The Novel Factory
Novel-writing software with a built-in step-by-step roadmap
The Novel Factory report card
Good · out of 4.0 · graded Oct 9, 2026
Best for a guided first novel, step by step
The Novel Factory holds your hand through a whole novel: a fifteen-step roadmap, plot cards, character and location sheets and the manuscript beside them, with no AI anywhere. That makes it a good fit for a first book. But Basic covers one novel for $82.50 a year, and unlimited novels cost $220.
Who The Novel Factory is for
- Great if this is your first novel and you want to be walked through it step by step
- Handy when you like to plan characters, locations and plot before you draft
- A treat if you want writing software with no AI in it
Who The Novel Factory is not for
- Pricey if you write more than one book, since unlimited novels need Standard at $220 a year
- Skip it if you want a free plan, as there's only the 30-day trial
- Not for you if you write offline on a phone or tablet, because those use the browser version
Why The Novel Factory gets a 2.8
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- CValue for moneyBasic is $82.50 a year or $8.25 monthly, about typical in price, but it holds just one novel. Unlimited novels need Standard at $220 a year or $22 a month, more than double where writing tools usually start. Lifetime is $649, and only for Version 3.
- CFree plan and trialNo free plan. The 30-day trial needs no credit card and covers one novel project with all the other Standard features. After that it's a subscription or the lifetime licence.
- AFeaturesA fifteen-step roadmap from first idea to final manuscript, scene cards you drag around in the Plot Manager, genre plot templates, and sections for characters, locations and items that link to scenes. Word-count goals, version history and Word export round it off.
- BEase of useThere's no App Store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. The roadmap gives you a task to tick off at each step, so you always know what comes next. It runs in a browser, or as a desktop app if you want to work offline.
- BPlatforms and integrationsA browser version plus installable desktop apps for Windows and Mac. Phones and tablets use the browser version, which needs a stable internet connection. The listing shows no integrations.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from The Novel Factory's own pages on 9 October 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/the-novel-factory#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/the-novel-factory.svg" alt="The Novel Factory: 2.8 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>What is The Novel Factory?
The Novel Factory is novel-writing software built around a step-by-step method it calls the Novel Writing Roadmap. It combines a manuscript editor with a plot manager, sections for characters, locations and items, and word-count statistics, and its maker states that it contains no AI of any kind. It runs in a browser and as an installable desktop app for Windows and Mac that can work offline.
The Novel Factory is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $82.50 per year, or $8.25 per month billed monthly (Basic). See every plan
Good for
- 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
Worth knowing
- 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.
Key features
- 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.
The Novel Factory pricing
- Starts at
- $82.50 per year, or $8.25 per month billed monthly (Basic)
- Free plan
- None
- Free trial
- 30-day free trial, no credit card required. It includes one novel project with all other Standard features.
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $82.50per 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 | $220per year, or $22 per month billed monthly | Unlimited novels, plus dark mode, importing characters and locations between novels and additional formatting features. |
| Lifetime | $649one-time payment | Access to Version 3.0 for as long as that version lasts, with unlimited novels and all features. Equivalent to Standard. |
Read from novel-software.com on Oct 9, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with The Novel Factory before you buy.
Ways to pay less
- Annual discountTwo 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.
Stated on novel-software.com - Lifetime licenseLifetime 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.
Stated on novel-software.com - Other savingsHardship licenses and discounts
The company says it offers hardship licenses and discounts for people with low incomes or disabilities. No amounts are published.
Stated on novel-software.com - Other savingsCredit 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.
Stated on novel-software.com
The Novel Factory alternatives
- The Novel Factory vs Scrivener
Free trial · from $23.99 one-time
- The Novel Factory vs Plottr
Free trial · from $60/yr
- The Novel Factory vs Dabble
Free trial · from $19/mo
- The Novel Factory vs Campfire
Free plan · from $0.50/mo
- The Novel Factory vs bibisco
Free plan · from $3.49/mo
Common questions
Is The Novel Factory free?
No, The Novel Factory is a paid product, but you can try it first. 30-day free trial, no credit card required. It includes one novel project with all other Standard features.
How much does The Novel Factory cost?
The Novel Factory lists 3 plans. Basic: $82.50 per year, or $8.25 per month billed monthly. Standard: $220 per year, or $22 per month billed monthly. Lifetime: $649 one-time payment. Prices were read from novel-software.com on Oct 9, 2026.
What platforms does The Novel Factory work on?
The Novel Factory is available on Web, macOS and Windows.
Does The Novel Factory offer any discounts?
The Novel Factory publicly lists the following: Two months free with annual billing; Lifetime license to Version 3 for $649; Hardship licenses and discounts; Credit for original Windows Desktop licenses.
Does The Novel Factory have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. The Novel Factory is listed for Web, macOS and Windows.
Does The Novel Factory have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. The Novel Factory is listed for Web, macOS and Windows.
Is The Novel Factory open source?
The Novel Factory is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 9, 2026.
Does The Novel Factory work offline?
Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.
Who makes The Novel Factory?
The Novel Factory is made by Sentiva Limited (trading as The Novel Factory).
What are the alternatives to The Novel Factory?
The closest alternatives to The Novel Factory in our directory are Scrivener, Plottr, Dabble, Campfire and bibisco. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with The Novel Factory.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 9, 2026.
- novel-software.com/buy-novel-writing-software/
- novel-software.com/
- novel-software.com/features/
- novel-software.com/faqs/
- novel-software.com/knowledge-base/what-platforms-does-the-novel-factory-work-on/
- novel-software.com/knowledge-base/working-offline-in-the-novel-factory/
- novel-software.com/knowledge-base/installing-novel-factory-on-your-desktop/
- novel-software.com/the-story-of-the-novel-factory/
- novel-software.com/social-responsibility/
- novel-software.com/terms-of-use/