Galley as a Novel Factory alternative
Last reviewed July 2026
The facts first: The Novel Factory (a subscription of $8.25–22/month billed annually, or a ~$649 lifetime licence; runs in the browser) is a planning tool with a plot manager, tracking for characters, locations and items, and a ten-step writing roadmap. It doesn't use AI anywhere. It exports to Word, not a print-ready book. Galley (€199 once, runs in the browser) has lighter planning tools (chapters, parts, synopses, a timeline), and it also exports a print-interior PDF and EPUB with a KDP preflight check.
The Novel Factory is built around structure and guidance. It has a ten-step roadmap from first idea to publishing, with worksheets and a plot manager to go with it. If you want your writing software to teach you as you go, it's very good at that, and published authors say so in its testimonials. It also doesn't use AI, which is rare for planning tools now.
Where it stops is publishing. The Novel Factory helps you plan and draft the novel, and then gives you a Word export. To get a print interior or a store-ready EPUB from that, you need another tool, the same as with Dabble or Scrivener. Galley's story bible is less structured, with no roadmap or worksheets, but it takes the manuscript all the way to the files a printer or the Kindle store will accept.
| Feature | Galley | The Novel Factory |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | €199 once | $8.25–22/mo billed annually · ~$649 lifetime |
| AI anywhere in the product | Never, in your prose | Never |
| Print-interior PDF & EPUB export | Yes, with KDP preflight included | No, Word export only |
| Structured writing roadmap / worksheets | No, a lighter story bible | Yes, a ten-step process |
| Plot manager | Chapters, parts, synopses, timeline | Yes, a dedicated plot manager |
| Character / location / item tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Write on a true trim-size book page | Yes, six trims, 35 book typefaces | No |
| Revision analytics | Overused words, name consistency, pacing | No |
| Runs on | Any desktop browser | Any desktop browser |
Neither one uses AI
Neither tool uses AI on your writing. After that, they go about planning differently. The Novel Factory gives you a ten-step roadmap and worksheets to structure your novel. Galley gives you a story bible that sits next to the manuscript, without a set process to follow. Which one suits you depends on how much structure you want.
What The Novel Factory does that Galley won't
The Novel Factory takes you through ten steps from first idea to publishing, with worksheets for each step and a dedicated plot manager. If you want software that teaches you how to structure a novel as well as holding your notes, it's better at that than Galley, and Galley isn't trying to do it.
Choose The Novel Factory if…
- You want a step-by-step process from first idea to finished draft
- You like planning with a plot manager and worksheets
- A subscription or its lifetime licence suits your budget better than one payment
Choose Galley if…
- You don't want to pay monthly for your writing tool
- You want the print PDF, EPUB and KDP preflight to come from the same app you drafted in
- You'd rather plan with chapters, synopses and a timeline than follow a set roadmap
Common questions
How much does The Novel Factory cost compared to Galley?
The Novel Factory is $8.25/month (Basic) or $22/month (Standard) billed annually, and a lifetime licence is around $649. Galley is €199 once. Three years of Standard (~$792) costs more than a Galley licence, and the lifetime licence costs more than three of them.
Does The Novel Factory have AI features?
No. Its own site says it’s “completely AI-free and always will be.” Galley doesn’t use AI on your writing either, so the two tools agree on this more than most on this site.
Can The Novel Factory produce a print-ready book?
No. It exports a Word manuscript, not a print-interior PDF with a trim size and proper margins, or a store-ready EPUB. Galley makes both of those from the same book you drafted in it.
The Novel Factory's details are from its own public pricing and feature pages, checked in July 2026, so check novel-software.com for anything newer. If I've got something wrong, email me and I'll fix it.