bibisco vs The Novel Factory

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

The Novel Factory

• First-time novelists who want a guided, step-by-step process
• Writers who plan characters, locations and plot before drafting
• Authors who want writing software with no AI in it

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.

The Novel Factory

• There is no free plan: after the 30-day trial it needs a subscription or the $649 lifetime license.
• Basic is limited to one novel and leaves out dark mode and importing characters and locations between novels.
• The lifetime license covers Version 3 only, for as long as that version lasts.
• Offline work needs the desktop app on a PC or Mac. The browser version, which phones and tablets use, requires a stable internet connection.

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.

The Novel Factory

Novel Writing Roadmap

A built-in guide of fifteen steps takes a novel from first idea to final manuscript, with a practical task at each step that can be checked off in the software.

Plot Manager and plot templates

Scenes sit on drag-and-drop index cards that give an overview of the story's structure, and genre-specific plot templates set out the beats to hit.

Characters, locations and items

Dedicated sections hold character profiles built from development prompts, locations with sensory details and images, and items. Characters and locations can be linked to scenes.

Manuscript with related notes

A sidebar beside the text shows the scene synopsis, the linked characters and locations, and the plot points that happen in that scene.

Writing statistics and goals

A Statistics tab tracks word counts and writing rates against custom goals, with progress graphs and a weekly average word count.

Version history and Word export

Turn Back Time restores earlier versions of the work. The manuscript and its supporting data export to Word, and a Word manuscript can be imported.

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.

The Novel Factory

• Basic$82.50

  per year, or $8.25 per month billed monthly

  One novel with the core features: Plot Manager, characters, items and locations, the manuscript section and writing statistics.

• Standard$220

  per year, or $22 per month billed monthly

  Unlimited novels, plus dark mode, importing characters and locations between novels and additional formatting features.

• Lifetime$649

  one-time payment

  Access to Version 3.0 for as long as that version lasts, with unlimited novels and all features. Equivalent to Standard.

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.

The Novel Factory

• Annual discount

  Two months free with annual billing

  Annual plans cost ten times the monthly price: $82.50 against $8.25 a month for Basic and $220 against $22 a month for Standard.

• Lifetime license

  Lifetime license to Version 3 for $649

  A one-off payment gives Standard-level access to The Novel Factory Version 3 for the life of that version, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

• Other savings

  Hardship licenses and discounts

  The company says it offers hardship licenses and discounts for people with low incomes or disabilities. No amounts are published.

• Other savings

  Credit for original Windows Desktop licenses

  Owners of the original Windows desktop version can ask for a discount on a subscription equal to what they paid for that license.