The Best Book Writing Software in 2026
We researched book writing software from official websites, including pricing pages, plan tables, and product documentation. Products are ranked on their core job, value for money, and verified features for planning, drafting, revising, organizing, and formatting books.
Our top picks
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Top ranked
Scrivener#1 of 349.4/10A deep, focused workspace for organizing, drafting, researching, and compiling long-form work.
30-day trial
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Runner-up
Dabble#2 of 349.2/10A cross-platform novel workspace with strong collaboration, planning, and export support.
Free plan · 14-day trial
-
Top-ranked free plan
bibisco#3 of 349.0/10A focused novel-writing workspace with extensive planning tools and a free desktop edition.
Free plan · 14-day trial
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
The full ranking 34 tools, best first
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Best forSerious long-form authors
A deep, focused workspace for organizing, drafting, researching, and compiling long-form work.
9.4/10★★★★★Visit Scrivener -
Best forCollaborative cross-platform novelists
A cross-platform novel workspace with strong collaboration, planning, and export support.
- Collaboration
Free plan · 14-day trial Our Dabble verdict → Visit DabbleFor vendors Sponsor this spot · #2 · $99/mo →9.2/10★★★★★Visit Dabble -
Best forBudget-conscious novel planners
A focused novel-writing workspace with extensive planning tools and a free desktop edition.
Free plan · 14-day trial Our bibisco verdict → Visit bibiscoFor vendors Sponsor this spot · #3 · $79/mo →9.0/10★★★★☆Visit bibisco -
Best forWriters needing publishing and collaboration
A broad workspace for drafting, worldbuilding, collaboration, and publishing.
- Collaboration
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Campfire -
Best forMac and iOS book writers
A focused Mac and iOS workspace for drafting, planning, and publishing books.
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit Storyist -
Best forAI-assisted writers seeking broad tools
A broad, AI-assisted writing workspace with planning, collaboration, and publishing tools.
- Collaboration
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit LivingWriter -
Best forFree multi-platform traditional writers
A free, structured writing workspace with broad export and mobile editing options.
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit yWriter -
Best forCloud-based planners and collaborators
A focused novel workspace for planning, drafting, revising, and collaborating across devices.
- Collaboration
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit NovelPad -
Best forAuthors wanting analytics and websites
A focused novel-writing workspace with analytics, websites, and a useful free tier.
- Collaboration
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Novlr -
Best forAI-focused novel planners
A detailed, AI-friendly novel workspace with collaboration, but no desktop app or free plan.
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Novelcrafter -
Best forFree writers needing continuity checks
A broad free writing workspace for novelists who need continuity checks.
- Revision history
- Collaboration
- Outlining tools
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Novilot -
Best forOpen-source writers wanting many exports
A capable open-source desktop workspace for structured novel writing and broad exports.
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit novelWriter -
Best forOpen-source desktop novel planners
A free desktop toolkit for outlining, drafting, and organizing substantial writing projects.
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Manuskript -
Best forFree desktop writers with feedback tools
Free, open-source desktop software for organizing and drafting books.
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Quoll Writer -
Best forAuthors wanting AI and offline sync
A structured writing workspace for authors who want AI help without giving up offline access.
- Cloud sync
- Revision history
- Collaboration
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit Novvler -
Best forWriters wanting automated editing feedback
A focused workspace for authors who want automated editorial feedback and continuity checks.
- Cloud sync
- Collaboration
- Outlining tools
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit Manuscribe -
Best forSimple synchronized novel drafting
A focused browser-based workspace for structured, synchronized novel drafting.
- Cloud sync
- Revision history
- Outlining tools
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit Plumelisse -
Best forWriters wanting a story bible and insights
A web-based writing workspace with a strong story bible, planning tools, and manuscript insights.
- Cloud sync
- Outlining tools
- Manuscript formatting
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit Novellum -
Best forFree collaborative web writers
A capable free choice for collaborative web writers who do not need offline access.
- Cloud sync
- Revision history
- Collaboration
7.4/10★★★★☆Visit DragonWriter -
Best forFree offline planning-focused writers
A free, offline-first planning workspace for novelists who can work without collaboration.
- Cloud sync
- Outlining tools
- Manuscript formatting
7.3/10★★★★☆Try Wavemaker Cards -
Best forFree web-based plot planners
A structured web workspace for plotting, drafting, organizing worlds, and narrating stories.
- Revision history
- Outlining tools
- Manuscript formatting
7.2/10★★★★☆Visit Plot Factory -
Best forDesktop authors needing book formatting
A capable desktop workspace for organized writing, detailed formatting, and varied exports.
- Outlining tools
- Manuscript formatting
7.1/10★★★★☆Visit Author's Forge -
Best forOpen-source structured book projects
A free, open-source desktop workspace for structured book projects.
- Outlining tools
- Manuscript formatting
7.0/10★★★★☆Visit oStorybook -
Best forKDP-focused beginner writers
A structured, KDP-focused writing tool with free access and a narrow feature set.
- Outlining tools
- Manuscript formatting
6.9/10★★★☆☆Visit Pagewright -
Best forDesktop novelists needing deep analysis
A deep desktop toolkit for novelists who want analysis, series planning, and publishing exports.
- Revision history
- Collaboration
- Outlining tools
6.8/10★★★☆☆Visit OpusWriter -
Best forAuthors formatting print and digital books
A cross-platform workspace for writing, formatting, previewing and exporting books.
- Collaboration
6.7/10★★★☆☆Visit Atticus -
Best forCross-platform writers using their own AI keys
A broad novel-writing workspace with lifetime pricing, local projects, and user-managed AI keys.
- Revision history
- Outlining tools
- Manuscript formatting
6.6/10★★★☆☆Visit NovelOS Studio -
Best forWeb writers wanting visual planning
A visual book-writing workspace with strong planning tools, but no collaboration or free plan.
- Cloud sync
- Revision history
- Outlining tools
6.5/10★★★☆☆Visit GrinTale -
Best forAuthors seeking dedicated fiction AI
A fiction-first AI toolkit with planning, drafting, rewriting, and continuity tools.
6.4/10★★★☆☆Visit Sudowrite -
Best forAuthors wanting guided AI publishing workflows
A guided, web-based book workflow with strong continuity and publishing outputs.
- Collaboration
- Outlining tools
- Manuscript formatting
6.3/10★★★☆☆Visit StoryForge -
Best forAI-first book generation teams
A broad AI writing workspace for teams producing books and screenplays.
6.2/10★★★☆☆Visit Squibler -
Best foriOS writers wanting AI drafting
A structured iOS writing app with AI drafting, editing, covers, and PDF export.
- Cloud sync
- Outlining tools
- Manuscript formatting
6.1/10★★★☆☆Visit Fyrlo -
Best forTraditional desktop project organizers
A focused desktop workspace for managing manuscripts, story details, outlines, and book exports.
- Outlining tools
- Manuscript formatting
6.0/10★★★☆☆Visit WriteItNow -
Best forEducators and illustrated story creators
A focused web tool for illustrated stories, classroom projects, and printed booklets.
- Outlining tools
- Manuscript formatting
6.0/10★★★☆☆Visit My Storybook
No tools match those filters.
Compare at a glance
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Supported platforms | Outlining tools | Manuscript formatting | Export formats | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scrivener | No | $23.99 one-time | extensive | 9.4 | |||
| 2 | Dabble | Yes | $19/mo | extensive | 9.2 | |||
| 3 | bibisco | Yes | €29.99/yr | extensive | 9.0 | |||
| 4 | Campfire | Yes | $19/mo | extensive | 8.9 | |||
| 5 | Storyist | No | $19 one-time | extensive | 8.8 | |||
| 6 | LivingWriter | Yes | extensive | 8.7 | ||||
| 7 | yWriter | Yes | extensive | 8.6 | ||||
| 8 | NovelPad | No | $150/yr | basic | 8.5 | |||
| 9 | Novlr | Yes | $8/mo | extensive | 8.4 | |||
| 10 | Novelcrafter | No | $4/mo | 8.3 | ||||
| 11 | Novilot | Yes | Free | web | Yes | Yes | DOCX, EPUB, PDF, HTML, Markdown | 8.2 |
| 12 | novelWriter | Yes | Free | extensive | 8.1 | |||
| 13 | Manuskript | Yes | Free | extensive | 8.0 | |||
| 14 | Quoll Writer | Yes | Free | 7.9 | ||||
| 15 | Novvler | Yes | $90/yr | web, ios | Yes | Yes | EPUB, DOCX, Markdown, plain text | 7.8 |
| 16 | Manuscribe | Yes | $17/mo | web | Yes | Yes | DOCX, PDF, EPUB | 7.7 |
| 17 | Plumelisse | Yes | €79/yr | web | Yes | Yes | PDF, DOCX, EPUB, Amazon KDP interior PDF | 7.6 |
| 18 | Novellum | Yes | $162/yr | web | Yes | Yes | DOCX, EPUB | 7.5 |
| 19 | DragonWriter | Yes | Free | web, android | Yes | Yes | EPUB, DOCX, TXT, Markdown, .dwriter | 7.4 |
| 20 | Wavemaker Cards | Yes | Free | web, windows, linux, android | Yes | Yes | Text, RTF | 7.3 |
| 21 | Plot Factory | Yes | web | Yes | Yes | ePub, DOCX, MP3 | 7.2 | |
| 22 | Author's Forge | Yes | $20/mo | macos, windows, linux | Yes | Yes | EPUB, PDF, DOCX, Markdown, MP3 audiobook | 7.1 |
| 23 | oStorybook | Yes | Free | Windows, macOS, Linux | Yes | Yes | TXT, CSV, HTML, XML, SQL, ODT, DOCX | 7.0 |
| 24 | Pagewright | Yes | £9/mo | web, windows, macos, linux | Yes | Yes | PDF, EPUB | 6.9 |
| 25 | OpusWriter | No | $129 one-time | windows, macos, linux | Yes | Yes | PDF, EPUB 3, DOCX, HTML | 6.8 |
| 26 | Atticus | No | $147 one-time | standard | 6.7 | |||
| 27 | NovelOS Studio | No | $45 one-time | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, web | Yes | Yes | DOCX, RTF, TXT, Markdown, EPUB, HTML, PDF, MP3, WAV | 6.6 |
| 28 | GrinTale | No | €128/yr | web | Yes | Yes | PDF, DOCX, EPUB | 6.5 |
| 29 | Sudowrite | No | $10/mo | 6.4 | ||||
| 30 | StoryForge | No | $49/mo | web | Yes | Yes | EPUB, PDF, DOCX | 6.3 |
| 31 | Squibler | Yes | $29.99/user/mo | 6.2 | ||||
| 32 | Fyrlo | ios | Yes | Yes | 6.1 | |||
| 33 | WriteItNow | No | Windows, macOS | Yes | Yes | DOC, PDF, EPUB | 6.0 | |
| 34 | My Storybook | Yes | $10/mo | web | Yes | Yes | PDF, Google Photos | 6.0 |
Head-to-head All 28 comparisons →
- Scrivener vs Dabble
- Scrivener vs bibisco
- Scrivener vs Campfire
- Scrivener vs Storyist
- Scrivener vs LivingWriter
- Scrivener vs yWriter
- Scrivener vs NovelPad
- Dabble vs bibisco
- Dabble vs Campfire
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How we rank book writing software
Every tool on this page was researched by iTechGuides Editors from its official website — pricing pages, plan tables and product documentation. We rank on how well each one does this category's core job, what the free or entry plan includes, and where it falls short. Where we have enough verified facts, the score out of 10 is a rubric — job fit, value and how much we could verify — shown with its breakdown on every tool's page; a tool we have not verified enough to score yet shows its rank without a number. Scores are re-checked when a product changes its plans. Read the full editorial policy, or submit a tool we missed.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update