The Ellipsus Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Ellipsus 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.
Ellipsus
The Insider’s Guide
Collaborative writing tool for creative writers
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among writing tools, read from Ellipsus’s own pages.
Made by Ellipsus GmbH · 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 Ellipsus’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Ellipsus’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
2.8
GPA, above 43 of the 69 other writing tools we grade
Ellipsus is a browser-based collaborative writing tool from Berlin-based Ellipsus GmbH, aimed at creative writers. A document can branch into linked drafts that are compared side by side and merged back, with comments, version history and sharing roles for co-authors, editors and beta readers. The company says it will never add generative AI or train models on users' work. The free plan has no document limits, and Plus is sold on a subscribe-to-own basis.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Ellipsus, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No store rating on record, but there's nothing to set up: open a browser and write.
- 1
Best for writing fiction with other people
It says it will never add generative AI.
- 2
Paid plans start at $6 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $6 per month for 24 months, or $99 one-time.
- 3
There is a free plan
Unlimited docs, drafts, folders and collaborators, comments, real-time collaboration, 30 days of version history, 512 KB image uploads and 37 themes.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Linked drafts
A document can branch into as many drafts as needed for trying ideas or working with editors. Drafts stay linked to their document, so there are no separate files to manage.
- 6
Compare and merge
Drafts can be viewed side by side to check what changed, and the writer chooses which edits are merged into the main document.
- 7
Collaboration and feedback
Unlimited collaborators can write in the same draft, comment and react. Collaborator roles and share links control what each person can do.
- 8
A 2.8 GPA, above 43 of 69
That is against the other writing tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Your call
A writing app at its plainest is a page that saves what you type.
Ellipsus at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $6 per month for 24 months, or $99 one-time
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 7-day free trial of Plus, no payment information required
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Ellipsus GmbH, since 2023
- Category
- Writing Tools
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
The report card
Best for writing fiction with other people
Ellipsus is a browser writing space for people who write with others: branch a document into drafts, compare them side by side and merge, with unlimited co-authors and beta readers free. It says it will never add generative AI. It's browser only for now, with no phone or desktop app, no offline access and no tables, and free history stops at 30 days.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Plus is $99 once, or $6 a month for 24 months, or $60 a year for two: every route ends with you owning the license rather than renting it. The middle of this category is $8.33 a month, so the one-time price is under a year of a typical rival, and most of the tool is free anyway. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Unlimited docs, drafts, folders and collaborators, with comments and real-time writing, on the free plan. The limits are 30 days of version history and 512 KB image uploads, and collaborator chat is moving to Plus and turning read-only for free users. |
| Features | C | Documents branch into linked drafts you compare side by side and merge, with roles for co-authors, editors and beta readers, version history, posting to AO3 and export to PDF, HTML and Markdown. But the listing's own notes have tables and offline access still to come, and tables in a writing tool is a real hole. |
| Ease of use | B | No store rating on record, but there's nothing to set up: open a browser and write. Drafts stay attached to their document so there are no separate files to juggle, reader links open without an account, and the Plus trial asks for no payment details. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Browser only, and the one thing it connects to is AO3. No phone or desktop app yet, though the help center suggests adding it as a PWA, and offline access hasn't arrived either. |
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 Ellipsus is for
- Fits if you write fiction with co-authors, editors or beta readers
- Works for fan fiction writers who post chapters to AO3 from the draft
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you write offline, as offline access is listed as still to come
- Not for you if you want a phone or desktop app, because it only runs in a browser for now
- Too light for documents that need tables, which haven't arrived yet
- Tight if you're staying free, with 30 days of version history and 512 KB image uploads
- Watch out: collaborator chat is moving to Plus and turns read-only for free users
Good to know
Good for
- Co-authors, editors and beta readers working on fiction together
- Fan fiction writers who publish to AO3
- Writers who want a tool with no generative AI
- People who would sooner own a license than rent one
Worth knowing
- Browser-based only: there is no mobile or desktop app yet, though the help center suggests setting it up as a PWA.
- Offline access and tables are listed as still to come.
- On the free plan, version history covers 30 days and image uploads are capped at 512 KB.
- Collaborator chat is moving to Plus and becomes read-only for free users.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$6
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Ellipsus has a free plan. Paid plans start at $6 per month for 24 months, or $99 one-time.
Unlimited docs, drafts, folders and collaborators, with comments and real-time writing, on the free plan.
Free
$0
Unlimited docs, drafts and collaborators, with 30-day version history, 512 KB image uploads and 37 themes.
Plus, monthly
$6
per month for 24 months ($144 in total)
Subscribe-to-own: after 24 monthly payments the Plus license is owned outright. Adds custom themes, writing insights, unlimited version history and 5 MB images.
Plus, annual
$60
per year for 2 years ($120 in total)
Two annual payments buy the Plus license outright, which the page describes as 4 months free compared with paying monthly.
Plus, one-time
$99
one-time payment
The Plus license bought upfront and owned immediately, including future Plus features, updates and maintenance.
The free plan
Unlimited docs, drafts, folders and collaborators, comments, real-time collaboration, 30 days of version history, 512 KB image uploads and 37 themes.
Trying it first
7-day free trial of Plus, no payment information required
Read from ellipsus.com on Oct 9, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Lifetime license
Own Plus outright for $99
A single $99 payment buys the Plus license for good, including future Plus features and updates. It is the lowest total of the three ways to pay.
Stated on ellipsus.comAnnual discount
Annual plan totals $120 instead of $144
Paying annually takes two payments of $60, $120 in all, against $144 over 24 monthly payments. The pricing page calls this 4 months free.
Stated on ellipsus.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Collaborative writing tool for creative writers. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: real-time collaboration, documents, long-form writing.
But the listing's own notes have tables and offline access still to come, and tables in a writing tool is a real hole.
- Linked drafts
- A document can branch into as many drafts as needed for trying ideas or working with editors. Drafts stay linked to their document, so there are no separate files to manage.
- Compare and merge
- Drafts can be viewed side by side to check what changed, and the writer chooses which edits are merged into the main document.
- Collaboration and feedback
- Unlimited collaborators can write in the same draft, comment and react. Collaborator roles and share links control what each person can do.
- Version history
- Past versions of a piece can be viewed and restored: 30 days of history on the free plan, unlimited on Plus.
- Publishing and export
- Posts new works and chapters to AO3, exports PDF, HTML, Markdown and rich text, and creates reader links that can be opened without an account.
- Emboss and writing insights
- Plus adds shareable authorship badges, public version history and writing insights such as sentence length, passive voice and word frequency, computed on the device without AI.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- AO3
Ellipsus is made by Ellipsus GmbH, and has been around since 2023.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
43/69
Other writing tools it is graded above
Ellipsus's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 43 of the 69 other writing tools we grade, and level with 13.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 44 of 69) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $6 a month, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 13 of the 44 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 11 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 70 writing tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Ellipsus’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 44 of 69
- BFree plan and trialAbove 48 of 69
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 69
- BEase of useAbove 32 of 69
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 3 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. Ellipsus 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.
Your call
A writing app at its plainest is a page that saves what you type.
You could make the core of Ellipsus for yourself: long-form writing and documents. What you would give up is listed below. Whether that is worth the price is your call. It costs $72 a year.
What you could make
- Long-form writing and documents: an app builder makes these well.
- It runs in a browser, which is where something home-made would run too.
What you could not
- Several people working in it at the same moment.
What this rests on. Ellipsus’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
Novlr, Dabble, LivingWriter, Reedsy Studio and Lex
The 5 tools Ellipsus is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.0GPA
Novlr
Free plan · from $8/mo
Browser-based novel writing workspace built around writing goals.
- Ellipsus also covers documents.
- Novlr also covers grammar & style.
- 2.4GPA
Dabble
Free trial · from $19/mo
Novel writing app with plotting, story notes and sync.
- Ellipsus has a free plan. Dabble does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Dabble lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- Dabble can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.4GPA
LivingWriter
Free plan · from $15/mo
Cloud writing app for books and screenplays with planning boards.
- Only LivingWriter lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Ellipsus also covers documents.
- LivingWriter also covers chat assistant and templates.
- 2.6GPA
Reedsy Studio
Free plan · from $4.99/mo
Browser-based book writing app with free EPUB and PDF typesetting.
- Ellipsus also covers documents.
- Reedsy Studio also covers templates.
- 1.8GPA
Lex
Paid
Word processor with AI editing, closed to new customers.
- Ellipsus has a free plan. Lex does not.
- Ellipsus also covers long-form writing.
- Lex also covers chat assistant and grammar & style.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
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 Ellipsus free?
Ellipsus has a free plan. Unlimited docs, drafts, folders and collaborators, comments, real-time collaboration, 30 days of version history, 512 KB image uploads and 37 themes.
How much does Ellipsus cost?
Ellipsus lists 4 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Ellipsus work on?
Ellipsus is available on Web.
Does Ellipsus offer any discounts?
Ellipsus publicly lists the following: Own Plus outright for $99; Annual plan totals $120 instead of $144.
Does Ellipsus have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Ellipsus is listed for Web.
Does Ellipsus have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Ellipsus is listed for Web.
Is Ellipsus open source?
Ellipsus is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 9, 2026.
What does Ellipsus integrate with?
Ellipsus's listing names AO3. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Does Ellipsus have a free trial?
Yes. 7-day free trial of Plus, no payment information required.
Who makes Ellipsus?
Ellipsus is made by Ellipsus GmbH. It dates from 2023.
What are the alternatives to Ellipsus?
The closest alternatives to Ellipsus in our directory are Novlr, Dabble, LivingWriter, Reedsy Studio and Lex.
How does Ellipsus compare with other writing tools?
Ellipsus's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 43 of the 69 other writing tools we grade, and level with 13.
Is Ellipsus good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Ellipsus A for value for money. Its paid plans start at $6 a month, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 13 of the 44 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Ellipsus?
A writing app at its plainest is a page that saves what you type. You could make the core of Ellipsus for yourself: long-form writing and documents.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Ellipsus’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 Ellipsus's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-09-20.
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 Ellipsus GmbH. Prices change, so check ellipsus.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
- Ellipsus, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/ellipsus
- 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, "Ellipsus: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/ellipsus
Know someone choosing between writing tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/ellipsus/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded writing tools after Ellipsus, 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 Ellipsus’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. Ellipsus is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Ellipsus GmbH. Prices and plans change: check ellipsus.com before you buy.