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Novlr Review: Price, Features and Score

Novlr: Browser-based writing studio with notes, plot grid and author websites. Free plan; paid from $8 a month (billed yearly), on web. We did not test it; the facts come from its own pages.

Prices and data checked October 7, 2026 · Author Score computed by a published formula, not paid for

Novlr on the BookBird Author Score

Author Score · book writing software · #1 of 16 ·

Best for: Writers wanting a free web app with no built-in AI

BookBird Author Score8.7/10 #1 of 16 book writing software. Worked out from Novlr’s own pages, its price and US searches for its name, not typed in. Author jobs50 pts50/50Each of the 8 author jobs on the book writing software list is worth an equal share of 50 points, and counts only when Novlr’s own pages confirm it. 8 of 8 confirmed = 50 points. A job the vendor does not mention earns nothing.Cost25 pts25/25A free plan, or a platform that takes no upfront fee, earns all 25 points.Adoption25 pts12.3/25Searches, 20 points: 3,600 a month for “novlr”, against Google Docs, the most searched in this category (20,400,000), on a log scale = 9.7. Trend, 5 points: up 1% (last three months against the first three of the year) = 2.5; a fall of half or more earns 0, no change 2.5, a rise of half or more 5. 87.3 of 100 points= 8.7 out of 10 The full method, with every product’s points →

Author jobs, from Novlr’s own pages

  • Yes: Chapters and scenes you can reorder
  • Yes: Word-count goals
  • Yes: Notes beside the manuscript
  • Yes: Version history or snapshots
  • Yes: Works offline
  • Yes: Exports to Word (DOCX)
  • Yes: Exports a book file (EPUB or print PDF)
  • Yes: Syncs across devices

Novlr pricing

Free plan + paid plans, one-time option. There is a free plan. Plans, in US dollars:

  • Free
  • Starter: $8 a month (billed yearly)
  • Studio: $16 a month (billed yearly)
  • Lifetime Studio Member: $499 one-time (includes co-ownership of Novlr)
  • Novlr Sites add-on: $6 a month (or $60/year; included in Studio)

Only yearly-billed per-month prices appear on the page; monthly-billing prices sit behind a toggle and were not verified.

What Novlr offers

  • Sections nested up to five levels, rearranged by drag and drop
  • Notes for characters, research and lore pinned beside the manuscript
  • Note-powered planning grid
  • Goals, streaks, writing sprints and analytics
  • Per-section version history: 7 days free, 30 on Starter, unlimited on Studio
  • Offline mode after the app is opened online, syncing on reconnect
  • Proofreader and grammar/style checker, Drive and Dropbox backups (Studio)
  • Novlr Sites author website with custom domain

Runs on: web. Exports: Word, EPUB, PDF, ODT and RTF. Works offline.

Novlr alternatives

SoftwareScorePrice fromBest for
Google Docs8.3FreeAuthors sharing drafts with editors at no cost
LivingWriter7.8Free plan; paid from $179 a yearPlotters writing on web, desktop and mobile
Scrivener7.7$59.99 one-timeMac or Windows authors who want a one-time licence
Ulysses7.6$39.99 a yearApple-only writers who like plain-text markup
Storyist7.5$19 one-timeApple users who want a one-time purchase with ebook export

Compare: All book writing software · All software for authors

How the score is computed: the formula, step by step.