The bibisco Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about bibisco in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
bibisco
The Insider’s Guide
Novel planning and writing software built around characters
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among writing tools, read from bibisco’s own pages.
Made by Andrea Feccomandi · checked Oct 9, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from bibisco’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on bibisco’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 9, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.0
GPA, above 57 of the 69 other writing tools we grade
bibisco is novel-writing software by Andrea Feccomandi that organizes a book into characters, locations, storylines, chapters and scenes instead of one long document. The desktop app for Linux, macOS and Windows comes as a free Community Edition and a paid Supporters Edition with a timeline, mind maps and analysis tools. A separate subscription, bibisco Everywhere, adds Android and iOS apps and cloud sync.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about bibisco, taken from its own pages and our grades.
- 1
Best for planning a novel around its characters
bibisco is novel software built around your characters: you answer interview questions about them, then add plot, places and scenes.
- 2
Paid plans start at $3.49 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $3.49 per month for Everywhere sync; desktop Supporters Edition is $69 one-time.
- 3
There is a 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.
- 4
It runs on 5 platforms
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.
- 5
Character interviews
Characters are developed through interview-style questions. The Supporters Edition adds custom questions and profile pictures for characters, places and objects.
- 6
Story structure
Dedicated sections hold the premise, fabula, setting and storylines, alongside locations, chapters and scenes, in every edition.
- 7
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.
- 8
A 3.0 GPA, above 57 of 69
That is against the other writing tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of bibisco you could make: long-form writing. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
bibisco at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $3.49 per month for Everywhere sync; desktop Supporters Edition is $69 one-time
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- Community Edition includes a 30-day Supporters Edition trial; Everywhere has a 14-day free trial
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Andrea Feccomandi, since 2014
- Category
- Writing Tools
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for planning a novel around its characters
bibisco is novel software built around your characters: you answer interview questions about them, then add plot, places and scenes. The desktop app is free for the basics on Windows, Mac and Linux, and $69 once adds the timeline, mind maps and search. Phone apps and sync are a separate $3.49 a month that the $69 doesn't cover, and its free updates stop after 2 years.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | The 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. |
| Free plan and trial | C | The 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. |
| Features | B | Interview 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. |
| Ease of use | B | No 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. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Windows, 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. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who bibisco is for
- 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
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- 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
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$3.49
A month to start. There is a free plan too
bibisco has a free plan. Paid plans start at $3.49 per month for Everywhere sync; desktop Supporters Edition is $69 one-time.
The Community Edition is free with unlimited projects, character interviews, chapters, scenes and export to PDF, DOCX and TXT.
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 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.
Trying it first
Community Edition includes a 30-day Supporters Edition trial; Everywhere has a 14-day free trial
Read from bibisco.com on Oct 9, 2026.
Ways to pay less
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.
Stated on bibisco.comEducation
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.
Stated on bibisco.comOther 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.
Stated on bibisco.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
5
Places it runs: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android
Novel planning and writing software built around characters. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, local-first, one-time purchase, long-form writing.
Novel planning covered without a gap in it.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- Grammarly
- Ludwig
- Google Drive
- Dropbox
- OneDrive
bibisco is made by Andrea Feccomandi, and has been around since 2014.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
57/69
Other writing tools it is graded above
bibisco's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 57 of the 69 other writing tools we grade, and level with 6.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 44 of 69) and worst on free plan and trial (C, above 5).
Its paid plans start at $3.49 a month, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 4 of the 44 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.0 out of 4. 1 tool scores higher and costs less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 70 writing tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. bibisco’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 44 of 69
- CFree plan and trialAbove 5 of 69
- BFeaturesAbove 36 of 69
- BEase of useAbove 32 of 69
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 32 of 69
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 53 writing tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. bibisco is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
The plain part of bibisco you could make: long-form writing. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 57 of the 69 other writing tools we grade. It costs $41.88 a year. bibisco is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could make
- Long-form writing: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, Grammarly, Ludwig and Google Drive among them.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. bibisco’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Scrivener, Plottr, The Novel Factory, Manuskript and yWriter
The 5 tools bibisco is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
Scrivener
Free trial · from $23.99 one-time
Manuscript writing app with a binder, corkboard and outliner.
- bibisco has a free plan. Scrivener does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only bibisco lists Linux and Android apps.
- bibisco is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.2GPA
Plottr
Free trial · from $60/yr
Visual book outlining and series bible software.
- bibisco has a free plan. Plottr does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only bibisco lists Linux, iOS and Android apps.
- Only Plottr lists a web app.
- 2.2GPA
The Novel Factory
Free trial · from $82.50/yr
Novel-writing software with a built-in step-by-step roadmap.
- bibisco has a free plan. The Novel Factory does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only bibisco lists Linux, iOS and Android apps.
- Only The Novel Factory lists a web app.
- 2.8GPA
Manuskript
Free
Free, open-source novel planner with an outliner and index cards.
- Only bibisco lists iOS and Android apps.
- bibisco can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Manuskript also covers Markdown.
- 3.0GPA
yWriter
Free plan · from $5.49 one-time
Novel-writing software that organizes a book into scenes.
- Only bibisco lists a Linux app.
- bibisco is open source, according to its own site.
- bibisco can be bought with a one-time purchase.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is bibisco free?
bibisco has a 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.
How much does bibisco cost?
bibisco lists 3 plans. Community Edition: $0. bibisco Everywhere: $3.49 per month, or $29.99 per year.
What platforms does bibisco work on?
bibisco is available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.
Does bibisco offer any discounts?
bibisco publicly lists the following: Save 28% on Everywhere with yearly billing; 20% off for students and educators; 50% off upgrades after two years.
Is bibisco open source?
Yes. bibisco is open source, according to its own site.
What does bibisco integrate with?
bibisco's listing names Grammarly, Ludwig, Google Drive, Dropbox and OneDrive.
Does bibisco have a student discount?
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.
Does bibisco have a free trial?
Yes. Community Edition includes a 30-day Supporters Edition trial; Everywhere has a 14-day free trial.
Who makes bibisco?
bibisco is made by Andrea Feccomandi. It dates from 2014.
What are the alternatives to bibisco?
The closest alternatives to bibisco in our directory are Scrivener, Plottr, The Novel Factory, Manuskript and yWriter.
How does bibisco compare with other writing tools?
bibisco's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 57 of the 69 other writing tools we grade, and level with 6.
Is bibisco good value for money?
ToolGPA grades bibisco A for value for money. Its paid plans start at $3.49 a month, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 4 of the 44 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of bibisco?
The plain part of bibisco you could make: long-form writing. What surrounds it you could not.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from bibisco’s own pages on Oct 9, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from bibisco's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-09-16.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Andrea Feccomandi. Prices change, so check bibisco.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- bibisco, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/bibisco
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "bibisco: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/bibisco
Know someone choosing between writing tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/bibisco/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded writing tools after bibisco, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Writing Tools Insider's GuideEvery one of the 70 writing tools we grade, compared
- Microsoft Word Insider's GuideWord processor sold with Microsoft 365, free in the browser3.4 GPA
- Beat Insider's GuideFree, open-source Fountain screenwriting app for Mac and iOS3.2 GPA
- JotterPad Insider's GuideMarkdown and Fountain editor for books, papers and screenplays3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what bibisco’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. bibisco is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Andrea Feccomandi. Prices and plans change: check bibisco.com before you buy.