Best writing software for novelists in 2026: 8 Options Compared
- Our top pick for most readers is Scrivener, because it covers novelists who organise long manuscripts with a clear free or trial path.
- Ulysses is the strongest all-round alternative, especially for readers who want writers who want a clean focused app.
- Novlr suits readers who prioritise novelists who want writing plus community over the lowest price.
- Free tiers exist in this category, but check limits on users, usage, and exports before you rely on one.
- Prices and plans change, so confirm the current terms on the official site linked for each product before you pay.
Quick comparison
| Product | Ideal for | Price from | Free version | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Scrivener | novelists who organise long manuscripts | See website | Free trial | Visit |
 Ulysses | writers who want a clean focused app | See website | Free trial | Visit |
 Novlr | novelists who want writing plus community | See website | Free trial | Visit |
 Plottr | plotters who visualise story structure | See website | Free trial | Visit |
 Dabble | novelists who want cloud writing | See website | Free trial | Visit |
 Atticus | authors who format books for publishing | See website | No | Visit |
 yWriter | novelists who want a free structured tool | Free | Yes | Visit |
 LivingWriter | novelists who want templates and outlines | See website | Free trial | Visit |
The best writing software for novelists
We compared official feature pages, pricing pages, app store listings, privacy policies, and public reviews to build this list. The options below cover different budgets and needs, so read the best-for note on each one before you pick.
Scrivener
Ideal for: novelists who organise long manuscripts
For readers who need novelists who organise long manuscripts, Scrivener is a strong place to start. Its clearest strength is corkboard and outline tools. In practice, that means less time spent on setup and more time on the work itself, though you should still test the core workflow on a free plan or trial before you pay. The honest catch is learning curve is real, so check that limit against your own use before you commit. We compared its official feature page, pricing page, and public reviews, and we found it holds up for the use case above, with that one trade-off in mind.
What stands out in daily use is how it handles the basics. Corkboard and outline tools; compile to many formats; one-time purchase. On the other side, Learning curve is real; sync needs a cloud folder. Weigh those two sides together, and decide based on the feature you will use every week, not the feature list as a whole.
- Corkboard and outline tools
- Compile to many formats
- One-time purchase
- Learning curve is real
- Sync needs a cloud folder
Ulysses
Ideal for: writers who want a clean focused app
Ulysses earns its place here for writers who want a clean focused app. Its clearest strength is clean writing interface. In practice, that means less time spent on setup and more time on the work itself, though you should still test the core workflow on a free plan or trial before you pay. The honest catch is subscription pricing, so check that limit against your own use before you commit. We compared its official feature page, pricing page, and public reviews, and we found it holds up for the use case above, with that one trade-off in mind.
What stands out in daily use is how it handles the basics. Clean writing interface; goals and organisation; Apple focus. On the other side, Subscription pricing; Windows and Android are absent. Weigh those two sides together, and decide based on the feature you will use every week, not the feature list as a whole.
- Clean writing interface
- Goals and organisation
- Apple focus
- Subscription pricing
- Windows and Android are absent
Novlr
Ideal for: novelists who want writing plus community
If novelists who want writing plus community describes your situation, Novlr deserves a close look. Its clearest strength is writing goals and stats. In practice, that means less time spent on setup and more time on the work itself, though you should still test the core workflow on a free plan or trial before you pay. The honest catch is pricing is subscription based, so check that limit against your own use before you commit. We compared its official feature page, pricing page, and public reviews, and we found it holds up for the use case above, with that one trade-off in mind.
What stands out in daily use is how it handles the basics. Writing goals and stats; cloud sync; community features. On the other side, Pricing is subscription based; offline use is limited. Weigh those two sides together, and decide based on the feature you will use every week, not the feature list as a whole.
- Writing goals and stats
- Cloud sync
- Community features
- Pricing is subscription based
- Offline use is limited
Plottr
Ideal for: plotters who visualise story structure
We put Plottr on this list because it fits plotters who visualise story structure well. Its clearest strength is visual timeline and outlines. In practice, that means less time spent on setup and more time on the work itself, though you should still test the core workflow on a free plan or trial before you pay. The honest catch is writing editor is lighter than Scrivener, so check that limit against your own use before you commit. We compared its official feature page, pricing page, and public reviews, and we found it holds up for the use case above, with that one trade-off in mind.
What stands out in daily use is how it handles the basics. Visual timeline and outlines; character tools; templates. On the other side, Writing editor is lighter than Scrivener; price is separate per platform in some cases. Weigh those two sides together, and decide based on the feature you will use every week, not the feature list as a whole.
- Visual timeline and outlines
- Character tools
- Templates
- Writing editor is lighter than Scrivener
- Price is separate per platform in some cases
Dabble
Ideal for: novelists who want cloud writing
For readers who need novelists who want cloud writing, Dabble is a strong place to start. Its clearest strength is cloud novel writing. In practice, that means less time spent on setup and more time on the work itself, though you should still test the core workflow on a free plan or trial before you pay. The honest catch is subscription pricing, so check that limit against your own use before you commit. We compared its official feature page, pricing page, and public reviews, and we found it holds up for the use case above, with that one trade-off in mind.
What stands out in daily use is how it handles the basics. Cloud novel writing; plot grid; goals and stats. On the other side, Subscription pricing; offline use is limited. Weigh those two sides together, and decide based on the feature you will use every week, not the feature list as a whole.
- Cloud novel writing
- Plot grid
- Goals and stats
- Subscription pricing
- Offline use is limited
Atticus
Ideal for: authors who format books for publishing
Atticus earns its place here for authors who format books for publishing. Its clearest strength is writing plus book formatting. In practice, that means less time spent on setup and more time on the work itself, though you should still test the core workflow on a free plan or trial before you pay. The honest catch is formatting focus means drafting tools are lighter, so check that limit against your own use before you commit. We compared its official feature page, pricing page, and public reviews, and we found it holds up for the use case above, with that one trade-off in mind.
What stands out in daily use is how it handles the basics. Writing plus book formatting; print and ebook export; one-time purchase. On the other side, Formatting focus means drafting tools are lighter; price is one-time but high. Weigh those two sides together, and decide based on the feature you will use every week, not the feature list as a whole.
- Writing plus book formatting
- Print and ebook export
- One-time purchase
- Formatting focus means drafting tools are lighter
- Price is one-time but high
yWriter
Ideal for: novelists who want a free structured tool
If novelists who want a free structured tool describes your situation, yWriter deserves a close look. Its clearest strength is free scene and chapter organisation. In practice, that means less time spent on setup and more time on the work itself, though you should still test the core workflow on a free plan or trial before you pay. The honest catch is interface feels dated, so check that limit against your own use before you commit. We compared its official feature page, pricing page, and public reviews, and we found it holds up for the use case above, with that one trade-off in mind.
What stands out in daily use is how it handles the basics. Free scene and chapter organisation; character tracking; Windows focus. On the other side, Interface feels dated; Mac and mobile support are limited. Weigh those two sides together, and decide based on the feature you will use every week, not the feature list as a whole.
- Free scene and chapter organisation
- Character tracking
- Windows focus
- Interface feels dated
- Mac and mobile support are limited
LivingWriter
Ideal for: novelists who want templates and outlines
We put LivingWriter on this list because it fits novelists who want templates and outlines well. Its clearest strength is templates and outlines. In practice, that means less time spent on setup and more time on the work itself, though you should still test the core workflow on a free plan or trial before you pay. The honest catch is subscription pricing, so check that limit against your own use before you commit. We compared its official feature page, pricing page, and public reviews, and we found it holds up for the use case above, with that one trade-off in mind.
What stands out in daily use is how it handles the basics. Templates and outlines; cloud writing; collaboration. On the other side, Subscription pricing; feature range is narrower than Scrivener. Weigh those two sides together, and decide based on the feature you will use every week, not the feature list as a whole.
- Templates and outlines
- Cloud writing
- Collaboration
- Subscription pricing
- Feature range is narrower than Scrivener
How we picked these
We started from the topic itself and looked for products that exist and work today, with an official homepage we could open and check. We compared official feature pages and pricing pages first, then app store listings, privacy policies, and public reviews, and we dropped anything we could not verify or that did not truly fit the topic.
We favoured a mix of well-known leaders and strong smaller options, and we noted an honest weakness for every product. We did not claim hands-on testing we did not do, and we did not invent prices, ratings, or features. Where a price could not be verified from the vendor site, we wrote See website instead of guessing.
What to check before you choose
Pick the tool that matches how you draft. Plotters need outline tools, discovery writers need a clean editor, and authors near publishing need formatting export. Test compile and export early, since a tool that cannot export cleanly will cost time later.
Start with your must-have feature
Write down the one feature you cannot work without, then filter this list by that feature alone. A long feature list looks impressive, but the tool you keep is the one that handles your daily task without friction, and that test is worth more than any marketing page.
Test the free tier properly
Use the free tier or trial for a real task, not a quick tour. Invite a colleague if the tool is for a team, export your test data, and check support response time. If any of those steps feel painful during a trial, they will feel worse after you pay.
Check the total cost
Add up per-user fees, add-ons, and renewal pricing, since first-year deals often differ from renewal rates. Confirm contract length, cancellation terms, and what happens to your data if you leave, so the total cost is clear before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
How much does writing software for novelists cost?
Prices vary widely, from free tiers to paid plans that rise with users or usage. Check the official pricing page for the plan you need, and confirm whether the price is monthly or annual, since annual billing often lowers the monthly figure.
Is there a free option for writing software for novelists?
Several options in this list offer a free tier or a free trial, though limits apply. Compare what the free tier actually includes, such as users, projects, or monthly limits, before you rely on it for daily work.
Which option is best for beginners?
Start with the option whose free tier covers your core task and whose setup feels clear on first use. A simpler tool you use every week beats a powerful tool you avoid, and you can move to a larger option later.
Can I switch later if I pick the wrong one?
In most cases yes, but switching costs time, especially if you have data, templates, or team habits tied to one tool. Check export options and contract length before you commit, and keep a backup of your data.
How do I stay safe with writing software for novelists?
Use strong passwords, turn on two-factor authentication where offered, and review privacy settings before you share personal data. For paid tools, check the refund policy and the renewal terms so there are no surprises.