Yarn Spinner

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Score7.2

Rank#3 of 25

PriceFree

Free planYes

Runs onBrowser extension, Linux, macOS, Web, Windows

Summary

Yarn Spinner is a set of narrative game tools for writing, integrating, and testing dialogue and branching stories. Its human-readable Yarn language is designed for interactive conversations, with official integrations for Unity, Godot using C# or GDScript, and Unreal Engine using Blueprint or C++. The free, open-source Visual Studio Code extension provides syntax highlighting, error checking, a graph view, and an in-editor dialogue preview. Dialogue strings can be exported with unique IDs, and language switching can happen at runtime; Yarn Spinner can also use Unity Localization. Voice-over tools cover audio asset management, localization synchronization, and playback timing. Ready-made add-ons include speech bubbles and dialogue wheels; Text Animator is included in Yarn Spinner+. Try Yarn Spinner provides a browser-based way to write and run scripts without setup, but its scripts stay in browser localStorage and are not backed up or synchronized. The core is licensed under MIT. The Free plan is listed at 0.00 USD per free; Yarn Spinner+ for Unity is 75.00 USD or more, once.

Who it is for

Yarn Spinner suits writers, programmers, and game designers building interactive dialogue for Unity, Godot, or Unreal Engine projects. It is also relevant to teams working with localization or voice-over.

What is good

Free open-source VS Code extension includes dialogue preview.
Official integrations support Unity, Godot, and Unreal Engine.
Supports runtime language switching and unique dialogue IDs.
Includes voice-over tools and audio asset management.

What to know first

Browser scripts are not backed up or synchronized.
Yarn Spinner+ for Unity costs 75.00 USD or more, once.

Verdict

Yarn Spinner brings dialogue authoring, engine integrations, localization, and voice-over tools into one narrative workflow. Its free extension and browser tool are useful starting points, but browser scripts require separate care because they are not backed up.

Yarn Spinner plans and pricing

All plans

Free Free free forever · open source · Unity, Godot and Unreal integrations · VS Code extension yarnspinner.dev · 1 Oct 2026

Yarn Spinner+ for Unity $75 once $75.00 USD or more Text Animator integration · dialogue presenters · priority support and bug fixes · early access yarnspinner.itch.io · 1 Oct 2026

Compared on game narrative design software

Free plan: Yesyarnspinner.dev
Branching dialogue: Yesyarnspinner.dev
Quest design: Yesyarnspinner.dev
Authoring model: document-basedyarnspinner.dev
Game engine support: Unity, Godot, Unreal Engineyarnspinner.dev
Localization workflow: Yesyarnspinner.dev

Facts

Purpose: Yarn Spinner creates narrative game tools for writers, programmers and game designers to plan, write, integrate and test game dialogue.yarnspinner.dev · 1 Oct 2026
Scripting language: Yarn is a human-readable scripting language for writing interactive dialogue and branching narratives.yarnspinner.dev · 1 Oct 2026
Engine integrations: Official integrations support Unity, Godot with C# or GDScript, and Unreal Engine with Blueprint or C++.yarnspinner.dev · 1 Oct 2026
Editor: The free open-source Visual Studio Code extension provides syntax highlighting, error checking, graph view and in-editor dialogue preview.yarnspinner.dev · 1 Oct 2026
Localization: Yarn Spinner exports dialogue strings with unique IDs, supports runtime language switching and can use Unity Localization.yarnspinner.dev · 1 Oct 2026
Voice over: The feature set includes built-in voice-over support with audio asset management, localization synchronization and playback timing.yarnspinner.dev · 1 Oct 2026
UI add-ons: Ready-made add-ons include speech bubbles, dialogue wheels and Text Animator effects, with Text Animator included in Yarn Spinner+.yarnspinner.dev · 1 Oct 2026
Browser tool: Try Yarn Spinner is a zero-setup browser tool for writing and running Yarn scripts.yarnspinner.dev · 1 Oct 2026
Browser data limit: Scripts in Try Yarn Spinner remain in browser localStorage, are not sent to the team and are not backed up or synchronized.yarnspinner.dev · 1 Oct 2026
Security and privacy: The company says web traffic uses HTTPS, infrastructure is secured, access is limited to team members who need it, and analytics are anonymized through Umami.yarnspinner.dev · 1 Oct 2026
License: The core of Yarn Spinner is provided under the MIT License.yarnspinner.dev · 1 Oct 2026
Support: Support is available by email, with replies usually within a few business days, and through a community Discord server.yarnspinner.dev · 1 Oct 2026
Services: Yarn Spinner Pty. Ltd. offers consulting, custom integrations, feature development, training and narrative design services.yarnspinner.dev · 1 Oct 2026