NovelAI
Anime image generation and AI-assisted story writing in one subscription
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Pricing
From $10/mo
Free trial
Yes
Company
Anlatan Inc.
Platforms
What is NovelAI?
NovelAI is a subscription service that makes anime-style images and helps you write fiction with AI. It runs two tools side by side: the NovelAI Diffusion V5 image model and a story generator powered by GLM 4.6.
For images, you prompt in natural language or with tags. You can define each character separately, set their positions and use action tags, which helps keep characters consistent from one scene to the next. Inpainting, Director Tools and a built-in canvas let you change faces, clothing, lighting, poses or backgrounds after an image is made. The story tool is a writing space for building worlds and characters, and the AI writes alongside you.
It runs in the browser, mobile included, with nothing to install. The site says prompts are encrypted, generated images are not stored on its servers, and commercial use is allowed on any plan. It fits anime artists, content creators and fiction writers.
Key features
- NovelAI Diffusion V5 anime image model
- Natural-language and tag-based prompting
- Separate character definitions for consistency across scenes
- Inpainting to change selected areas of an image
- Director Tools for clothing, lighting and pose edits
- Built-in canvas to guide generations
- Story generator powered by GLM 4.6
- On-demand Anlas credit purchases
Use cases
Who it's for
Original character art
Create anime characters and keep them consistent across several scenes by defining each one separately.
Comic pages
The V5 model can produce full comic pages with multiple characters.
Interactive fiction
Build worlds and characters and co-write stories with an AI writing partner.
Commercial artwork
Use generated images in commercial projects without paying for a higher tier.
NovelAI pricing
From the vendor's site, checked Nov 8, 2026; we re-check prices monthly. Prices change — confirm on their pricing page.
Starting subscription
month
$10/mo
- Access to image and text generation
- Trial period for new users
- On-demand Anlas purchasing option available
- No limitations on commercial use
Which plan do you need?
- MidjourneyBasic$8/mo
- Adobe FireflyFirefly Standard$9.99/mo
- NovelAIStarting subscription$10/mo
The cheapest paid plan with a published price that fits. Custom and sales-quoted plans aren't included.
Get an email when NovelAI changes its prices
One mail per change, a stop link in each. Nothing else.
How NovelAI compares
- At $10/mo, NovelAI starts cheaper than 1 of 3 similar tools with published prices (median $10.00).
- NovelAI has no free plan, while 3 of the 4 alternatives below have one.
| Tool | Starts at | Free plan | Free trial | API | Open source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NNovelAI | $10/mo | — | — | — | ||
M Midjourney | $8/mo | — | — | — | — | NovelAI vs Midjourney |
A Adobe Firefly | $9.99/mo | — | — | — | NovelAI vs Adobe Firefly | |
S Stable Diffusion | — | — | NovelAI vs Stable Diffusion | |||
| SSquibler | $15.83/mo | — | — | — | NovelAI vs Squibler |
The closest alternatives in our directory by category. “Starts at” is the cheapest paid plan per month, as each vendor lists it.
Pros and cons
Strengths
- Commercial use allowed without an extra tier
- Prompts are encrypted and images are not stored on its servers
- Image and story tools come in one subscription
- Runs in the browser, including on mobile, with nothing to install
Limitations
- No free plan; access after the trial needs a subscription or Anlas credits
- Image generation focuses on anime style
NovelAI FAQ
How much does NovelAI cost?
Subscriptions start at $10/month and include both image and text generation. You can also buy Anlas credits on demand for image generation.
Is there a free option?
There is no free plan, but new users get a trial period.
Can I use the images commercially?
Yes. Commercial use is allowed with no extra tier needed.
Does NovelAI store my images?
No. Prompts are encrypted, and generated images exist only during your session unless you choose to save them.
Do I need a powerful computer?
No. NovelAI runs in the browser, including on mobile devices, with nothing to install.
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NovelAI
From $10/mo
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