ToolRankBest paid AI writing tools (no free plan)
Updated 22 Oct 2026 · Prices from vendor pages only · How we rank →
The short answer
These AI writing tools are paid products: no permanent free plan is listed on their pricing pages. Sudowrite comes first: fiction-specific models (Muse, Ballad) plus 30+ models with rollover credits. The cheapest verified paid plan here is Novelcrafter Scribe ($4/month billed monthly). None of the 4 has a free plan we could confirm. Every price below is from the vendor’s own page, checked 16–22 Oct 2026.
Ranked shortlist
- Sudowrite: Fiction-specific models (Muse, Ballad) plus 30+ models with rollover credits. Plan: Hobby & Student: $10/month
225,000 credits - Hemingway Editor: Readability editor with AI rewrite suggestions. Plan: Not yet verified
- NovelAI: AI-assisted fiction writing and storytelling. Plan: Subscription: From $10/month
Text and image generation; on-demand Anlas also sold - Novelcrafter: Low monthly plans, a 21-day full trial with no card, and your choice of AI model. Plan: Scribe: $4/month billed monthly
Unlimited books; no AI features
Order follows ToolRank’s editorial ranking in Writing & Content, filtered to tools that fit this page. Anything we couldn’t confirm on a vendor page says “Not yet verified”.
Side by side
| Rank | Tool | Relevant plan | Starting price | Free plan | Best for | Main limitation | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Sudowrite | Hobby & Student: $10/month 225,000 credits | $10/month | ✕ None listed | Novelists and screenwriters | No permanent free plan shown; free trial only. | 16 Oct 2026 |
| #2 | Hemingway Editor | Not yet verified | Not yet verified | Free online editor and checkers; Plus has a 2-week free trial | Making writing clearer and more readable | Plus price not verified | 16 Oct 2026 |
| #3 | NovelAI | Subscription: From $10/month Text and image generation; on-demand Anlas also sold | $10/month | Trial period for new users (vendor FAQ) | AI-assisted fiction writing and anime-style image generation | No permanent free plan; plan prices beyond the starting price need a login to view | 18 Oct 2026 |
| #4 | Novelcrafter | Scribe: $4/month billed monthly Unlimited books; no AI features | $4/month (Scribe, no AI) | 21-day free trial, no credit card, all features | Novelists who want to plan series and use their own AI model keys | No free plan; AI features need your own API key and the Hobbyist plan or higher | 22 Oct 2026 |
Prices as listed by each vendor on the last-checked date, USD, before tax. Plans and limits change, so follow the sources below.
Who should pick which
Pick Sudowrite for novelists and screenwriters (Hobby & Student: $10/month); think twice if you write business copy rather than fiction. Pick Hemingway Editor for making writing clearer and more readable (price not yet verified). Watch out: plus price not verified. Pick NovelAI for AI-assisted fiction writing and anime-style image generation (Subscription: From $10/month). Watch out: no permanent free plan; plan prices beyond the starting price need a login to view. Pick Novelcrafter for novelists who want to plan series and use their own AI model keys (Scribe: $4/month billed monthly). Watch out: no free plan; AI features need your own API key and the Hobbyist plan or higher.
FAQ
Which of these is cheapest?
Novelcrafter Scribe ($4/month billed monthly) is the lowest paid price we verified on this list (https://www.novelcrafter.com/pricing, checked 22 Oct 2026). Check the vendor page for tax, billing period and usage limits.
Which of these have a free plan?
None of these has a free plan we could confirm. None lists a permanent free plan on its pricing page. Some offer a trial; see the table.
How were these tools chosen?
They are the tools in ToolRank's rankings with no permanent free plan on the vendor page, confirmed on the vendor's own website on 16–22 Oct 2026. Tools we could not verify are left out rather than guessed, and anything unconfirmed is marked Not yet verified.
Sources
- Sudowrite: Sudowrite pricing checked 16 Oct 2026
- Hemingway Editor: Hemingway Editor pricing checked 16 Oct 2026
- NovelAI: NovelAI homepage and FAQ checked 18 Oct 2026
- Novelcrafter: Novelcrafter pricing and FAQ checked 22 Oct 2026
Related comparisons
Profiles: Sudowrite · Hemingway Editor · NovelAI · Novelcrafter
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