Writing a book has always been hard, and it still is. The process of organizing the pages of a book and remembering character names and dates of various events makes writing even more difficult. To make this highly cumbersome process slightly less daunting, various free book-writing and formatting software have come to the rescue.
However, the challenge now is to choose the best software for writing a book or a novel from a pool of software options. Here’s a guide to discovering the best book writing software 2025, along with its pros and cons, to make things slightly easier for writers.
What is Book Writing Software, and How Does it Help you?
A book writing software helps writers with the entire process of writing, from idea generation to its organization and further implementation. These software programs help in editing, formatting, and overall polishing of your writing piece.
This includes correcting various grammatical errors, using better phrases and words, and ensuring consistency throughout your book/novel in terms of maintaining a similar font style.
However, not everything about these book formatting software programs is positive. We will elaborate on some of the best book writing software 2025, along with their various disadvantages and limitations, further in the blog.
Top 10 Best Book Writing Software in 2025
After careful testing and practical implementation of various book-writing software programs, we have prepared a list of the 10 best book writing software 2025 for your reference.
Scrivener tops our list of best book writing software 2025. The software has high popularity and credibility among screenwriters, nonfiction writers, and novelists. With its features like binder’s view, templates for novels and corkboard, and outliner modes, it makes the organization and structuring of writing easier.
This word processor offers you the feature to create word count goals and track your progress daily.
| Price Range | $59.99 one time (for Mac or Windows)
$23.99 one time for iOS devices (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch) |
Read the various benefits and disadvantages of Scrivener mentioned below:
| Pros | Cons |
| It offers a 30-day free trial, allowing users to try it first and then make a purchase. | It has a very steep learning curve, which makes the process complicated. |
| Features like split screen and an outliner help in better organization of the documents. | Syncing is not always easy in Scrivener. |
| Offers various ways to export the project, such as PDF, DOC, DOCX, EPUB, MOBI, HTML, and TXT. | |
The next writing software in our list is Atticus. This newly launched software has gained significant credibility in a short span of time. It is considered one of the best self-publishing software programs, allowing its users to create books for both print and digital media.
It provides features such as effective organization, formatting, and collaboration, offering its users a one-stop solution for their various requirements.
| Price Range | $147 (One-time fee) |
Read the various pros and cons of Atticus listed below:
| Pros | Cons |
| Atticus works on all operating systems, including Windows, Mac, and Linux. | Not all the features of Atticus are available to users till now. |
| It combines the features of both Scrivener and Word, offering easy formatting and collaboration options. | Learning some of the advanced features of Atticus is challenging for writers. |
| Relatively cheaper than its competitors, requiring only one one-time fee payment. | |
Ulysses also comes under the category of the best book writing software 2025. It offers a clean, user-friendly interface that allows for a distraction-free experience for writers. With its built-in proofreader and editing assistance for over 20 languages, it has enhanced the writing for better readability.
Ulysses is one of the best-paid novel editing software programs for Apple users. Its ability to manage writing projects of all sizes has increased its user base.
| Price Range | $39.99 per year
$5.99 per month |
Explore the various benefits and disadvantages of Ulysses listed below:
| Pros | Cons |
| It offers a clean interface for focused writing. | This software is made for Apple users only. |
| Ulysses offers a 14-day trial to users. | It does not offer a collaboration feature to its users. |
| Through its filter feature, it helps in better organization of various files and documents. | Requires a monthly or yearly subscription. |
| Offers various exporting options, including PDF, DOCX, and HTML for quick and easy export. | |
Vellum is another prominent book-writing software for Mac users. It is specifically designed to create aesthetically pleasing e-books. It offers simple formatting and beautiful designs for both e-books and print.
Additionally, with its preview option, you can see what your book will look like in different formats and on different devices.
| Price Range | Print – $249.99
E-Books – $199.99 |
Read the various benefits and disadvantages of Vellum listed below:
| Pros | Cons |
| It makes your book aesthetically pleasing. | Vellum software is made for Apple users only. |
| Vellum is relatively easy-to-use software compared to its competitors. | The cost of using Vellum is higher compared to other software programs. |
| The preview option enables users to see what their book will look like on different devices. | |
Dabble is great writing and organization software built especially for novelists. It allows writers to arrange the scenes, chapters, and incidents of their novel.
Dabble also provides the feature of a plot grid to its users, allowing them to see the macro view of their novel. This allows writers to keep track of their writing.
| Price Range | Basic – $9/month
Standard – $19/month
Premium – $29/month |
Read the various pros and cons of Dabble listed below:
| Pros | Cons |
| It offers various features for collaboration. | Dabble only offers simple formatting options to the writers. |
| Stores everything on the cloud, saving everything side by side. | It works on a subscription-based model, which results in high costs throughout the year. |
| Dabble also provides the feature to track word count goals and overall progress. | |
Google Docs comes first in the list of best free or open-source book writing software 2025 available to everyone. It is very convenient to use, as only a Google account is required to access Google Docs.
It is suitable for writing short-form content like blogs, articles, and short books/novels. With its auto-saving feature, it becomes a prominent choice among writers.
Explore the various benefits and disadvantages of Google Docs listed below:
| Pros | Cons |
| An absolutely free, open source writing software. | Not suitable for writing long-form content, such as lengthy books or novels. |
| It saves everything on cloud space. | Has very limited offline features. |
| Gives an outline view, indicating the names of all chapters of your writing piece. | Lags when the word count exceeds 25000. |
| Allows for collaboration with the editors and offers real-time suggestions. | |
The most common type of word processor among both writers and non-writers is Microsoft Word. While the basic Microsoft Word version is free, Microsoft 365 requires a subscription to access its full features.
With its familiarity among people and easy interface, Microsoft Word becomes a common choice among writers. It is accepted by all platforms and is the foundation of word processing globally.
| Price Range | Microsoft 365 Personal – $99.99 per year, $9.99 per month
Microsoft 365 Family (up to 6 people) – $129.99 per year, $12.99 per month |
Explore the various pros and cons of Microsoft Word listed below:
| Pros | Cons |
| Word documents (DOC and DOCX) are the most common among editors. | While it offers collaborative features, it fails to deliver real-time collaboration insights. |
| It is the most familiar type of word processor, making it easier to use. | A subscription to Microsoft 365 is required to access its full features. |
| The advanced version of Microsoft Word also offers a free trial of 30 days. | The features offered by Microsoft 365 are not as extensive as those of programs like Scrivener. |
| It offers templates for books, resumes, and other writing pieces. | |
yWriter is another common software among writers. It is absolutely free for Windows users, while it charges some fees for Android and iOS users. yWriter offers various features for the organization of your writing piece.
This software breaks down chapters into various scenes for better analysis by the writers. It provides writers with an array of raw data, which helps in better management.
| Price Range | Windows/macOS – Free
Android – $5.49
iOS – $14.99 |
Read the various pros and cons of yWriter listed below:
| Pros | Cons |
| Free, open source software for Windows users. | yWriter does not have template options. |
| Breaks down chapters into novels for better understanding. | The designs on yWriter look outdated and bland. |
| Saves a backup of your work automatically. | While it’s free for Windows users, it requires a fee to work on Android and iOS devices. |
| Gives writers a wide range of raw data. | |
Reedsy Studio is free software that provides a solution for planning, writing, and formatting your novel/book. Its studio craft and studio outlining features offer various functions at a minimal price.
The studio craft provides you with various features such as tracking writing goals and giving insights, along with dark mode to work comfortably at night. Its outlining feature allows you to create boards and notes about your characters or chapters.
| Price Range | Basic features – free
Studio Craft – $4.99
Studio Outlining – $7.99
Both – $10.99/month |
Explore the various benefits and disadvantages of Reedsy Studio listed below:
| Pros | Cons |
| Offers the core features, like 30-day writing, absolutely free of cost. | While the core functions are free, it requires a fee to access all the features. |
| Has a clean interface, enabling users to navigate without any difficulty. | The collaboration features it provides are limited. |
| One stop solution for planning, writing, and formatting your book. | It is a web-only application and can not be used on mobile phones, restricting its usage. |
| Provides basic collaboration features as well within the free version. | |
Novlr is a novel writing software that offers free services for the first five projects. This software is commonly used among novelists and is famous for its simple interface.
It provides features like focus mode for distraction-free writing. Additionally, it automatically backs up your writing and offers features for progress tracking. Novlr also offers some in-app courses to help beginners.
| Price Range | Up to 5 projects – Free
Plus – $6/month billed annually
Pro – $14/month billed annually
Lifetime Pro – $499 one-time |
Read the various pros and cons of Novlr listed below:
| Pros | Cons |
| provides day and night modes, making the process comfortable for the writers. | The biggest drawback of Novlr is the unavailability of collaboration options. |
| Works in both online and offline modes, making the writing process distraction-free. | It does not provide enough formatting options for front and back printing. |
| Provides a proofreader tool that helps in identifying and correcting grammatical errors. | |
Also Read: Notice Writing Format, Elements, Types, and Samples
How to Choose the Best Software for Writing a Book?
There are various things that you should keep in mind before opting for book-writing software that will fulfill all your requirements. You can refer to the points mentioned below to select the ideal software:
1. Cost Effectiveness
It is very important to check whether the software is pocket-friendly for you or not. You can do so by comparing the price ranges of all the software programs ideal for your writing. Only then should you opt for the software most appropriate for your book/novel writing.
2. Progress Tracking
Progress/goal tracking is another important feature to consider before selecting the best software for your writing. Many software programs help in tracking the word count and have a timer feature that keeps you updated.
3. Offline Functions
You should always check whether the software you are choosing has a cloud saving function or not. It becomes crucial in situations of low connectivity. Additionally, this helps in distraction-free, focused writing for enhanced creativity.
4. Collaboration Options
A good book-writing software must have collaboration features. This enables the writer to share the document with others for the purpose of adding comments and editing for a more polished piece of writing.
Benefits of Using Book Writing Software
With the increasing usage of book-writing software, the load on writers has lightened. Here are various benefits of using book writing software for your piece:
- The primary benefit of using book writing software is the easy organization of various documents and files. These software platforms can also store notes and research materials in one place, making the process easier for the writers.
- Another benefit of book-writing software is distraction-free writing. This enables writers to remain focused by removing any unnecessary distractions, like muting notifications and removing toolbars.
- Book writing software also helps in the overall formatting of the writing piece. Software like Scrivener offers the feature of different formatting based on the genre of your writing piece.
- With the help of various editing tools like Grammarly and LanguageTool, you can save time, as these tools offer real-time edits and enhance your overall writing experience.
Also Read: Top BBA Colleges In India for Admission in 2025
Limitations of Using Book Writing Software
No doubt these software programs have helped writers in better organization and formatting of their work, but they come with certain limitations too. Read about them in detail below:
- The major drawback of these software programs is their complex learning procedure. While these programs offer so many options to the writers, understanding and using them is still a challenge.
- Another limitation of these software programs is their high cost. Many programs work on a subscription-based model, and those that are open source offer limited options to their writers.
- Writers often find themselves juggling various templates and other features offered by these software programs. This results in spending less time in actual writing.
- These software programs also pose a lot of formatting issues while exporting the final document.
Final Thoughts
While Scrivener and Atticus top the list of best book writing software 2025, their complex learning procedure makes it overwhelming for writers. Google Docs is also prominent in terms of the best free or open source book-writing software 2025.
Therefore, it is very important for the writers to understand their requirements clearly before choosing a book-writing software. If they don’t require extensive editing and formatting, they can easily go for various free or open source software programs.
Also Read: Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Education: Extensively Explained and Answered
FAQs
Ans: A book-writing software is an application that assists the writing process. These software programs provide various editing, organizing, and formatting options for writers.
Ans: Some of the best book-writing software programs include Scrivener, Atticus, Ulysses, and Vellum, among many other software programs.
Ans: Google Docs, yWriter, and Microsoft Word are some best free or open source book-writing software 2025. While programs like Scrivener and Ulysses also offer free trials to first-time users.
