Campfire Technology
Campfire Technology operates a freemium writing, worldbuilding, and self-publishing platform with 18 modules across web, desktop, and mobile, serving 310,000+ fiction authors who can also publish and sell ebooks on an integrated storefront at an 80% revenue share.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersBoston, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Campfire Technology does
Campfire Technology operates a writing, worldbuilding, and self-publishing SaaS platform serving fiction authors. The product centers on 18 interconnected modules — including Manuscript, Characters, Relationships, Maps, Timeline, Calendar, Encyclopedia, Systems, Research, Conlang, Species, and Story Planning — accessible via a web platform (campfirewriting.com), a desktop application for Mac and Windows with offline support, and the CF Creators mobile app for iOS and Android. Underlying architecture is a cloud-based web platform hosted on Amazon infrastructure with project-level data backup and cross-device synchronization, with desktop and mobile clients developed by a small distributed engineering team (including team members in the US and Portugal).
The company operates a freemium product-led growth model with a free tier offering limited access to all 18 modules and paid plans starting at $0.50/month with lifetime purchase options, complemented by an integrated ebook marketplace (Campfire Explore) where authors retain 80% of sales and Campfire takes a 20% commission, a mobile reading app launched March 2024, and a self-publishing imprint (Campfire Publishing). The go-to-market combines PLG with community-led acquisition through creator endorsements (Dragonsteel/Brandon Sanderson, Merphy Napier, Writing Excuses, Bookborn, FanFiAddict), a Discord community, and multi-platform social media presence, targeting hobbyist and indie fiction writers rather than enterprise customers. Founded in 2018 by Jason Louro (Northeastern University) with Jackson Dickert joining as CMO, the company remains bootstrapped with the only disclosed capital being a 2019 Kickstarter campaign of approximately $37,000, and is governed as Campfire Technology LLC under Connecticut law with a ~5-person core team.
Campfire Technology firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Campfire Technology
- Legal name
- Campfire Technology LLC
- Website
- https://campfirewriting.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Campfire Technology operates a freemium writing, worldbuilding, and self-publishing platform with 18 modules across web, desktop, and mobile, serving 310,000+ fiction authors who can also publish and sell ebooks on an integrated storefront at an 80% revenue share.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Campfire Technology industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Creative Writing Software
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (513210)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Manuscript Development Services (Coaching, Developmental Editing) (MPAJAJAF)
Keywords
Where Campfire Technology is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Campfire Technology business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Writing Software Subscriptions: Freemium model with free accounts having limited access to 18 modules. Paid plans for unlimited access start at $0.50/month with lifetime purchase options available. Subscriptions can be monthly or annual.
- Self-Publishing Revenue Share: Authors can sell their stories and bonus content (characters, lore, short stories) on Campfire's bookstore. Authors receive 80% of sales, approximately 10% more than other self-publishing platforms.
- Ebook Sales: Campfire operates an online ebook store where readers purchase books directly, with the platform taking a commission from sales.
- Gift Module Purchases: Users can purchase Campfire modules as gifts for other writers, providing an additional revenue stream.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free tier with limited module access |
| Subscription | Monthly | Paid monthly subscription |
| Subscription | Annual | Annual subscription |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Lifetime module purchases |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Campfire Technology product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Campfire Technology operates a comprehensive book platform that combines fiction writing software, worldbuilding tools, self-publishing infrastructure, and a reading marketplace. The core product is a web-based application with 18 interconnected modules covering manuscript drafting, character creation, mapping, timelines, calendars, encyclopedia/wiki entries, research, and conlang design, delivered alongside desktop and mobile apps. The platform also includes an integrated ebook store where authors can self-publish and monetize books and bonus content, with authors retaining 80% of sales revenue.
Product overview
Campfire Technology operates a comprehensive writing, worldbuilding, and publishing platform centered around 18 interconnected modules. The core offering consists of a web-based writing platform (campfirewriting.com), a desktop app for offline writing, and a CF Creators mobile app — all sharing a unified project system. The 18 modules include writing tools (Manuscript/Word Processor), character creation (Characters, Relationships, Moodboards), worldbuilding (Maps, Encyclopedia, Systems, Research, Calendar, Timeline, Conlang Software), and story planning tools. Campfire expanded in 2021–2023 into publishing with its Explore ebook store and Campfire Publishing imprint, and launched a mobile reading app in March 2024. Pricing uses a free-tier model with limited module usage, and paid subscriptions starting at $0.50/month for unlimited access with lifetime purchase options.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Campfire Writing Software (Web Platform) Browser-based writing and worldbuilding platform offering 18 interconnected modules for planning, drafting, and organizing fiction, including manuscript drafting, characters, maps, timelines, calendars, encyclopedia/wiki, research, and conlang tools. Targeted at fiction writers and authors.
- Campfire Desktop App Downloadable desktop application for Mac (OS 10.11 El Capitan and later) and Windows (Windows 7 and later) that mirrors the web platform's writing functionality and enables offline writing sessions with automatic syncing. Free to download. Targeted at fiction writers who want offline access.
- CF Creators Mobile App Free mobile application for iOS and Android that allows authors to work on their Campfire writing projects on the go. Most modules are supported except Arcs, Calendars, Languages, Relationships, and Research. Connects to existing Campfire accounts. Targeted at fiction writers needing mobile access.
- Campfire Reading App Mobile reading application launched in March 2024 for iOS and Android phones and tablets that allows readers to browse, purchase, and read stories plus bonus content (character profiles, world lore, maps, short stories) published on Campfire. Targeted at genre fiction readers.
- Campfire Explore (eBook Storefront) Online ebook storefront and self-publishing marketplace where authors can publish and monetize their books and bonus content. Authors retain 80% of sales revenue. Readers can browse, purchase, and read genre fiction including fantasy, sci-fi, romance, horror, and mysteries. Targeted at independent authors and genre fiction readers.
Quantifiable outcome
- 80% author revenue share (approximately 10% higher than competitors)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Campfire Technology
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Campfire Technology technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature10 records
Campfire Technology partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Dragonsteel EntertainmentcoreEndorsement partnership with Brandon Sanderson's publishing company. Dragonsteel appears as a partner/endorser on Campfire's platform, providing credibility in the fantasy writing community.
- Merphy NapiercoreProminent bookTuber and author endorser of Campfire, lending credibility in the writing community.
- Writing ExcusescorePopular writing podcast/show partnership. The Writing Excuses podcast hosts endorse Campfire and appear as platform partners.
- BookbornminorEndorsement partnership with Bookborn, a book subscription service, providing cross-promotion opportunities.
- FanFiAddictminorEndorsement partnership with FanFiAddict, a fantasy and fan fiction community platform.
- KindlepreneurminorEndorsement partnership with Kindlepreneur, a resource for Kindle publishing and book marketing.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Campfire Technology competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Scrivener: Long-form writing software (Windows/Mac/iOS) widely regarded as the incumbent for novel planning and drafting. Closely competes with Campfire's Manuscript module for serious fiction writers and shares the same long-form, organize-and-out workflow.
- NovelCrafter: Modern AI-augmented writing and worldbuilding platform targeting the same fiction-author persona as Campfire. Overlaps directly on the worldbuilding (codex, timelines, characters) and drafting workflow, competing for paying users.
- World Anvil: Worldbuilding platform with timelines, maps, character sheets, and encyclopedias that overlap heavily with Campfire's Maps, Timeline, Encyclopedia, and Characters modules. Targets the same worldbuilder/serial-fiction author persona.
- Plottr: Plotting and outlining tool for novelists with timeline and scene-by-scene structure. Overlaps with Campfire's Timeline module and competes for the same planning-stage fiction writers.
- Dabble: Browser-based novel writing software with built-in plotting, goal tracking, and publishing assistance. Closely comparable target audience (aspiring/published novelists) and subscription pricing model.
- Atticus: Writing + book formatting tool that produces print-ready PDFs and EPUBs for self-publishers. Competes with Campfire's Compile Manuscript feature and the same self-publishing author persona.
Emerging players
- Reedsy: Self-publishing marketplace and author services platform (editing, design, marketing, distribution). Comparable to Campfire's Explore bookstore and Campfire Publishing arm from the publishing-services side rather than the writing-tools side.
Broad incumbents
- Wattpad: Mass-market fiction reading and writing community owned by Naver. Operates in the same read-write-publish ecosystem as Campfire but at vastly larger scale, focused on serialized/community fiction.
- Notion: Broad productivity/workspace platform many authors use ad-hoc for worldbuilding, research, and notes. Represents indirect competition for Campfire's planning and organizational modules from a much larger, well-funded incumbent.
Others
- ProWritingAid: Writing assistance/editing tool listed as a Campfire trusted partner. Serves the same fiction author persona but focuses on prose quality rather than worldbuilding, positioning it as a complementary or partnering tool rather than direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Campfire Technology social profiles
Digital presenceCampfire Technology financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Campfire Technology leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Campfire Technology funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Campfire Technology M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Campfire Technology
What does Campfire Technology do?
Campfire Technology operates a comprehensive book platform that combines fiction writing software, worldbuilding tools, self-publishing infrastructure, and a reading marketplace. The core product is a web-based application with 18 interconnected modules covering manuscript drafting, character creation, mapping, timelines, calendars, encyclopedia/wiki entries, research, and conlang design, delivered alongside desktop and mobile apps. The platform also includes an integrated ebook store where authors can self-publish and monetize books and bonus content, with authors retaining 80% of sales revenue.
Is Campfire Technology a public or private company?
Campfire Technology is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Campfire Technology founded?
Campfire Technology was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Campfire Technology based?
Campfire Technology is headquartered in Boston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Campfire Technology make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Writing Software Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are self-Publishing Revenue Share, ebook Sales and gift Module Purchases.
Who are Campfire Technology's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Scrivener, NovelCrafter, World Anvil, Plottr, Dabble and Atticus. Reedsy is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Wattpad and Notion. ProWritingAid is listed as an others.
Does Campfire Technology have an API?
No public API is recorded for Campfire Technology.
What industry is Campfire Technology in?
Campfire Technology's product category is Creative Writing Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAJAF, Manuscript Development Services (Coaching, Developmental Editing). Its NAICS code is 513210 and its SIC code is 7372.