Gingko Writer vs Novlr
We give Gingko Writer a 2.6 GPA and Novlr a 3.0, out of 4.0. Novlr grades higher on the free plan and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Gingko Writer
Tree-based writing app that breaks long documents into cards
Novlr
Browser-based novel writing workspace built around writing goals
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAGingko WriterGood | 3.0GPANovlrVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B$9.75 a month billed yearly, which is $117, or $12.75 month to month. That's about what paid writing tools typically cost. There's one plan and it's the full app, and refunds are given on request. | BStarter is $8 a month billed yearly, or $10 monthly, which is about typical for a writing tool. It buys 10 projects, 30-day version history and writing goals. The proofreader, grammar checker and backups need Studio at $16, or $499 once for life. |
| Free plan and trial | CNo free plan. You get a 14-day free trial with no credit card, and after that the app needs a subscription. | BFree for good, with sync, notes, the planning grid, focus mode, sprints, streaks, comments and analytics. But it stops at 2 projects, and version history isn't listed for it. One novel and one side project and you're full. |
| Features | BIt does one unusual thing fully: every document is a tree of cards, with premise, outline and text on screen together and no separate outlining mode. But the FAQ says collaboration and LaTeX are not supported yet, and images can't be uploaded, only linked. | BA clean editor with focus and typewriter modes, streaks, sprints and analytics on every plan, plus notes and a plot grid built from them. Solid for drafting. But the proofreader, the grammar and style checker and the Google Drive and Dropbox backups are Studio-only. |
| Ease of use | BThere's no App Store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. It runs in a browser with nothing to install, and you write and rearrange cards in the same place. Finished drafts export to conventional document formats. | BThere's no App Store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. It runs in a browser with nothing to install, and the free plan lets you start writing before you pay anything. Offline is only described as cover for unstable internet. |
| Platforms and integrations | CA web app and nothing else. The listing shows no integrations, and the vendor says the older desktop version on GitHub has not been brought up to date. | BA web app that syncs across your devices and, on Studio, backs up to Google Drive and Dropbox. The site lists no desktop or mobile apps. |
| Best for | outlining and drafting on the same screen | building a daily novel-writing habit |
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: Gingko Writer and Novlr. How we grade
Where they differ
- Gingko Writer starts at $9.75 per month, billed yearly ($117). Novlr starts at $8 per month, billed yearly ($96); $10 billed monthly (Starter).
- Novlr has a free plan. Gingko Writer does not, though it has a free trial.
- Gingko Writer also covers Markdown.
- Novlr also covers grammar & style.
At a glance
| Gingko Writer | Novlr | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $9.75 per month, billed yearly ($117) | $8 per month, billed yearly ($96); $10 billed monthly (Starter) |
| Free plan | None | 2 projects with sync across devices, notes, the planning grid, focus mode, writing sprints, streaks, comments, writing analytics and starter Academy courses. |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial, no credit card required | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Gingko Inc | Novlr Ltd. |
| Price read from | gingkowriter.com | novlr.org |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Gingko Writer
- Writers who outline and draft at the same time
- Long projects such as a thesis, a novel or a legal brief
- People who lose track of structure in a single long document
Novlr
- Novelists who want a clean, distraction-free place to draft
- Writers building a daily habit with goals, streaks and sprints
- Writers who want a tool with no generative AI in it
Worth knowing
Gingko Writer
- There is no free plan: after the 14-day trial the app needs a subscription.
- The vendor's FAQ, last updated about four years ago, says collaboration and LaTeX are not supported yet and points to the legacy gingkoapp.com version for both.
- Images cannot be uploaded: the FAQ says they are added by linking to a file hosted elsewhere with Markdown image syntax.
- The current version is a web app. An older desktop version is still on GitHub, but the vendor says it has not been brought up to date.
Novlr
- The Free plan is limited to 2 projects; Starter allows 10 and only Studio is unlimited.
- The proofreader, the grammar and style checker, and Google Drive and Dropbox backups are Studio-only.
- It runs in a browser; the site lists no desktop or mobile apps, and offline use is described only as protection for unstable internet.
- Version history is 30 days on Starter and unlimited on Studio, and is not listed for the Free plan.
Key features
Gingko Writer
- Documents as a tree of cards
- Text is written in small chunks called cards, so a novel, thesis or legal brief is worked on one piece at a time instead of as a single long page.
- Notes, outline and draft in one view
- The overall premise, the outline and the detailed text stay on screen together, so an idea for a specific scene can be written down without leaving the big picture.
- Organize while writing
- There is no separate outlining mode: cards are written and arranged in the same place, so the structure can change as the draft grows.
- Export and print
- A draft can be exported to conventional document formats or printed. Anything placed between HTML comment markers in a card is left out of the output.
- Import from the older Gingko
- Trees from a legacy gingkoapp.com account can be brought in from the File menu, or as a JSON export for very large trees.
- Templates by duplication
- Any tree can be duplicated from the sidebar, which is how the vendor suggests making a reusable template for new documents.
Novlr
- Distraction-free editor
- A full-screen focus mode and a typewriter mode keep the page clear, with dark and light modes and search and replace.
- Goals, streaks and sprints
- Keep writing streaks, run timed writing sprints and get success nudges on every plan. Setting weekly and monthly goals is listed from the Starter plan up.
- Notes and planning grid
- Notes for research, characters and lore sit beside the manuscript, and a plot grid built from those notes lays out story arcs and plot threads.
- Writing analytics
- Analytics track word counts over time and show a writer's habits and most productive moments. They are included on every plan.
- Proofreader and grammar checker
- The Studio plan includes a built-in proofreader and an advanced grammar and style checker. Novlr says it has no AI writing or generating tool.
- Novlr Sites
- An author website builder with themes and custom domains, using the same login. It is included with Studio and costs $6 a month or $60 a year on other plans.
Plans
Gingko Writer
Pay Yearly$9.75
per month, billed yearly ($117)
The full app, billed once per year. The pricing page puts the saving against monthly billing at $36.
Pay Monthly$12.75
per month, billed monthly
The full app with monthly billing. It can be canceled at any time, and refunds are given on request.
Novlr
Free$0
2 projects with cross-device sync, notes, the planning grid, focus mode, writing sprints, streaks, comments and analytics.
Starter$8
per month, billed yearly ($96); $10 billed monthly
10 projects with 30-day version history, writing goals with streak tracking, and full access to Academy courses.
Studio$16
per month, billed yearly ($192); $20 billed monthly
Unlimited projects and version history, proofreader and grammar checker, Google Drive and Dropbox backups, and Novlr Sites included.
Lifetime Studio Member$499
one-time payment
Everything in Studio with no subscription, plus co-ownership of Novlr and exclusive Discord channels.
Ways to pay less
Gingko Writer
- Annual discount
Save $36 a year with yearly billing
The pricing page lists $117 billed once per year against $12.75 a month, and states the saving as $36.
Novlr
- Annual discount
Save 20% with yearly billing
Starter is $96 a year ($8 a month) against $10 a month billed monthly, and Studio is $192 a year ($16 a month) against $20 a month.
- Lifetime license
Lifetime Studio membership for $499
A one-time payment covers everything in Studio with no subscription. Lifetime members also become co-owners of Novlr.
