bibisco vs Wavemaker Cards (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, bibisco grades higher than Wavemaker Cards: 3.0 against 2.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
bibisco grades higher on features, ease of use and platforms. Wavemaker Cards grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
bibisco
Novel planning and writing software built around characters
Wavemaker Cards
Free installable web app for planning and writing a novel
Which one is for you
Pick bibisco if
- Fits if you plan a novel character first and like being asked questions about them
- Works for Linux writers who want the same app on Windows or Mac
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you're staying free, because search, writing goals, the timeline and EPUB export are all paid
- Pricey if you want everything, since the $69 edition doesn't include the phone apps or sync at $3.49 a month
- Not for you if you just want a blank page, as it's built around characters, storylines and scenes
- Watch out: Supporters Edition updates are free for 2 years, then upgrades cost half price
- Skip it if you want to write in a browser, as there's no web version and desktop builds are 64-bit only
Pick Wavemaker Cards if
- Fits if you want a no-cost planner and do not mind setting up your own structure
- Works for writers who want manuscript data kept on their device or in their own Google Drive
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you use a browser other than Chrome, since the FAQ says install and offline use need the latest Chrome
- Skip it if you need guaranteed support, because the FAQ describes a one-person project
- Watch out: the AI assistant needs your own OpenAI API key and OpenAI bills you for it
- Tight if you work on a Mac or iPhone, as support there is described as believed to work but untested
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAbibiscoVery good | 2.8GPAWavemaker CardsGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AThe Community Edition is a free download for Windows, Mac and Linux, and the Supporters Edition is $69 once with 2 years of updates, which is under a year of this category's $8.33-a-month middle. Everywhere, for the phone apps and sync, is $3.49 a month on top, and the $69 doesn't cover it. | AThe whole app is free, with no paid tier; the author only asks for optional Patreon or PayPal support. That beats a category whose cheaper quarter starts at $5.75 a month. |
| Free plan and trial | CThe Community Edition is free with unlimited projects, character interviews, chapters, scenes and export to PDF, DOCX and TXT. But the listing's own notes hold back search, the dark theme, writing goals, the timeline, mind maps, analysis and EPUB export, and writing a novel with no search is a wall you'll hit. | ANothing is locked behind a plan. The one extra cost is the optional AI assistant, which uses your own OpenAI key and is billed by OpenAI. |
| Features | BInterview questions to build characters, sections for premise, fabula, setting and storylines, and in the paid edition a timeline, mind maps, a novel outline and analysis views, plus distraction-free mode, footnotes and EPUB export. Novel planning covered without a gap in it. | CChapters, scenes, a board, a research database and Snowflake cards cover planning. The listing's own gaps keep it at C: Mac and iOS are described as believed to work but untested, and the AI helper is bring-your-own-key. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record, but it's a plain download with nothing to set up: open it and the book is already split into characters, places, chapters and scenes rather than one long document, and a 30-day trial of the paid edition comes with it. | CNo store rating on record. It is a web app where the work is building your own chapters, notes and cards, and it asks you to install it as a progressive web app. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows, Mac and Linux on the desktop plus Android, iPhone and iPad apps, so computers and both phones, with Grammarly, Google Drive, Dropbox and OneDrive listed. No web version, which is what keeps it off an A, and the mobile apps need the separate Everywhere subscription. | CWeb only. It installs as a progressive web app and runs offline, but the FAQ says that needs the latest Chrome, and there is no desktop or phone app in the stores. |
| Best for | planning a novel around its characters | free novel planning that works offline |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: bibisco and Wavemaker Cards. How we grade
Price against what you get
bibisco starts at $3.49 a month and scores 3.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Wavemaker Cards has no paid plan and scores 2.0.
bibisco scores higher, and starts $3.49 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other writing tools on the chart, 1 scores higher than bibisco for less, and none scores higher than Wavemaker Cards for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- bibisco is open source, according to its own site.
- bibisco can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Wavemaker Cards also covers notes.
At a glance
| bibisco | Wavemaker Cards | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $3.49 per month for Everywhere sync; desktop Supporters Edition is $69 one-time | Free |
| Free plan | Community Edition for desktop: unlimited projects, premise, fabula, setting and storylines, character interviews, locations, chapters and scenes, export to PDF, DOCX and TXT, and automatic backups. | The whole app is free; the author asks for optional support through Patreon or PayPal. |
| Free trial | Community Edition includes a 30-day Supporters Edition trial; Everywhere has a 14-day free trial | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Andrea Feccomandi | Wavemaker |
| Price read from | bibisco.com | wavemaker.co.uk |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Wavemaker Cards
- The FAQ says it currently needs the latest Chrome browser for installation and offline use.
- The FAQ describes a one-person project, so support and long-term upkeep depend on one maintainer.
- The optional AI assistant needs your own OpenAI API key, which is billed by OpenAI, not by Wavemaker.
- Mac and iOS support are described as believed to work but untested.
Key features
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.
Wavemaker Cards
- Chapters and scenes
- Break a book into chapters and scenes, add notes to each and rearrange them by dragging.
- Planning board
- A board for moving notes around, with a to-do-list style plan for the novel.
- Research database
- Stores notes and research in a searchable database organized with hashtags; the app also has a timeline view.
- Snowflake cards
- A card tool for the Snowflake Method: start with a short idea and add detail until it becomes a full outline.
- Install and offline use
- Installs as a progressive web app and can run without a connection on devices and browsers that support it.
- Google Drive sync
- Files are stored locally or in your own Google Drive, and devices can sync through Drive.
Plans
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.
Wavemaker Cards
Free$0
Full app with no paid tier; voluntary support through Patreon or PayPal.
Ways to pay less
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.
Wavemaker Cards
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, bibisco or Wavemaker Cards?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Wavemaker Cards is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $3.49 a month for bibisco. bibisco starts at $3.49 per month for Everywhere sync; desktop Supporters Edition is $69 one-time, and Wavemaker Cards is free.
Which has a free plan, bibisco or Wavemaker Cards?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both bibisco and Wavemaker Cards have a free plan.
Which platforms do bibisco and Wavemaker Cards run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only bibisco lists macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android apps and only Wavemaker Cards lists a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.