Made by the Feldar team. Feldar is our app, so it is our first pick here. Everything we say about other apps comes from their own pages, and we link to them.
The best free writing app is one you can finish a book in and get the book back out of. For planning and drafting a novel with AI help, our pick is Feldar, which we make. For a fully free app with typesetting, Reedsy Studio. For free, offline, open source writing, bibisco, Manuskript or novelWriter.
By the Feldar team · 11 apps compared · checked 5 to 8 November 2026
The 11 best free writing apps, by what each does best
Every app here has a free version you can write a whole book in, or a free plan generous enough to try properly. The order is our preference for someone writing fiction. Our own app is first.
01FeldarPlanning and drafting a novel, with AI you approve OursFree plan
02Reedsy StudioWriting a book and typesetting it for freeFree
03Google DocsDrafting and sharing chapters anywhereFree
04bibiscoPlanning characters and scenes, offlineFree edition
05ManuskriptOutlining with the snowflake method, open sourceFree
06novelWriterLong projects in plain text filesFree
07yWriterScene by scene novel writing on WindowsFree
08EllipsusWriting with friends, with no generative AIFree plan
10LivingWriterWriting on every device, with templatesFree plan
11CampfireWorldbuilding, if your book stays smallFree plan
Side by side
What you get for free, where it runs, and whether it works without the internet.
App
Free version
Runs on
Offline
AI
Paid upgrade
Feldar Ours
Starter plan, 500 credits, no card; writing never uses credits
Web, macOS
No
Built in; suggestions stay only if you accept them
Core $20/mo
Reedsy Studio
Free for everyone, including PDF and EPUB typesetting
Browser
Not yet
None listed
Add-ons
Google Docs
Free with a Google account
Web, Android, iOS
With setup
Varies by Google plan
Google Workspace
bibisco
Community Edition
Windows, macOS, Linux
Yes
None
$69 once
Manuskript
Free and open source
Windows, Linux; macOS from source
Yes
None
None
novelWriter
Free and open source
Windows, Linux, macOS
Yes
None
None
yWriter
Free
Windows; companion apps
Yes
None
None
Ellipsus
Unlimited docs, drafts and collaborators
Browser
Planned
None, by policy
$99 once, or $6/mo for 24 months
LibreOffice Writer
Free and open source
Windows, macOS, Linux
Yes
None built in
None
LivingWriter
Free plan
Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Not stated
Optional, on Pro + AI
Pro, Pro + AI
Campfire
Free plan: 25,000 manuscript words, 10 characters
Browser, desktop, mobile
Not stated
Not stated
Standard $12/mo
Checked on each app's official pages, 5 to 8 November 2026. "With setup" means Google Docs works offline only if you turn it on in advance in Chrome or Edge.
Three kinds of free
"Free writing app" covers three very different deals, and it is worth knowing which one you are getting before you put a year of work into it.
Free and open source (Manuskript, novelWriter, LibreOffice Writer). Free forever, your files sit on your computer, and nobody can take features away. The trade-off is fewer conveniences: no cloud sync unless you add your own, and sometimes rougher edges.
Free forever, with paid extras (Reedsy Studio, Google Docs, bibisco, yWriter, Ellipsus). The core app is free and stays free; you pay only for extras like longer history, mobile sync or advanced tools.
A free plan of a paid app (Feldar, LivingWriter, Campfire). Real, usable free tiers, with limits that start to matter as the book grows: credits, word counts or features. Good for trying a full writing studio before you decide.
Whichever you pick, check two things on day one: that you can export your whole book (to Word or at least plain text), and where your files live. A free app that cannot give your book back is not free.
The free writing apps, one by one
01Feldar Ours
Best for planning and drafting a novel, with AI you approve
Feldar is a writing app for novelists. Each chapter has an Outline of scenes you plan and reorder, a Canvas beside the manuscript holds your characters, places and plot beats as linked cards, and the AI uses both when it helps you write. Continue from here writes at the cursor in blue and waits for Accept, Revise or Dismiss; selected passages can be tightened, deepened or given more tension, with every change shown first.
The free Starter plan includes 500 credits and needs no card. Writing, organizing and exporting never use credits, so you can write a whole book on the free plan and use the credits only when you want AI help.
Writing in Feldar: the book's pages on the left, the chapter on the page, and nothing else in the way.
Good
Planning, drafting and revising in one place. AI that never overwrites you. Exports DOCX, PDF, Markdown and plain text. Feldar does not train AI models on your writing.
Watch out
No offline writing, no Windows desktop app yet and no phone app. English only. AI features use credits, and 500 go quickly if you draft with AI.
Price
Starter free with 500 credits. Core $20 a month or $180 a year. Pro $40, Ultra $200.
Best for writing a book and typesetting it for free
Reedsy Studio is a browser app that organizes a book into parts, chapters and scenes and, unusually for a free app, typesets it into print-ready PDF and EPUB files. Real-time collaboration with comments and tracked changes lets an editor work inside your manuscript.
Good
Free typesetting to PDF and EPUB. Collaboration with comments and tracked changes. 30 days of version history. Unlimited devices.
Watch out
Browser only: Reedsy's FAQ says offline use is not available yet. Planning boards are limited to card view on the free plan.
Price
Free. Paid add-ons such as unlimited history, advanced stats and custom goals.
Free, on every device, and the easiest way to let a writing group comment on a chapter. Suggestion mode works as light track changes. It has no idea it is holding a novel, so structure is up to you: one document per chapter, or headings and the outline panel.
Good
Free. Comments and suggestions. Exports to Word and PDF. Works on phones.
Watch out
No novel structure beyond headings. Offline editing has to be turned on in advance in Chrome or Edge.
bibisco is novel writing software built around structure: premise, storylines, chapters and scenes, and characters you develop by answering interview questions. Projects are saved on your computer and work offline. It has been around since 2014 and says the writing itself stays yours.
Good
A free Community Edition for Windows, macOS and Linux. Character interviews. Drag to reorder chapters and scenes. Imports DOCX and ODT; exports PDF, DOCX and text.
Watch out
Analysis, mind maps, the timeline and the novel outline are in the paid Supporters Edition. Mobile apps and sync are a separate subscription.
Price
Community Edition free. Supporters Edition $69 once. bibisco Everywhere (mobile and sync) $3.49 a month or $29.99 a year.
Best for outlining with the snowflake method, open source
Manuskript is a free, open source tool for writers who like to plan. Its novel assistant walks you through the snowflake method, growing a one-sentence idea into characters, plots and a full outline, and its outliner lets you reorganize everything as you go. A distraction-free mode can hold you to a word or time goal.
Good
Free and open source. Outliner, characters, plots and world notes in one project. Snowflake method built in. Files on your computer.
Watch out
Its own site says it is still in development and needs testing. The latest release (0.17.0) ships for Windows and Linux; on macOS you run it from source.
novelWriter is a free, open source editor for novels, built on plain text files with a light markdown-like syntax for headings, comments, synopses and cross-references between files. Plain text makes your book robust: any computer can open it, and it works well with backups and version control.
Good
Free and open source. Plain text files any computer can open. Notes and cross-references. Regular releases (2026.2 in October 2026).
Watch out
You format with simple codes rather than buttons. Mac installers were paused from release 2026.1; on macOS it currently installs through Python.
yWriter, by author and programmer Simon Haynes, is a word processor that breaks your novel into chapters and scenes so you can keep track of a long draft. It deliberately has no AI: it will not suggest plot ideas or write for you. Haynes says he has written almost thirty novels with it.
Good
Free (registration encouraged). Chapters and scenes. Works offline. EPUB and Mobi export. Android and iOS apps for editing projects on the go through Dropbox.
Watch out
Windows first: yWriter7 runs on Windows 7 and newer (and on Linux through Wine). The interface is plain.
Best for writing with friends, with no generative AI
Ellipsus is a collaborative writing tool for creative writers, with connected drafts you can merge, comments for feedback, and a firm stance: no generative AI, ever. It suits writing groups and co-authors who want to share drafts without passing files around.
Good
Free plan with unlimited docs, drafts and collaborators. 30 days of version history. Drafts you can branch and merge. A clear no-AI policy.
Watch out
Offline access and mobile apps are listed as coming, not available yet.
Price
Free. Ellipsus Plus is bought to keep: $99 once, two yearly payments of $60, or $6 a month for 24 months.
LibreOffice Writer is a free, open source word processor that does almost everything Microsoft Word does, on Windows, macOS and Linux, entirely offline. It opens and saves Word files, which matters when an agent or editor asks for a .docx.
Good
Free and open source. Offline. Reads and writes Word files. Styles, outlines and a navigator for long documents.
Watch out
No novel structure, notes or planning tools. No built-in sync between devices.
LivingWriter is a cloud app for books and screenplays, with planning boards, structure templates and Story Elements: character and place profiles it recognizes as you type. It has apps for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android as well as the web, and a free plan to start.
Good
Apps on every major platform. Screenplay formatting. A free plan. AI only if you choose the Pro + AI plan.
Campfire is built from modules: manuscript, characters, timeline, maps, magic systems, languages and more. For fantasy and science fiction writers it goes deeper on worldbuilding than anything else here. The free plan is a real taste, but a novel outgrows it quickly.
Good
Worldbuilding depth. Browser, desktop and mobile apps. PDF and EPUB export.
Watch out
The free plan stops at 25,000 manuscript words and 10 characters.
Price
Free plan. Standard $12 a month when we checked, plus yearly, lifetime and per-module plans.
For planning and drafting a novel with AI help, our pick is Feldar, which we make; its free plan includes 500 credits and writing never uses them. For a completely free app with typesetting, Reedsy Studio. For offline, open source writing, bibisco, Manuskript or novelWriter.
Is there a free writing app that works offline?
Yes: bibisco, Manuskript, novelWriter, yWriter and LibreOffice Writer all run on your computer and work without the internet. Google Docs works offline if you turn it on in advance.
What is the best free writing app for a novel?
One that understands chapters and scenes and can export your whole book. Feldar, Reedsy Studio, bibisco, Manuskript, novelWriter and yWriter all do; Google Docs and LibreOffice Writer do not have novel structure.
Are free writing apps safe for my book?
Check where your files live and that you can export everything. Open source desktop apps keep files on your computer. Cloud apps keep them online, so read their privacy pages and keep your own backup.
Which free writing apps have no AI?
Reedsy Studio lists no AI features, Ellipsus has a policy of no generative AI, and bibisco, Manuskript, novelWriter, yWriter and LibreOffice Writer have none built in.
Sources
Feldar
feldar.com/pricing and Feldar's changelog, checked 8 November 2026.
Reedsy Studio
reedsy.com/write-a-book, features, pricing and FAQ, 8 November 2026.
bibisco
bibisco.com and bibisco.com/supporters-edition, 8 November 2026.
Manuskript
theologeek.ch/manuskript and the GitHub releases page, 8 November 2026.
novelWriter
novelwriter.io, 8 November 2026.
yWriter
spacejock.com/yWriter.html, 8 November 2026.
Ellipsus
ellipsus.com and ellipsus.com/pricing, 8 November 2026.
LibreOffice
libreoffice.org/discover/writer, 8 November 2026.
Google Docs, LivingWriter, Campfire
Official pages and help centers, checked 5 to 8 November 2026.
