Side by side
Manuscribe vs Novellum
Both stand on book writing software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Choose Manuscribe if you have a book draft and want planning, editorial feedback, cataloging, collaboration, and EPUB formatting in a web workspace. The free floor keeps planning, writing, cataloging, and exporting after the trial, but whole-book feedback and chapter sharing require the paid plan.
Visit Manuscribe
Choose Novellum if you want a web writing workspace that combines manuscript structure with tracking for story elements and reports on your writing. Its free beta plan includes all features, while the listed post-beta standard plan is $15/month or $162/year. Look elsewhere if you need a guaranteed uptime commitment or do not meet the age requirement.
Visit NovellumThe facts
| Manuscribe | Novellum | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Web | Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Author Plan: $17 a month | Standard plan (after beta): $15 a month |
| Plans published | 3 | 2 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | manuscribe.com | getnovellum.com |
| On book writing software | #11 of 34 | #15 of 34 |
Manuscribe: what it does well
- Scene outlines include Save the Cat and Hero’s Journey templates.
- Editing suggestions can be accepted or rejected individually.
- Catalog tracks story elements across scenes.
- Write mode autosaves to the cloud and supports offline work.
- Exports validated EPUBs for Amazon KDP, Apple Books, and Kobo.
What to know first
- Whole-book editorial feedback requires a subscription after the trial.
- Chapter sharing requires a subscription after the trial.
- Scrivener .scriv import is still in progress.
Novellum: what it does well
- Tracks characters, places, items, factions, and concepts in the Nexus.
- Organizes books into acts, chapters, and scenes with a planning grid.
- Insights report progress, scene lengths, POV balance, and Nexus coverage without AI.
- Imports DOCX, Markdown, and plain text; exports DOCX and EPUB.
- Optional AI connections let users choose a provider and bring an API key.
What to know first
- The service is in beta.
- AI use requires your own provider key and direct provider payment.
- Terms require users to be at least 18.
- The service does not guarantee 100% uptime.
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