NovelAI Pricing 2026: Plans, Costs & Best Value
Quick answer: NovelAI has no lasting free plan for full use. Most writers start on Tablet at $10/mo. If images matter, Scroll ($15/mo) or Opus ($25/mo) is where Anlas / image limits stop biting. There is usually no yearly discount — monthly is the price.
Checked against NovelAI’s public pricing in August 2026. Anlas and model names change; confirm before you subscribe.
If you want long-form writing help without NovelAI’s image stack, compare NovelAI vs Sudowrite and NovelAI alternatives. Feature depth: NovelAI review.
Pick a plan in 30 seconds
- Mostly text / lorebooks, rare images → Tablet ($10/mo).
- Stories + better images regularly → Scroll ($15/mo).
- Heavy image gen + max context → Opus ($25/mo).
- You only want ChatGPT-style essays → Skip NovelAI; use a general writing tool.
NovelAI pricing plans
| Plan | Monthly Price | Annual Price (per month) | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tablet | $10/mo | $10/mo (typically no annual cut) | ~1024-token memory class, Kayra access, unlimited text gen, basic image gen |
| Scroll | $15/mo | $15/mo | ~2048-token memory, better image settings / resolution / steps |
| Opus | $25/mo | $25/mo | ~8192-token memory, priority / top image settings, experimental features, strongest image allowance |
Trial — what you can test
NovelAI usually offers a limited text trial (rough order of ~100 generations on a reduced setup). Image generation is often locked or tiny on trial. Use it to feel the prose model, not to judge Opus image quality.
Hidden costs and limits
- No annual “save 20%” pitch on most public pages — budget the monthly sticker.
- Text can be unlimited on paid tiers while images stay metered via Anlas on lower plans.
- Extra Anlas can be bought if Tablet/Scroll image caps run out — Opus is the “stop buying packs” tier for heavy image users.
- No public API for piping NovelAI into your own apps.
- Memory / lorebook caps differ by tier — long stories feel the Tablet ceiling first.
Who should choose what
Tablet ($10/mo) — Hobby writers who care about the storytelling model and dabble in images.
Scroll ($15/mo) — Regular image + story users who outgrew Tablet’s image settings.
Opus ($25/mo) — Power users who want max context and continuous image work without babysitting Anlas.
Cost reality over three months
- Tablet only: $10 × 3 = $30. Fine if you rarely hit image walls.
- Tablet + Anlas top-ups: easy to drift toward Scroll’s $15/mo without noticing.
- Opus from day one: $25 × 3 = $75. Sensible if you already know you generate images daily; wasteful if you are “just trying the prose model.”
Because NovelAI rarely discounts annual billing, there is no clever “pay yearly and forget” trick. Treat every month as a renew-or-cancel decision after you check Anlas and memory limits.
When to skip NovelAI
Skip if:
- You need neutral business copy or SEO blogs — wrong product.
- You want API automation — not offered publicly.
- You mainly want a writing coach UI like Sudowrite — see NovelAI vs Sudowrite.
Browse NovelAI alternatives first if storytelling + image gen is only a maybe.
Final Verdict
NovelAI is priced for creative fiction + optional images, not generic productivity AI. Tablet at $10/mo is the right entry if text is the job; jump to Scroll ($15/mo) or Opus ($25/mo) only after images or context limits annoy you for a full week.
Pricing checked August 2026. Verify on novelai.net. See our affiliate disclosure.
How NovelAI compares to alternatives
Next: NovelAI vs Sudowrite, NovelAI alternatives, and the NovelAI review.