrade later at no risk. There is no “Game Master tier” or “writer tier” on World Anvil—each subscription tier unlocks features useful for all kinds of worldbuilders.
What happens when my Guild membership account expires?
If you let your Guild membership expire, your private content will remain private and you’ll still be able to see and access it all after your subscription expires. However, as private content is a Guild feature, you won’t be able to edit your private content until you make it public or renew your subscription.
Do my co-authors need a Guild membership as well?
No, only the owner of the world needs to have a Guild membership; co-authors will have access to all of the Guild features when editing your world. The only thing a co-author needs is a World Anvil account and the desire to write with you!
How do I cancel my subscription?
Cancelling your subscription is easy and you can do it at any time:
- Click your profile picture at the top right
- Select Guild Membership
- Scroll down and click on the cancel button at the bottom.
Can I get a refund for my Guild membership?
World Anvil subscriptions are non-refundable. You can cancel your subscription at any time and your subscription will remain active until the end of its period.
We will issue refunds ONLY if there is evidence of a transaction made without your approval or our own discretion. No other refunds for digital subscriptions are available.
Why can’t free users have private worlds?
We want to make World Anvil available for anyone to try out, and we don't think it's fair to limit your free trial to a week, a month, or even a year. Instead of limiting the time you have, we limit some features.
Free accounts use server space, customer support time, and other resources. They are not free for us. Some features – including private worlds – are reserved for the wonderful users whose support keeps World Anvil online.
If privacy is important for you, a Guild Membership starts at $4.50 USD a month for an annual subscription-- about the price of one cup of coffee!
World Anvil and Copyright
What if I want to copy someone else’s work for my world?
World Anvil was designed for writing your own original work. You are also free to use World Anvil to collect, post or edit material which is licensed as Creative Commons (as long as you observe the tenets of the specific license—attribution, remixing, etc.) or is in the Public Domain. This might include material from books which are no longer protected by copyright, content from Wikipedia, and royalty-free images. Regardless of its license, it’s always good practice to mention which material is not your own somewhere visible, such as in the Author’s Notes section of an article, so as to avoid any confusion about authorship.
If you publish or share content which belongs to someone else and is their Intellectual Property—whether it’s images, text, or anything else—World Anvil reserves the right to take it down. We take Intellectual Property very seriously, and we will observe takedown notices from content producers who have their rights infringed upon by our users, as per the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
Submitting verbatim copies of other people’s texts in a World Anvil competition entry will get you disqualified from that competition, regardless of the original text’s license. You can read our full copyright policy here.
Is my work safe from AI scrapers?
World Anvil does not sell your content (or your data, or anything else!) to third-party companies, and we don't train any AI models on your work. This means that, if your work is private, it’s completely safe from any AI scrapers. For those who choose to publish your work publicly, we do our best to prevent AI scrapers from accessing public World Anvil pages, but please be aware that no such system is flawless right now.
What does “public world” or “public article” mean? Who owns the copyright on my public content?
A public world can be accessed by people visiting the website if they find their way to your page. Private worlds, which are available to Guild members, can only be accessed by their owners, their co-authors, and specific users the world author chooses (via the subscriber group feature).
If a world is public, that doesn’t mean in any way that it’s in the public domain. The world authors, whether they’re public and private, hold exclusive and non-negotiable copyright of their work unless they state otherwise in their worlds. World Anvil will do its best to prove the ownership of said worlds if need be by providing its creation date and author. We take privacy and ownership very seriously. We are creators as well and we believe that a creator's work should be protected by any means possible within the letter of the law. You can read more about this on our Terms of Service and Copyright Policy.
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