# The Novel Factory

> Novel-writing software with a built-in step-by-step roadmap

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.

- **Category:** Writing Tools
- **Made by:** Sentiva Limited (trading as The Novel Factory)
- **Website:** https://www.novel-software.com
- **Runs on:** Web, macOS, Windows
- **Facts last checked:** Oct 9, 2026

## Pricing

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).

- **Pricing model:** Free trial
- **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 | $82.50 per 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 | $220 per year, or $22 per month billed monthly | Unlimited novels, plus dark mode, importing characters and locations between novels and additional formatting features. |
| Lifetime | $649 one-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 https://www.novel-software.com/buy-novel-writing-software/ on Oct 9, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with The Novel Factory before buying.

## Ways to pay less

- **Two months free with annual billing** (Annual discount): 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. Source: https://www.novel-software.com/buy-novel-writing-software/
- **Lifetime license to Version 3 for $649** (Lifetime license): 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. Source: https://www.novel-software.com/buy-novel-writing-software/
- **Hardship licenses and discounts** (Other savings): The company says it offers hardship licenses and discounts for people with low incomes or disabilities. No amounts are published. Source: https://www.novel-software.com/social-responsibility/
- **Credit for original Windows Desktop licenses** (Other savings): Owners of the original Windows desktop version can ask for a discount on a subscription equal to what they paid for that license. Source: https://www.novel-software.com/faqs/

## 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.

## 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.

**Tags:** Long-form writing, Templates, Works offline, One-time purchase

## Alternatives

- [Scrivener](https://toolgpa.com/tools/scrivener): Manuscript writing app with a binder, corkboard and outliner. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/scrivener-vs-the-novel-factory)
- [Plottr](https://toolgpa.com/tools/plottr): Visual book outlining and series bible software. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/plottr-vs-the-novel-factory)
- [Dabble](https://toolgpa.com/tools/dabble): Novel writing app with plotting, story notes and sync. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/dabble-vs-the-novel-factory)
- [Campfire](https://toolgpa.com/tools/campfire): Modular novel writing and worldbuilding app with per-module pricing. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/campfire-vs-the-novel-factory)
- [bibisco](https://toolgpa.com/tools/bibisco): Novel planning and writing software built around characters. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/bibisco-vs-the-novel-factory)

## Sources

The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 9, 2026:

- https://www.novel-software.com/buy-novel-writing-software/
- https://www.novel-software.com/
- https://www.novel-software.com/features/
- https://www.novel-software.com/faqs/
- https://www.novel-software.com/knowledge-base/what-platforms-does-the-novel-factory-work-on/
- https://www.novel-software.com/knowledge-base/working-offline-in-the-novel-factory/
- https://www.novel-software.com/knowledge-base/installing-novel-factory-on-your-desktop/
- https://www.novel-software.com/the-story-of-the-novel-factory/
- https://www.novel-software.com/social-responsibility/
- https://www.novel-software.com/terms-of-use/

Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/the-novel-factory
Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).