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NovelPad

novelpad.co

From $12.50/mo Free trial WebWindowsmacOSLinux
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Spec score 8.6 #28 of 135 in Writing Apps

What it is

NovelPad is a novel-writing application for professional and aspiring novelists, available on desktop and the web. Writers can arrange scenes as cards across boards for chapters, subplots, characters, timelines, and outlines. Its Codex tracks characters, locations, and items across scenes, with profiles, aliases, co-mention rankings, and chapter presence. Writing aids include goals, adaptive schedules, sprints, focus modes, and smart quotes that account for more than 20 locales. For revision, NovelPad offers scene revisions, snapshots, structural and text diffs, and recovery of deleted scenes. The desktop app works offline; cloud sync can reconcile changes across devices when connected. NovelPad imports DOCX and exports chapters, subplots, or outlines to DOCX. Beta readers can join by email with viewer, commenter, or editor roles and use threaded comments. ProWritingAid is named as an integration. The 14-day trial requires no card. Pro Cloud costs $15 a month or $150 a year. The Desktop license costs $89.00 USD once and has no sync or sharing.

Spec sheet

Purpose
NovelPad is an all-in-one novel-writing application for professional and aspiring novelists.Read 3 Oct 2026 · novelpad.co
Free plan
NoRead 19 Sep 2026 · novelpad.co
Privacy
The maker says it does not read, sell, or share users’ writing or use it to train AI models; cloud and web users’ content is stored on its servers.Read 3 Oct 2026 · novelpad.co
Headquarters
Hudson, New Hampshire, United StatesRead 28 Sep 2026 · novelpad.co
Collaboration
Users can invite beta readers by email with viewer, commenter, or editor roles and use threaded comments.Read 3 Oct 2026 · novelpad.co
Data handling
Payments are processed by Stripe, transactional email by SendGrid, and product usage events are collected through Segment.Read 3 Oct 2026 · novelpad.co
Export formats
basicRead 19 Sep 2026 · novelpad.co
Import and export
NovelPad supports DOCX import and exports chapters, subplots, or outlines to DOCX; pricing also states novels can be exported to .docx.Read 3 Oct 2026 · novelpad.co
Integration
The feature list names ProWritingAid as an integration.Read 3 Oct 2026 · novelpad.co
Offline and sync
The desktop app works offline, while cloud sync can reconcile changes across devices when connected.Read 3 Oct 2026 · novelpad.co
Offline mode
YesRead 19 Sep 2026 · novelpad.co
Plan limit
The $89 Desktop license has no cloud sync or sharing, and major-version upgrades cost $39 when the user chooses to upgrade.Read 3 Oct 2026 · novelpad.co
Publishing tools
YesRead 19 Sep 2026 · novelpad.co
Revision and recovery
NovelPad offers scene revisions, snapshots, structural and text diffs, and recovery of deleted scenes.Read 3 Oct 2026 · novelpad.co
Story organization
Writers can organize scenes as cards across chapter, subplot, character, timeline, and outline boards.Read 3 Oct 2026 · novelpad.co
Story reference
The Codex tracks characters, locations, or items across scenes and includes profiles, aliases, co-mention rankings, and chapter presence.Read 3 Oct 2026 · novelpad.co
Trial and support
Plans include a 14-day free trial with no card required; Lifetime includes priority support.Read 3 Oct 2026 · novelpad.co
Version history
YesRead 19 Sep 2026 · novelpad.co
Writing tools
Features include writing goals, adaptive schedules, sprints, focus modes, and locale-aware smart quotes in more than 20 locales.Read 3 Oct 2026 · novelpad.co

Plans and prices

Pro Cloud Monthly $15 a month billed monthly Desktop and web access · Cloud sync across devices · Beta-reader sharing with viewer, commenter, and editor roles Read 19 Sep 2026 · novelpad.co
Pro Cloud Annual $150 a year billed annually Desktop and web access · Cloud sync across devices · Beta-reader sharing Read 19 Sep 2026 · novelpad.co
Desktop Only $89 a month Native macOS, Windows, and Linux app · All writing features work offline · No sync or cloud storage Read 19 Sep 2026 · novelpad.co
Lifetime $349 a month Desktop app and future updates · Two years of Cloud included · Sync, web app, and sharing included during the Cloud period Read 19 Sep 2026 · novelpad.co
Pro Cloud — monthly $15 a month $15/month Everything in NovelPad on desktop and web · cloud sync · beta-reader sharing Read 3 Oct 2026 · novelpad.co
Desktop $89, paid once $89 once Full native app for macOS, Windows, and Linux · offline · no sync or cloud Read 3 Oct 2026 · novelpad.co
Pro Cloud — annual $150 a year Annual · $150 Everything in NovelPad on desktop and web · cloud sync · beta-reader sharing Read 3 Oct 2026 · novelpad.co
Lifetime $349, paid once $349 once Desktop app and future updates · two years of Cloud included · Cloud thereafter optional at $9/mo or $79/year Read 3 Oct 2026 · novelpad.co

Every NovelPad plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Boards organize scenes by chapter, subplot, character, timeline, and outline.
  • Codex tracks story elements across scenes.
  • Revision tools include snapshots, diffs, and deleted-scene recovery.
  • Beta readers can comment through threaded discussions.
  • Desktop app works offline.

Limits

  • No free plan; trial lasts 14 days.
  • Desktop license has no cloud sync or sharing.
  • Major-version upgrades cost $39 when chosen.
  • Cloud and web users’ content is stored on NovelPad servers.

Who it suits

NovelPad suits novelists who want scene organization, writing aids, revision tools, and DOCX exchange in one application. Its cloud plans also suit writers who need syncing or beta-reader collaboration; the desktop license is an offline option without those features.

Verdict

NovelPad combines story planning, drafting aids, revision, and collaboration features for novelists. Compare the cloud plans with the $89.00 USD one-time Desktop license, which excludes sync and sharing.

Where Specifiction places it

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