Novel writing software covers editors, plot planners, worldbuilding databases, AI drafting assistants and book formatters, and most authors need two of them.
This guide ranks twelve on setup effort, real price over several years, how easily a manuscript leaves, independence of the vendor and which kind of author each suits.
Vendors can pay for more visibility on this website, for example a higher place in a ranking or more room on a page. Commercial relationships can also affect which products we feature and how prominently. Every vendor link is marked the same, whatever the arrangement behind it. How that works.
In short
What novel writing software does
Novel writing software helps authors draft long manuscripts, organise chapters, characters and plots, track progress, and export finished books to formats such as Word, EPUB and print-ready PDF.
Ranking criteria for this novel writing tool list, applied top to bottom: effort to get started, cost in practice, data return, ability to leave, buyer fit. A challenger rule applies on top. Places 1 to 3 are kept for lesser-known vendors when the category has them; large brands rank from 4. Why those five, and why there is no score out of ten, is on the how we work page.
Binder-style manuscript workspace from a Cornwall company, sold per platform
Ranked #1 of 12 in Best Novel Writing Software in 2026.
Pricing on requestEurope
Scrivener treats a book as a binder of documents, with a corkboard, outliner and split editor over the same material. Compile turns the project into Word, RTF, PDF, EPUB, Kindle or Final Draft files, and Pandoc or MultiMarkdown can feed LaTeX.
A 30-day trial exists for Mac and Windows. The cost is learning compile settings, and licences are sold per platform rather than per person.
What stands out
Binder and corkboard
Compile to EPUB
Per-platform licence
Where it costs you
The page shows only the iOS price, with desktop prices behind the purchase button
Each platform needs its own licence, so Mac, Windows and iPad users pay repeatedly
Right for
Long-form authors who want drafting, research and compiling in one local project
Wrong for
Writers who want guided plotting templates or built-in cloud collaboration
United KingdomLicence per platform; 30-day trial; desktop prices shown only at checkout
Browser writing and book-formatting app whose core features cost nothing
Ranked #2 of 12 in Best Novel Writing Software in 2026.
Free tierPublished pricingElsewhere
Reedsy Studio runs in the browser with a chapter sidebar, boards for characters and research, and daily goals with check-ins. Track changes and comments support editors and beta readers, who can read previews in an online e-reader.
Templates control trim size and theme, then export EPUB or print-ready PDF. Because the premium tiers are small monthly fees, the real price stays low, but the editor is tied to Reedsy's own marketplace.
What stands out
Free core
Browser-based
EPUB and print PDF
Where it costs you
Outlining, writing stats and dark mode need a paid tier
The page names no country for Reedsy Ltd, so jurisdiction needs confirming
Right for
First-time novelists who want a no-charge editor that also produces files
Wrong for
Authors who need offline desktop software with long-term local control
Not stated by the vendorFree core writing and formatting; paid tiers for outlining and stats; 30-day trial
Visual timeline planner for plots and series bibles, sold by licence or subscription
Ranked #3 of 12 in Best Novel Writing Software in 2026.
Pricing on requestElsewhere
Plottr shows scenes, chapters and character arcs as cards on a timeline you drag into order. The base tier runs offline on Windows and Mac with automatic backups, unlimited household devices and no AI.
Pro adds a browser app, cloud sync and real-time collaboration. Prices come as annual, monthly or lifetime, with a 30-day trial. Prose is written elsewhere, so it adds a second tool to your stack.
What stands out
Plot timeline
Series planning
Lifetime option
Where it costs you
The base licence has no cloud sync, browser app or collaboration
Subscription cancellation goes through support rather than a button
Right for
Plot-first authors planning series on a visual timeline before drafting
Wrong for
Writers wanting one app that also holds the prose
Not stated by the vendorAnnual, monthly or lifetime options by tier; 30-day trial
One-payment writing and formatting app that runs on any desktop or Chromebook
Ranked #4 of 12 in Best Novel Writing Software in 2026.
Published pricingElsewhere
For novelists Atticus is the cheapest route from draft to paperback: the editor, goals and habit tracker sit beside 17 or more chapter themes and a theme builder.
One payment covers ebook and print, and DOCX import and export keeps the exit open. It runs offline or in a browser, including on Chromebooks. No trial is mentioned, so the 30-day guarantee is the test.
What stands out
One-time payment
Write and format
Cross-platform
Where it costs you
Version control is listed as coming soon
It offers little character or plot planning
Right for
Authors who want one tool from first chapter to print files
Wrong for
Series writers who need timelines and story-bible databases
Not stated by the vendorOne-time payment, price published; 30-day money-back guarantee
Mac-only book formatter that you try before paying for output
Ranked #5 of 12 in Best Novel Writing Software in 2026.
Published pricingElsewhere
Within this guide Vellum is the finishing stage: import the edited manuscript, choose a style, preview ebook and paperback layouts, and pay only when exporting.
Print offers 24 trim sizes plus large print, with paperback or hardcover. Press at the higher price covers print and ebooks, while the lower edition covers ebooks. It does nothing for outlining or drafting, so pair it with an editor.
What stands out
Mac only
Print and ebook
Pay at export
Where it costs you
Only macOS 13 or newer
No drafting or plotting features
Right for
Mac users with a finished manuscript who care about typeset output
Wrong for
Authors who need to draft on Windows or tablets
Not stated by the vendorLicence in two editions, price published; free download
Markdown writing app for Apple devices, billed monthly or yearly
Ranked #6 of 12 in Best Novel Writing Software in 2026.
Published pricingEurope
Ulysses keeps texts in one library that syncs through iCloud across Mac, iPad and iPhone. Sheets can be grouped into projects, with material sheets that stay out of the export.
Output covers plain text, Markdown, TextBundle, HTML, ePub, PDF and Word, and posts can be published to WordPress, Ghost, Medium and Micro.blog. Pages files are not read directly, so they need a Word export first. A volume licence exists outside the App Store.
What stands out
Apple only
Markdown
Subscription
Where it costs you
The site names only Mac, iPad and iPhone, so anyone who also works on Windows or Android has no app there.
Ulysses is sold as a subscription, so reading and editing your library depends on keeping the plan paid.
Right for
Writers on Apple devices drafting articles, posts or books rather than collecting loose notes
Wrong for
Mixed-platform teams or buyers wanting a one-off purchase
GermanySubscription, monthly or yearly, price published
Windows novel organiser by a working novelist, with no charge to use
Ranked #7 of 12 in Best Novel Writing Software in 2026.
Free tierPublished pricingElsewhere
yWriter splits a novel into chapters and scenes, each with viewpoint, goal, conflict and outcome fields. Storyboard view, drag reordering, daily progress logs and automatic snapshots protect work, and exports reach RTF, LaTeX, EPUB and Mobi.
It runs offline, with network use limited to update checks and optional FTP backup. The author is a published novelist, but support rests on one person.
What stands out
Free on Windows
Scene fields
Works offline
Where it costs you
Windows is the only platform the developer supports directly
Mac and mobile versions are separate products from another developer
Right for
Windows novelists wanting scene-level structure at no cost
Wrong for
Authors who want cloud sync, collaboration or built-in formatting
Not stated by the vendorFree to download and use on Windows
Cloud novel writer with plot grid, goals and lifetime purchase options
Ranked #8 of 12 in Best Novel Writing Software in 2026.
Published pricingElsewhere
Dabble's entry plan holds cloud sync, goals, a Plot Grid, co-authoring and versioning. The next plan adds highlighting, comments, track changes and grammar checks, and the top plan bundles courses and workshops.
A 14-day trial needs no card, and students get a discount. If a subscription lapses, manuscripts remain exportable, so you can leave with your text intact.
What stands out
Plot Grid
Cloud sync
Lifetime tiers
Where it costs you
Lifetime tiers cost several times the yearly subscription
Comments and track changes need the middle plan, not the entry plan
Right for
Cloud-first novelists who want plot grid, goals and co-authoring together
Wrong for
Writers who need an offline app or a permanent local file
Not stated by the vendorMonthly, annual and lifetime tiers, published; 14-day trial
Writing app with a free plan limited to two projects
Ranked #9 of 12 in Best Novel Writing Software in 2026.
Free tierPublished pricingElsewhere
Novlr's free plan includes sync, focus mode, sprints, streaks, a planning grid and analytics. Starter allows ten projects and 30-day history, and Studio removes project limits, adds a proofreader and backs up to Google Drive and Dropbox.
A lifetime membership is a single payment and carries co-ownership of Novlr. Prices are quoted per month but billed yearly, which affects cash flow.
What stands out
Free plan
Writing sprints
Lifetime membership
Where it costs you
The free plan allows only two projects
The author-website add-on is priced apart and the page is unclear on Studio
Right for
Hobby novelists who want sprints, streaks and sync without a first payment
Wrong for
Authors needing a stated company location before they commit
Not stated by the vendorFree plan, paid tiers billed yearly, one lifetime offer
Modular worldbuilding toolkit for fantasy writers, with a free tier
Ranked #10 of 12 in Best Novel Writing Software in 2026.
Free tierPublished pricingElsewhere
Campfire is assembled from modules for characters, timelines, maps, encyclopedia articles, magic systems, languages, religions and relationships, and you can buy only the modules you need.
The free tier is capped by counts, such as ten characters and 25,000 manuscript words. Browser, desktop and mobile access exist. It works as a reference shelf for a world and is secondary as a drafting editor.
What stands out
Worldbuilding modules
Free tier
Maps and timelines
Where it costs you
Monthly subscriptions are not refundable
Some modules are unavailable on the mobile app
Right for
Fantasy and science-fiction writers tracking maps, languages, magic and cultures
Wrong for
Authors writing contemporary fiction with few invented elements
Not stated by the vendorFree tier with module caps; monthly, annual and lifetime options
Story-bible workspace where AI runs on your own model key
Ranked #11 of 12 in Best Novel Writing Software in 2026.
Published pricingEurope
Here Novelcrafter works as the planning layer of a novel: the Codex records characters, places and how they change, and scene beats can generate drafts against it.
Scribe has no AI, Hobbyist adds your own key and scene summaries, Artisan adds workshop chat, and Specialist invites collaborators. Collaborators need paid plans to edit, and cancelled accounts keep read-only access, so export before leaving.
What stands out
Codex
Bring your own key
Fiction only
Where it costs you
No free plan exists, only a 21-day trial
AI needs your own model key and its separate bill
Right for
Series novelists who want a structured story bible feeding AI scenes
Fiction drafting assistant that spends monthly credits per action
Ranked #12 of 12 in Best Novel Writing Software in 2026.
Published pricingElsewhere
In a novel workflow Sudowrite is the drafting and critique assistant: it writes, rewrites, describes and expands, keeps series continuity and matches your style.
Professional and Max add developmental edits, line edits and beta reads, and Max carries credits over for twelve months. A card-free trial exists. Cancelling keeps projects but ends AI features, so budget by credits per chapter rather than by plan name.
What stands out
AI drafting
Credit meter
Style matching
Where it costs you
Terms state that cancelled fees are not refunded
The page lists two credit figures for the Professional plan
Right for
Fiction authors wanting drafting help and critique inside a credit allowance
Wrong for
Writers who want fixed costs with no per-action metering
Not stated by the vendorCredit-based monthly plans, published; trial without card
Novel writing software helps authors draft long manuscripts, organise chapters, characters and plots, track progress, and export finished books to formats such as Word, EPUB and print-ready PDF. The differences that matter are rarely in the feature list, so this is the order we would work through them.
01
Check who publishes a price
Only 10 of the 12 print a price; 2 quote per organisation. Comparable without a sales call: Reedsy Studio, Atticus, Vellum, Ulysses, yWriter, Dabble, Novlr, Campfire, Novelcrafter, Sudowrite.
02
Look at where the vendor sits
The 12 companies behind this list are established in 3 countries, by region Elsewhere 9, Europe 3. Disclosure obligations attach to the company, so they travel with the vendor even when the servers stay at home.
Drafting, planning and formatting are three different jobs in novel writing software
Novel writing software covers separate jobs that few products do equally well. Scrivener and Dabble hold the manuscript itself. Plottr and Campfire plan plots and invented worlds. Vellum and Atticus format a finished book for print and ebook, while Sudowrite and Novelcrafter add AI to drafting.
Buying one tool and expecting all three jobs usually leads to a second subscription within a year. Decide where your time goes now: if you are on page one, the editor matters most; if you hold a finished draft, formatting does. A four-chapter test project in the trial of each shortlisted tool shows whether its structure matches how you actually work.
Name which job you are buying for: drafting, plotting or formatting.
Run a four-chapter test project in each trial before paying.
List which second tool you would still need.
Price shapes: one-off licences, subscriptions, free tiers and lifetime deals
Pricing in this field comes in four shapes. Atticus and Vellum charge once, and Vellum's download is free until you export. Scrivener sells licences per platform. Ulysses, Dabble, Novlr and Novelcrafter bill monthly or yearly, and Reedsy Studio, yWriter and Campfire offer free starts.
Lifetime options at Dabble, Plottr and Novlr cost many times the annual fee, so they only pay off after several years. A subscription is not cheaper simply because it is small: five years of a small fee often exceeds a one-off licence. Add the cost of a second platform or AI usage before comparing totals.
Multiply monthly fees by sixty months before comparing.
Check whether Mac, Windows and phone need separate licences.
Ask what lifetime access covers if the product changes.
Exit: can you leave with your manuscript intact?
A novel is a multi-year asset, so the file format matters more than the feature list. Atticus imports and exports DOCX, and Dabble keeps manuscripts readable and exportable after cancellation. Novelcrafter keeps read-only access after cancelling, and Sudowrite keeps projects but removes AI. Ulysses stores Markdown, which is easy to move.
Scrivener and yWriter keep project files locally, and yWriter exports RTF and EPUB. Cloud-only tools make you depend on the vendor staying in business. Export a full manuscript to a plain format once a month, whatever you choose, and open it in a word processor to confirm chapters, notes and comments survived.
Export the whole manuscript monthly and open it elsewhere.
Check what remains editable after a subscription ends.
Keep a local copy even when the tool syncs to the cloud.
AI in novel writing software: who pays for the model
AI assistance is now a pricing question. Sudowrite meters actions in monthly credits, with unused credits rolling over only on its top plan. Novelcrafter's cheapest plan has no AI, and AI starts on the next plan through your own model key, which means the model provider bills you separately.
Plottr's base tier states that it has no AI, while Novlr and Dabble sell proofreading and grammar checks rather than generated prose. Authors who publish through platforms with disclosure rules should also record where generated text entered the draft. Ask for the credit or token cost of a full chapter before you subscribe.
Estimate the credit or token cost of one full chapter.
Check which plan tier unlocks AI features at all.
Keep a note of where generated text entered the draft.
What goes wrong most often when buying novel writing software
Buying a plotting tool such as Plottr and expecting it to hold the finished prose.
Comparing a free tier with a lifetime offer as if both covered the same project limits.
Paying for formatting software before the manuscript is finished and edited.
Choosing an Apple-only or Windows-only app while collaborators use another system.
07
Frequently asked questions
6 answers
What is the best novel writing software in 2026?
Scrivener leads our ranking of 12. Literature & Latte Ltd says its headquarters are in Cornwall. Scrivener keeps chapters, notes and research in one project and compiles to Word, PDF, EPUB and Kindle formats.
Mac, Windows and iOS licences are bought separately. The compile dialog has a learning curve, and the page we read shows only the iOS price, so budget for two or three licences.
Which novel writing tools publish their pricing?
The ones that do, with the model each states:
Reedsy Studio: Free core writing and formatting; paid tiers for outlining and stats; 30-day trial.
Sudowrite: Credit-based monthly plans, published; trial without card.
The other 2 quote per organisation.
Is there a free novel writing tool?
Reedsy Studio, yWriter, Novlr, Campfire have a free plan or free self-hosted edition.
Where are these novel writing software vendors established?
Across 3 countries (Elsewhere 9, Europe 3):
Scrivener: United Kingdom.
Reedsy Studio: Not stated by the vendor.
Plottr: Not stated by the vendor.
Atticus: Not stated by the vendor.
Vellum: Not stated by the vendor.
Ulysses: Germany.
yWriter: Not stated by the vendor.
Dabble: Not stated by the vendor.
Novlr: Not stated by the vendor.
Campfire: Not stated by the vendor.
Novelcrafter: Germany.
Sudowrite: Not stated by the vendor.
What should you use instead of Scrivener?
The next in line are Reedsy Studio, aimed at First-time novelists who want a no-charge editor that also produces files, and Plottr, aimed at Plot-first authors planning series on a visual timeline before drafting.
Who should not buy Scrivener?
Writers who want guided plotting templates or built-in cloud collaboration. The page shows only the iOS price, with desktop prices behind the purchase button.
This list covers 12 novel writing software products. A product we left out can be put to us by its maker, with a short note on its purpose and its customers; we decide on inclusion ourselves. The rules are under software advice.
