Best Book Writing Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Dabble is ranked #1 of 34 as of 7 October 2026, ahead of Campfire and Plot Factory. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Campfire. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Novelcrafter at $4/mo.
Writing a book can involve shaping an outline, revising chapters, and preparing a manuscript for export. Compared on outlining tools and manuscript formatting, these options can be assessed against the structure and drafting process you prefer. Revision history and export formats matter when work changes or needs to move into another format. Dabble, Campfire, and Plot Factory are among the entries, with bibisco and LivingWriter also represented. Cloud sync, collaboration, and supported platforms help you compare where and with whom you can work. Free plans and paid-from pricing round out the practical considerations.
34 book writing software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
34ranked
8free plans on this page
$4/molowest paid tier
7 Oct 2026last checked
Input list Book Writing Software 25 channels on this page · 110 of 200 spec lines stated by the makers
Ch Tool Free planPaid fromSupported platformsOutlining toolsManuscript formattingExport formatsCloud syncCollaboration Spec sheet Score
01 Dabble Free planYesPaid from$19/moSupported platformsnot statedOutlining toolsnot statedManuscript formattingnot statedExport formatsextensiveCloud syncnot statedCollaborationYes 4/8spec lines stated 7.8
02 Campfire Free planYesPaid from$0.5/moSupported platformsnot statedOutlining toolsnot statedManuscript formattingnot statedExport formatsextensiveCloud syncnot statedCollaborationYes 4/8spec lines stated 7.7
03 Plot Factory Free planYesPaid from$9/moSupported platformswebOutlining toolsYesManuscript formattingYesExport formatsePub, DOCX, MP3Cloud syncnot statedCollaborationNo 7/8spec lines stated 7.7
04 Wavemaker Cards Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsweb, windows, linux, androidOutlining toolsYesManuscript formattingYesExport formatsText, RTFCloud syncYesCollaborationNo 7/8spec lines stated 7.7
05 bibisco Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsnot statedOutlining toolsnot statedManuscript formattingnot statedExport formatsextensiveCloud syncnot statedCollaborationNo 3/8spec lines stated 7.5
06 LivingWriter Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsnot statedOutlining toolsnot statedManuscript formattingnot statedExport formatsextensiveCloud syncnot statedCollaborationYes 3/8spec lines stated 7.4
07 NovelPad Free planNoPaid from$15/moSupported platformsnot statedOutlining toolsnot statedManuscript formattingnot statedExport formatsbasicCloud syncnot statedCollaborationYes 4/8spec lines stated 7.3
08 Novlr Free planYesPaid from$8/moSupported platformsnot statedOutlining toolsnot statedManuscript formattingnot statedExport formatsextensiveCloud syncnot statedCollaborationYes 4/8spec lines stated 7.3
09 Scrivener Free planNoPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsnot statedOutlining toolsnot statedManuscript formattingnot statedExport formatsextensiveCloud syncnot statedCollaborationNo 3/8spec lines stated 7.2
10 Novvler Free planYesPaid from$9/moSupported platformsweb, iosOutlining toolsYesManuscript formattingYesExport formatsEPUB, DOCX, Markdown, plain textCloud syncYesCollaborationYes 8/8spec lines stated 7.1
11 Novelcrafter Free planNoPaid from$4/moSupported platformsnot statedOutlining toolsnot statedManuscript formattingnot statedExport formatsnot statedCloud syncnot statedCollaborationnot stated 2/8spec lines stated 7.0
12 OpusWriter Free planNoPaid fromnot statedSupported platformswindows, macos, linuxOutlining toolsYesManuscript formattingYesExport formatsPDF, EPUB 3, DOCX, HTMLCloud syncNoCollaborationYes 7/8spec lines stated 7.0
13 Sudowrite Free planNoPaid from$10/moSupported platformsnot statedOutlining toolsnot statedManuscript formattingnot statedExport formatsnot statedCloud syncnot statedCollaborationnot stated 2/8spec lines stated 7.0
14 DragonWriter Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsweb, androidOutlining toolsYesManuscript formattingYesExport formatsEPUB, DOCX, TXT, Markdown, .dwriterCloud syncYesCollaborationYes 7/8spec lines stated 6.9
15 Atticus Free planNoPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsnot statedOutlining toolsnot statedManuscript formattingnot statedExport formatsstandardCloud syncnot statedCollaborationYes 3/8spec lines stated 6.8
16 yWriter Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsnot statedOutlining toolsnot statedManuscript formattingnot statedExport formatsextensiveCloud syncnot statedCollaborationnot stated 2/8spec lines stated 6.7
17 Squibler Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsnot statedOutlining toolsnot statedManuscript formattingnot statedExport formatsnot statedCloud syncnot statedCollaborationnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 6.5
18 Storyist Free planNoPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsnot statedOutlining toolsnot statedManuscript formattingnot statedExport formatsextensiveCloud syncnot statedCollaborationnot stated 2/8spec lines stated 6.5
19 NovelOS Studio Free planNoPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsWindows, macOS, iOS, Android, webOutlining toolsYesManuscript formattingYesExport formatsDOCX, RTF, TXT, Markdown, EPUB, HTML, PDF, MP3, WAVCloud syncNoCollaborationNo 7/8spec lines stated 6.4
20 Author's Forge Free planYesPaid from$20/moSupported platformsmacos, windows, linuxOutlining toolsYesManuscript formattingYesExport formatsEPUB, PDF, DOCX, Markdown, MP3 audiobookCloud syncNoCollaborationnot stated 7/8spec lines stated 6.2
21 Manuskript Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsnot statedOutlining toolsnot statedManuscript formattingnot statedExport formatsextensiveCloud syncnot statedCollaborationnot stated 2/8spec lines stated 6.2
22 novelWriter Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsnot statedOutlining toolsnot statedManuscript formattingnot statedExport formatsextensiveCloud syncnot statedCollaborationnot stated 2/8spec lines stated 6.2
23 oStorybook Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsWindows, macOS, LinuxOutlining toolsYesManuscript formattingYesExport formatsTXT, CSV, HTML, XML, SQL, ODT, DOCXCloud syncNoCollaborationnot stated 6/8spec lines stated 6.2
24 Pagewright Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported platformsweb, windows, macos, linuxOutlining toolsYesManuscript formattingYesExport formatsPDF, EPUBCloud syncnot statedCollaborationnot stated 5/8spec lines stated 6.2
25 Manuscribe Free planYesPaid from$17/moSupported platformswebOutlining toolsYesManuscript formattingYesExport formatsDOCX, PDF, EPUBCloud syncYesCollaborationYes 8/8spec lines stated 5.9
Compare all 25 in a table
| # | Tool | Score | Free plan | From | Free plan | Paid from | Supported platforms | Outlining tools |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dabble | 7.8 | No | $19/mo | Yes | 19 /mo | — | — |
| 2 | Campfire | 7.7 | Free plan | $19/mo | Yes | 0.5 /mo | — | — |
| 3 | Plot Factory | 7.7 | Free plan | — | Yes | 9 /mo | web | Yes |
| 4 | Wavemaker Cards | 7.7 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | web, windows, linux, android | Yes |
| 5 | bibisco | 7.5 | No | — | Yes | — | — | — |
| 6 | LivingWriter | 7.4 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 7 | NovelPad | 7.3 | No | $12.50/mo | No | 15 /mo | — | — |
| 8 | Novlr | 7.3 | Free plan | $8/mo | Yes | 8 /mo | — | — |
| 9 | Scrivener | 7.2 | No | $23.99/mo | No | — | — | — |
| 10 | Novvler | 7.1 | Free plan | $9/mo | Yes | 9 /mo | web, ios | Yes |
| 11 | Novelcrafter | 7.0 | No | $4/mo | No | 4 /mo | — | — |
| 12 | OpusWriter | 7.0 | No | $129/mo | No | — | windows, macos, linux | Yes |
| 13 | Sudowrite | 7.0 | No | $10/mo | No | 10 /mo | — | — |
| 14 | DragonWriter | 6.9 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | web, android | Yes |
| 15 | Atticus | 6.8 | No | $147/mo | No | — | — | — |
| 16 | yWriter | 6.7 | No | — | Yes | — | — | — |
| 17 | Squibler | 6.5 | Free plan | $29.99/mo | Yes | — | — | — |
| 18 | Storyist | 6.5 | No | $19/mo | No | — | — | — |
| 19 | NovelOS Studio | 6.4 | No | — | No | — | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, web | Yes |
| 20 | Author's Forge | 6.2 | No | — | Yes | 20 /mo | macos, windows, linux | Yes |
| 21 | Manuskript | 6.2 | No | — | Yes | — | — | — |
| 22 | novelWriter | 6.2 | No | — | Yes | — | — | — |
| 23 | oStorybook | 6.2 | No | — | Yes | — | Windows, macOS, Linux | Yes |
| 24 | Pagewright | 6.2 | No | — | Yes | — | web, windows, macos, linux | Yes |
| 25 | Manuscribe | 5.9 | No | — | Yes | 17 /mo | web | Yes |
Is your tool on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored, and a sponsored row is labelled as paid.
Questions about this list
Which book writing software is ranked first on Specifiction?
Dabble is ranked #1 of 34 with a score of 7.8. Campfire is second and Plot Factory third.
How many of these have a free plan?
8 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Novelcrafter has the lowest first paid tier we found: $4/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes, the fullest spec sheet first: how deeply the product is documented, the platforms it runs on, a free tier or trial to test it, and its standing.