Creative writing and scripts
NovelAI: review, pricing, data and alternatives
NovelAI helps people writing stories continue from a passage and retain characters and world details. It also supports narrative style settings, illustration generation, and reading texts with a synthetic voice. There is no free tier; the first paid plan costs $10 per month. Access and transparency score: 40/100, #5 of 6 in its category.
What is NovelAI?
NovelAI helps people writing stories continue from a passage and retain characters and world details. It also supports narrative style settings, illustration generation, and reading texts with a synthetic voice.
According to its documentation, NovelAI lets you:
- continue a story from a passage
- remember characters and world elements
- adjust the story generation style
- generate illustrations
- read texts with a synthetic voice
We file it under Creative writing and scripts, the category of tools to write fiction, scripts and stories, and it also overlaps with aI image generators and text to speech. The category lists 6 verified tools on this site.
The publisher is Anlatan Inc., based in United States. The service launched in 2021, which gives it some track record.
Who is it for?
It is mostly useful to these profiles: content writers and graphic designers. The need it covers is simple to state: write fiction, scripts and stories.
The best test is a concrete case from your daily work: if the tool does not beat your current method within a week, move on to an alternative.
How much does NovelAI cost?
Pricing model: paid. No permanent free plan is offered.
The first paid plan costs $10 per month (Tablet; subscription renewed every 30 days. Paper is a limited trial), according to the pricing page, checked on October 24, 2026.
Per month, that is close to the category median ($10 per month, based on tools with a published price).
To estimate what the same work would cost done directly with an AI model, use our API price calculator. Prices change often: always check the official site before subscribing.
Data and privacy
The publisher does not clearly state where data is hosted. Assume your content may leave your region.
For professional use, check that a data processing agreement (DPA) is offered, and do not send customers' personal data or confidential documents without one.
Exporting your content: yes (details on the official site). Being able to get your data back makes switching tools easier later.
Three habits apply to every AI tool:
- turn off the use of your content for training if the option exists
- use a work account separate from your personal account
- review everything the tool produces before publishing or sending it
Platforms, languages and API
NovelAI runs on: web browser.
Interface languages: English and Japanese.
API availability is not documented.
How we scored it
Our 40/100 score does not judge output quality: it measures what can be publicly verified about access to the tool, its openness and how far the publisher can be trusted.
| Criterion | Points | What counts |
|---|---|---|
| Access | 10/30 | free tier, published price, French interface |
| Openness | 10/30 | API, data export, open code |
| Trust | 20/40 | identified publisher, declared hosting, age, presence in reference lists |
The full calculation is explained on our method page.
Comparison with alternatives
NovelAI against other tools in the creative writing and scripts category:
| Tool | Free | Entry price | API | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NovelAI | No | $10 per month | – | 40 |
| TextFX | Yes | not published | – | 58 |
| Scarlett Panda | Yes | $79 per year | – | 48 |
| DreamGen | Yes | $7.83 per month | – | 48 |
| ShyEditor | Yes | $10 per month | – | 48 |
| Sudowrite | No | $10 per month | – | 30 |
Verdict
NovelAI publishes little verifiable information: look at the better-scored alternatives first.
Strengths
- Established since 2021
Limitations
- No free tier
- Data hosting not disclosed
Avoid if…
- You handle sensitive personal data without a processing agreement
Alternatives
- TextFXfree tier
- Scarlett Pandafree tier
- DreamGenfree tier
- ShyEditorfree tier
- Sudowrite$10 per month
Categories and jobs
Learn more
Frequently asked questions
Is NovelAI free?
No, there is no permanent free plan. The first paid plan costs $10 per month.
Where is NovelAI data stored?
The publisher does not clearly say so in its public documentation.
Does NovelAI have an API?
It is not documented.
What are the alternatives to NovelAI?
In the same category: TextFX, Scarlett Panda, DreamGen, and ShyEditor.
NovelAI or TextFX: which one to choose?
TextFX has a free tier, NovelAI does not and our score is 40/100 for NovelAI and 58/100 for TextFX. Try both on the same task before paying.
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Neutrality. No affiliate links. No vendor pays to be reviewed, rated or ranked. Reviews are directed by François Chollet, neutral and factual, and every data point is dated and sourced. How we score