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Updated 11 Nov 2026 · prices read on vendor pages

9 best NovelAI alternatives in 2027

Mehmet ElmicenniReviewed by Mehmet Elmicenni, founder of Zekai•Prices checked •How we check

The short answer

The best NovelAI alternatives in 2027 are Sudowrite (best overall, $10/mo), Inkfluence AI (best free plan: 5 chapters a month) and KoboldCpp (best open source, AGPL-3.0). NovelAI itself starts at $10/mo. Zekai checked these prices on vendor pages on 11 Nov 2026; 6 more are compared below, including 3 with a free plan and 2 open source.

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Best overallSee in table →
Sudowrite logo

Sudowrite

$10/mo

7.5
Best free planSee in table →
Inkfluence AI logo

Inkfluence AI

$9.99/mo · free plan

5.2
Best open sourceSee in table →
KoboldCpp logo

KoboldCpp

Free to self-host · AGPL-3.0

7.5
9alternatives compared
4with a free plan
3open source
$8/mocheapest paid · Novelcrafter
$10/moNovelAI starts at
01 · Zekai Price Ledger

Which NovelAI alternatives are worth it in 2027?

The NovelAI alternatives worth considering in 2027 are Sudowrite for manuscript-focused fiction editing, Novelcrafter for story planning with your own API key, Inkfluence AI for whole-book generation, Type.ai for an editor with credits, and open-source tools such as KoboldCpp for running story models locally. None bundle an anime-style image model.

ToolTypeStarting priceFree plan limitBest forCost for your teamChecked
NovelAI logo
NovelAIThe tool you are replacing
 You are here
$10/moTablet, monthly
 No free plan Story writing plus anime-style image generation — 11 Nov 2026 Pricing ↗
Sudowrite logo
Sudowrite Zekai score 7.5Best overall
$10/moHobbyist & Student, monthly
 No free plan Fiction drafting with story-aware Write and Rewrite — 11 Nov 2026 Pricing ↗
Novelcrafter logo
Novelcrafter Zekai score 8.3
$8/moHobbyist, monthly (annual billing 2 months off)
 No free plan Novels planned in a story codex — 11 Nov 2026 Pricing ↗
Inkfluence AI logo
Inkfluence AI Zekai score 5.2Best free plan
 Free plan + paid
$9.99/moCreator, monthly ($7.42/mo billed $89 yearly)
 5 chapters, then 5 more each month Whole books from one prompt — 11 Nov 2026 Pricing ↗
Type.ai logo
Type.ai Zekai score 6.7Cheapest paid
 Free plan + paid
$8/mo billed yearlyBasic, billed yearly ($96 a year)
 Limited credits that do not reset Editor for novelists and screenwriters — 11 Nov 2026 Pricing ↗
Claude Zekai score 9.4
 Free plan + paid
$20/moPro, monthly ($17/mo billed $200 yearly)
 Limited usage per 5 hours, 5 projects General chat for drafting and editing — 11 Nov 2026 Pricing ↗
ChatGPT logo
ChatGPT Zekai score 9.3
 Free
Free plan; paid price not published
 Unlimited text chats, limited uploads and images General chat for drafting and editing $0 11 Nov 2026 Pricing ↗
KoboldCpp logo
KoboldCpp Zekai score 7.5Best open source
 Open source
Free (self-hosted)
 No limit, self-hosted (AGPL-3.0) Local story writing on your own hardware $0 14 Nov 2026 Code ↗
StoryCraftr logo
StoryCraftr Zekai score 5.4
 Open source
Free (self-hosted)
 No limit, self-hosted (MIT) Command-line book drafting with your own model $0 14 Nov 2026 Code ↗
AIStoryWriter logo
AIStoryWriter Zekai score 4.9
 Open source
Free (self-hosted)
 No limit, self-hosted (AGPL-3.0) Full-length stories generated from one prompt $0 14 Nov 2026 Code ↗

Every price was read on the vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. The Cost Finder assumes one entry plan per person, so it multiplies by your team size; yearly prices are shown per month, and team or business plans can cost more per seat. "Not checked" means we could not confirm a public price.

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02 · Free plan

Is there a free version of NovelAI?

NovelAI has no free plan, only a trial called Paper that includes 50 text generations, 100 text-to-speech generations and 30 images up to 1024x1024. It needs an email-verified account. Paid tiers start at $10 a month for Tablet with unlimited text and 1,000 monthly Anlas for images.

Source: NovelAI pricing page, read 11 Nov 2026.

FreeNone

No free plan on the pricing page

Paid from$10/mo

Tablet, monthly

03 · Free alternatives

What are the best free NovelAI alternatives?

The best free NovelAI alternative is Inkfluence AI, whose free plan includes 5 chapters plus 5 more each month and 3 AI assists a day. Type.ai also has a free plan with limited credits. NovelAI itself offers a trial with 50 text generations and 30 images, then needs a paid subscription.

Inkfluence AI logo

Inkfluence AI

Best free planFree plan + paid
5 chapters, then 5 more each month
Paid from $9.99/mo
vs NovelAI →Zekai review
Type.ai logo

Type.ai

Cheapest paidFree plan + paid
Limited credits that do not reset
Paid from $8/mo billed yearly
vs NovelAI →Zekai review

Claude

Free plan + paid
Limited usage per 5 hours, 5 projects
Paid from $20/mo
vs NovelAI →Zekai review
ChatGPT logo

ChatGPT

Free
Unlimited text chats, limited uploads and images
vs NovelAI →Zekai review
04 · Open source

What are the best open-source NovelAI alternatives?

The best open-source NovelAI alternatives are KoboldCpp (AGPL-3.0), which runs story models locally with memory and world info, StoryCraftr (MIT), a command-line book drafting tool, and AIStoryWriter (AGPL-3.0), which generates a full story from one prompt. All three need your own model, local or hosted.

KoboldCpp logo

KoboldCpp

AGPL-3.0★ 12.3k GitHub stars · Nov 2026
To self-host: Runs any GGUF model on your own machine as a single file; model size sets the GPU or RAM needed. No account or API key.
Zekai open-source pageSource code ↗Managed hosting slot
StoryCraftr logo

StoryCraftr

MIT★ 176 GitHub stars · Mar 2026
To self-host: Python install through pipx or uv, plus an LLM provider: OpenAI or OpenRouter key, or Ollama locally. A local embedding model also runs.
Zekai open-source pageSource code ↗Managed hosting slot
AIStoryWriter logo

AIStoryWriter

AGPL-3.0★ 261 GitHub stars · Nov 2025
To self-host: Python script that needs Ollama running locally, or a Google or OpenRouter key set in a .env file. GPU needs depend on the model chosen.
Zekai open-source pageSource code ↗Managed hosting slot
05 · Side by side

How does NovelAI compare with each alternative?

NovelAI costs $10/mo for Tablet with unlimited text and 1,000 Anlas for images. Sudowrite costs $10/mo in credits for fiction editing, Novelcrafter from $8/mo for a codex with your own keys, Inkfluence AI has a free plan for whole books, and Type.ai starts at $8/mo billed yearly. Open-source tools use your own hardware.

01
Sudowrite logo

NovelAI vs Sudowrite

Best overall$10/mo · checked 11 Nov 20267.5
The differencePlans meter AI use in credits (225,000 on the $10 plan), include Muse and Ballad models plus 30+ others, and top plans add developmental edits and beta reads.
Switch to Sudowrite ifyou want a fiction editor with Story Bible, Rewrite and manuscript feedback rather than a story generator
Stay with NovelAI ifyou want unlimited text generation at a flat price and an anime-style image generator in the same subscription
Pros
  • Specifically designed for fiction and screenwriting, not general content.
  • Features cover the entire writing lifecycle from idea to revision.
Cons
  • Credit-based system can be consumed quickly, especially with generative features.
  • The sheer number of features can be overwhelming for new users.

Pros and cons from the Zekai review of Sudowrite · Verdict: The Fiction Writer's AI

Visit SudowriteRead the Zekai reviewPrice alert
02
Novelcrafter logo

NovelAI vs Novelcrafter

$8/mo · checked 11 Nov 20268.3
The differenceHobbyist adds scene summarisation and scene-beat generation with a bring-your-own API key; NovelAI includes its own GLM 4.6 text model and image models.
Switch to Novelcrafter ifyou want a codex that tracks characters and places across a series, with your own API key for models
Stay with NovelAI ifyou want unlimited text generation at a flat price and image generation in one subscription
Pros
  • Codex story bible automatically tracks characters and lore for consistency.
  • Supports a wide range of external AI models, including local ones.
Cons
  • Requires managing and paying for a separate AI provider account (BYOK).
  • Full collaboration and team features are locked behind the most expensive plan.

Pros and cons from the Zekai review of Novelcrafter · Verdict: Your AI-powered story bible.

Visit NovelcrafterRead the Zekai reviewPrice alert
03
Inkfluence AI logo

NovelAI vs Inkfluence AI

Best free planFree plan + paid$9.99/mo · checked 11 Nov 20265.2
The differenceCreator generates up to 35 chapters a month with audiobook chapters, picture-book images and translations; NovelAI has no ebook export or chapter pipeline.
Switch to Inkfluence AI ifyou want finished chapters, covers and audiobook output from one prompt
Stay with NovelAI ifyou want a free-form story editor with lorebook-style control and an image generator
Pros
  • End-to-end workflow from idea to finished, formatted book.
  • Generates a complete table of contents and chapter structure automatically.
Cons
  • Paid plan pricing is not publicly listed on the website.
  • AI-generated content requires a human editing pass for quality and accuracy.

Pros and cons from the Zekai review of Inkfluence AI · Verdict: Complete Ebook Publishing Engine

Visit Inkfluence AIRead the Zekai reviewPrice alert
04
Type.ai logo

NovelAI vs Type.ai

Cheapest paidFree plan + paid$8/mo billed yearly · checked 11 Nov 20266.7
The differenceBasic has 500,000 credits that cover chat plus image, audio and video creation; NovelAI instead gives unlimited text and a separate Anlas balance for images.
Switch to Type.ai ifyou want a manuscript editor for novels and screenplays, billed at $8/mo yearly
Stay with NovelAI ifyou want unlimited story text generation without a credit meter
Pros
  • Deep integration of AI chat within the writing document, avoiding context switching.
  • 'Notes' feature actively remembers story details for consistent AI suggestions.
Cons
  • Highly specialized for long-form creative writing; less effective for other writing tasks.
  • Document length is capped at 150,000 words, requiring longer manuscripts to be split.

Pros and cons from the Zekai review of Type.ai · Verdict: Intelligent long-form story editor.

Visit Type.aiRead the Zekai reviewPrice alert
05

NovelAI vs Claude

Free plan + paid$20/mo · checked 11 Nov 20269.4
The differencePro lifts usage limits on a general assistant; it has no image generator or story-specific memory features, so context lives in project files.
Switch to Claude ifyou already pay for a general assistant and want it to draft and critique chapters
Stay with NovelAI ifyou want a dedicated story generator and an anime-style image model in one account
Pros
  • Excellent at summarizing and analyzing long, complex documents.
  • Generates high-quality, natural-sounding educational content.
Cons
  • Free tier has usage limits that reset every few hours, which can interrupt workflow.
  • Lacks built-in DALL-E style image generation capabilities.

Pros and cons from the Zekai review of Claude · Verdict: Deep Document Analysis

Visit ClaudeRead the Zekai reviewPrice alert
06
ChatGPT logo

NovelAI vs ChatGPT

FreeFree plan; paid price not published9.3
The differenceFree plan allows unlimited text chats under abuse guardrails, with limited uploads, image creation and memory, and no story-specific lorebook tools.
Switch to ChatGPT ifyou want a free general assistant for brainstorming plots and drafting scenes
Stay with NovelAI ifyou want a persistent story editor with its own text and image models
Pros
  • ChatGPT's context understanding enables Marketing & Content Creation teams to generate high-quality content that resonates with their audience.
  • The tool's conversation flow and memory features allow for seamless content iteration and refinement.
Cons
  • The lack of explicit brand voice and tone guidance may require additional setup and fine-tuning for Marketing & Content Creation teams.
  • ChatGPT's limitations in handling extremely complex or niche topics may necessitate additional research and editing.

Pros and cons from the Zekai review of ChatGPT

Visit ChatGPTRead the Zekai reviewPrice alert
07
KoboldCpp logo

NovelAI vs KoboldCpp

Best open sourceOpen sourceFree (self-hosted)7.5
The differenceRuns GGUF models locally through KoboldAI Lite with memory, world info and author's notes for stories, and bundles optional image and TTS generation.
Switch to KoboldCpp ifyou want to run models on your own hardware with no subscription and no data leaving your machine
Stay with NovelAI ifyou do not want to choose models or manage hardware and prefer a hosted service
Visit KoboldCppRead the Zekai reviewPrice alert
08
StoryCraftr logo

NovelAI vs StoryCraftr

Open sourceFree (self-hosted)5.4
The differenceA command-line tool that builds worldbuilding notes, outlines and chapter summaries, then drafts chapters via Ollama, OpenRouter or OpenAI.
Switch to StoryCraftr ifyou prefer a terminal workflow and want to pay only for the API tokens you use
Stay with NovelAI ifyou want a hosted editor with an image generator and no model configuration
Visit StoryCraftrRead the Zekai reviewPrice alert
09
AIStoryWriter logo

NovelAI vs AIStoryWriter

Open sourceFree (self-hosted)4.9
The differenceGenerates a medium-to-full-length novel from one prompt file, using separate models for outline, chapters and revisions, and can translate the output.
Switch to AIStoryWriter ifyou want an automated first draft from one prompt using models you pick
Stay with NovelAI ifyou want to steer a story interactively with the AI instead of receiving a full draft
Visit AIStoryWriterRead the Zekai reviewPrice alert
06 · What changed

Why do people leave NovelAI?

  • NovelAI converted all existing Subscription Anlas to non-expiring paid Anlas, and Subscription Anlas are no longer usable after a subscription expires. (source)

  • Unused Subscription Anlas reset to zero when the subscription ends, and usage limits apply to image models above V4.5. (source)

  • The novelai.net home page says it is not a free image generator; the Paper tier is a trial with fixed generation counts. (source)

08 · FAQ

Questions people ask about NovelAI alternatives

What is the best alternative to NovelAI in 2027?

Sudowrite is the best overall NovelAI alternative on this page ($10/mo). For no cost, Inkfluence AI has a free plan (5 chapters, then 5 more each month). To self-host, KoboldCpp is open source (AGPL-3.0).

Is there a free version of NovelAI?

No. NovelAI has no free plan; paid plans start at $10/mo, checked on 11 Nov 2026.

Is there a 100% free alternative to NovelAI?

Yes. KoboldCpp, StoryCraftr, AIStoryWriter are open source and free to self-host. Inkfluence AI, Type.ai, Claude, ChatGPT have a free plan with limits, shown in the table.

What is cheaper than NovelAI?

Type.ai starts at $8/mo billed yearly, against $10/mo for NovelAI, as listed on each vendor's pricing page on 11 Nov 2026.

How much do NovelAI alternatives cost for a team of 5?

If each of 5 people buys the entry paid plan, at the prices Zekai checked on 11 Nov 2026, the monthly cost is Novelcrafter $40/mo, Type.ai $40/mo, Inkfluence AI $49.95/mo, against NovelAI $50/mo for NovelAI. Team and business plans can cost more per seat. The Zekai Cost Finder on this page recalculates for any team size.

Which is better, Sudowrite or NovelAI?

Plans meter AI use in credits (225,000 on the $10 plan), include Muse and Ballad models plus 30+ others, and top plans add developmental edits and beta reads. Choose Sudowrite if you want a fiction editor with Story Bible, Rewrite and manuscript feedback rather than a story generator. Stay with NovelAI if you want unlimited text generation at a flat price and an anime-style image generator in the same subscription.

Why are people leaving NovelAI?

The documented reasons are: NovelAI converted all existing Subscription Anlas to non-expiring paid Anlas, and Subscription Anlas are no longer usable after a subscription expires (22 Sep 2026); Unused Subscription Anlas reset to zero when the subscription ends, and usage limits apply to image models above V4.5 (11 Nov 2026). Each is sourced in the section above.

What is better than NovelAI?

For manuscript-style fiction editing, Sudowrite and Novelcrafter are the usual picks. For free whole-book drafting, Inkfluence AI has a free plan.

09 · Method

How did Zekai check this page?

Zekai independently reviews AI tools. For this page we read each vendor's own pricing and product pages and recorded the starting price, the free-plan limit and the date of the check. Only tools that do the same job as NovelAI are listed, and sponsors never change the order or the scores.

Mehmet Elmicenni, founder of Zekai
Mehmet Elmicenni

Founder of Zekai. Reviews the alternatives pages and the price checks behind them.

About the founder · How Zekai scores tools

JSON copyMarkdown copy
1 · Same job onlyEvery alternative does the same task as NovelAI; tools for other jobs are left out.
2 · Vendor pages onlyPrices and free limits come from each vendor's own pricing page, never from blogs.
Zekai score0–10, from four published weights: ease 25%, output quality 30%, value 20%, time saved 25%. How we score
3 · Re-checkedA price older than 35 days is re-read or the page falls back to an older version.
Change log

  • Page rebuilt on v6; all prices re-read on vendor pages.

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