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TaleForge vs NovelAI

NovelAI is an AI co-writer: its own models continue your story, with unlimited text on every plan, and it also generates anime-style images. TaleForge is a writing studio first, with a free plan, optional AI through your own key, exports for publishing and a marketplace to sell your chapters.

TaleForge and NovelAI compared
TaleForgeNovelAI
PriceFree plan (3 projects). Premium $9.99/month, Team $24.99/month, less when billed yearly.No free plan, only a one-time trial (50 text and 30 image generations). Tablet $10/month, Scroll $15, Opus $25.
PlatformsWeb app in any modern browser. Installable, and keeps working offline.Web app on desktop and mobile, installable. Needs an internet connection.
AIOptional. You connect your own key (OpenAI, Anthropic or Google) and pay the provider directly. TaleForge adds no AI fee.Central: NovelAI's own story models with unlimited text generation, plus an anime-style image generator. It runs only the models NovelAI hosts.
What you can writeNovels in the Book Studio. Manga and webtoons in the Manga Studio, screenplays and storyboards in the Animation Studio (beta), both on Premium.Prose and text adventures. No screenplay or comic editor, though the image model can draw a paneled page.
Publishing and sellingBuilt-in marketplace: publish free, paid or freemium chapters. Authors keep 90% of each sale.None for stories. Its Explore gallery shows images only.
CollaborationInvites, comments and suggested edits. 5 collaborators on Premium, unlimited on Team. No real-time co-editing yet.No co-editing. You share a story by exporting its file.
ExportTXT and Markdown on Free. EPUB, DOCX and PDF on Premium, with your choice of font and margins. Manga and webtoon scripts export as text PDF, without the artwork.NovelAI story files, plain text, and images as PNG or WebP.
Interface languages10: English, French, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, Hebrew.English and Japanese.

Choose TaleForge if

  • You want to write the story yourself, with AI as an optional helper.
  • You want a free plan and to pay your AI provider directly.
  • You want EPUB, DOCX or PDF files to publish your book.
  • You want to publish and sell your chapters to readers.

Choose NovelAI if

  • You want an AI that co-writes with you, with unlimited text for a flat monthly price.
  • You want anime-style image generation in the same subscription.
  • Privacy comes first: your stories are encrypted in your browser before they are stored.

Questions

Is NovelAI free?+

No. It has a one-time free trial with 50 text and 30 image generations, then plans start at $10 a month. TaleForge has a free plan with no time limit.

Can I use my own AI key with NovelAI?+

No. NovelAI runs the models it hosts. On TaleForge you connect your own key (OpenAI, Anthropic or Google), and TaleForge adds no AI fee.

Can I publish a story on NovelAI?+

No. Its Explore gallery is for images. On TaleForge you publish chapters for free or for sale and keep 90% of each sale.

Try TaleForge for free

The free plan includes 3 projects, the Book Studio and marketplace publishing. No credit card.

Start writing

NovelAI facts checked on October 3, 2026 on its official site. Prices and features change. If something here is out of date, tell us.

Sources (10)
  1. novelai.net
  2. novelai.net/privacy
  3. docs.novelai.net/en/subscription
  4. docs.novelai.net/en/faq
  5. docs.novelai.net/en/text/models
  6. docs.novelai.net/en/text/textadventure
  7. docs.novelai.net/en/scripting/introduction
  8. docs.novelai.net/en/misc/explore
  9. docs.novelai.net/en/misc/languagechange
  10. journal.novelai.net/image-generation-novelai-diffusion-v5-is-here-c2df7c6b8d2d