bibisco vs novelWriter

bibisco

• Novelists who want structured character and plot planning
• Writers on Linux, macOS or Windows who prefer a one-time purchase
• People who want to try the core tools free before paying

novelWriter

• Novelists on Linux or Windows who want a free plain-text editor
• Writers who keep manuscripts under version control or file sync
• Books with many scenes and cross-referenced notes

bibisco

• The free Community Edition leaves out the timeline, mind maps, analysis, dark theme, search, writing goals and EPUB export.
• The mobile app and cloud sync need a separate bibisco Everywhere subscription, which the Supporters Edition does not include.
• Supporters Edition updates are free for 2 years; later upgrades are sold at a 50% discount.
• Desktop builds are 64-bit only, for Windows 10 or later, macOS 10.13 or later, and Linux.

novelWriter

• macOS DMG releases were discontinued as of release 2026.1; on a Mac it runs only by installing the Python package.
• The Windows installer is made for Windows 10 or newer.
• It is scoped to novels and short fiction and uses its own Markdown-like syntax, not standard Markdown.
• No web or mobile version is offered.

bibisco

Character interviews

Characters are developed through interview-style questions. The Supporters Edition adds custom questions and profile pictures for characters, places and objects.

Story structure

Dedicated sections hold the premise, fabula, setting and storylines, alongside locations, chapters and scenes, in every edition.

Timeline, outline and analysis

The Supporters Edition adds a timeline, a novel outline, mind maps, groups and analysis views for checking how the story fits together.

Writing tools

Distraction-free mode, a dark theme, search with find and replace, writing goals, and images, comments and footnotes in the text are Supporters Edition features.

Export

Novels export to PDF, DOCX and TXT, and to an archive file, in both editions. EPUB export needs the Supporters Edition.

Mobile apps and cloud sync

The bibisco Everywhere subscription adds the Android, iPhone and iPad app and keeps projects synchronized across mobile devices and several desktop computers.

novelWriter

Project tree of documents

A novel is broken into as many documents as needed. They can be dragged into a custom order, organised into folders and given sub-documents.

Tags and references

Keyword and value tags in a document link it to project notes. References are clickable, and a References box lists every document that points back to the one being viewed.

Novel View and Outline View

The Novel View shows the book by headings instead of files. The Outline View lists chapters and scenes with their meta data and cross-references in configurable columns.

Build Manuscript

Assembles chosen files into a manuscript, an outline draft or a notes document, which can be printed or saved as Open Document, Word, PDF, HTML or Markdown.

Plain-text storage

Projects are stored as human-readable text files, a format the project describes as well suited to version control software and file synchronisation tools.

Focus Mode and themes

Focus Mode hides the project tree and view panel so the editor fills the window. Colour, icon and editor syntax themes are chosen separately, in light and dark variants.

bibisco

• Community Edition$0

  Free desktop app for Linux, macOS and Windows with the core planning and writing tools, export to PDF, DOCX and TXT, and automatic backups.

• bibisco Everywhere$3.49

  per month, or $29.99 per year

  Subscription for the Android and iOS app and cloud sync across phones, tablets and desktops. Works with either desktop edition and does not include the Supporters license.

• Supporters Edition$69

  one-time payment

  Desktop edition adding analysis, mind maps, timeline, novel outline, dark theme, search, writing goals and EPUB export, with 2 years of free updates.

novelWriter

• Free$0

  The complete editor: AppImage, Flatpak and Debian packages for Linux, a setup installer for Windows 10 or newer, and a Python package.

bibisco

• Annual discount

  Save 28% on Everywhere with yearly billing

  bibisco Everywhere costs $3.49 a month or $29.99 a year, which the download page labels a 28% saving.

• Education

  20% off for students and educators

  The FAQ offers students and educators a 20% discount code on request by email, with enrollment documents or a school certificate as proof.

• Other savings

  50% off upgrades after two years

  Supporters Edition buyers get free updates for 2 years. After that, the FAQ says upgrades are available at a 50% discount, with another 2 years of updates.

novelWriter

No public discounts listed.