Dabble vs Google Docs
Dabble
dabblewriter.comGoogle Docs
docs.google.comSide by side
| Figure | Dabble | Google Docs |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $19/mo | $7/mo |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 5 | 11 |
| Spec score · Text App | 9.0 (#2) | 8.3 (#7) |
| Collaboration | Co-authoring lets writers invite a co-author to collaborate on the same manuscript in real time. | People can edit and comment together, assign tasks, manage access permissions, and restore earlier document versions. |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Platform availability | Dabble offers Windows, Mac, and Linux downloads and says it can also be used in a browser; its pricing page states support for iOS and Android. | Google offers Docs for web browsers and mobile phones and tablets through the App Store and Google Play. |
| Security | Dabble says work is stored locally and synced over an encrypted connection, with server data encrypted at rest; support staff may access writing to provide support. | Google says Docs data is encrypted by default and supports privacy controls and advanced client-side encryption. |
Plans
Dabble
- Writer$19 a month
- Author$29 a month
- Bestseller$49 a month
- Lifetime Author Access$699 a month
- Lifetime Author Access$699, paid once
Google Docs
- Business Starter — Flexible$8.40 a month
- Business Starter — Annual/Fixed-Term$7 a month
- Business Starter — Annual payment$84 a year
- Business Standard — Flexible$16.80 a month
- Business Standard — Annual/Fixed-Term$14 a month
- Business Plus — Flexible$26.40 a month
- Business Plus — Annual/Fixed-Term$22 a month
- Business PlusPrice not published
- Business StandardPrice not published
- Business StarterPrice not published
In their own words
Dabble
Dabble is a fiction-writing tool aimed especially at novelists, from first-time hobbyists to professional authors. Its Plot Grid organizes plot lines, plot points, and labels, alongside character profiles and worldbuilding tools. The editor includes scene organization, focus mode, daily word-count goals, and auto-numbered chapters. For editing, it offers sticky notes, comments, highlights, and built-in grammar and style checks. Co-authors can work together on a manuscript in real time. Dabble says it provides automatic cloud backup and sync, along with regular online and offline backups. Projects can be exported to the web, Word, and Google Docs; a NaNoWriMo word tracker is included. It runs in a browser and has Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android availability. There is no free plan, though a 14-day trial is listed. Writer costs $19 a month, Author $29 a month, and Bestseller $49 a month. After a subscription ends, manuscripts and notes remain viewable and exportable but become read-only.
Google Docs
Google Docs is an online document editor for creating content and collaborating with others. It includes templates, smart canvas building blocks, smart chips, pageless mode, and document tabs. Collaborators can edit and comment together, assign tasks, manage permissions, and restore earlier versions. Gemini in Docs can draft documents using information from Drive, Gmail, and Chat. Docs can create meeting notes from Calendar events and supports electronic signatures and contract templates. Microsoft Word and PDF files can be imported, while Word files can be edited while preserving the original. Documents can be created, accessed, and edited offline. Docs connects with Gmail, Drive, Sheets, Calendar, Chat, and Meet. Anyone with a Google Account can create documents, although some features require a Google Workspace plan. It runs in web browsers and on Android and iOS devices. A free plan and 14-day trial are listed; paid Workspace plans start at 7 USD per user per month with annual billing. Google says data is encrypted by default.