NovelAI

Uncensored AI platform for anime image generation and story writing.

Data verified Oct 17, 2026

Pundit
Score

Price: Free trial; paid from $10/month
Try it free: Free plan
Best for: Fiction writers and storytellers

Editorial Verdict

AI-researched, not hands-on tested

NovelAI is a subscription service from Anlatan Inc. for AI anime-style image generation and AI-assisted story writing, with image and text tools in one account. It fits writers and anime-art creators who want text generation without a per-generation cap and a service that says it does not store generated images. A limitation is that image generation is paid with Anlas credits or an unlimited allowance on the top tier that carries size and step limits, and the company has announced usage-limit changes. For story-focused alternatives look at AI Dungeon or Sudowrite; for self-hosted options look at KoboldCpp or SillyTavern.

Reviewed by AIToolPundit Editorial Team · last verified October 2026

About NovelAI

NovelAI is a subscription creative platform from Anlatan that combines an AI writing assistant with an anime-focused image generator, letting users write fiction and generate character art without content censorship. It's aimed at hobbyist and enthusiast creators — fiction writers, roleplayers, and AI anime artists — who want private, uncensored output, using client-side encryption to keep stories private. Its main differentiators are best-in-class anime image quality (via NovelAI Diffusion V5, with multi-character prompting and Vibe Transfer) paired with tools like a Lorebook and author-emulation modules for long-form storytelling.

Screenshots

Commonly Cited Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

Every paid plan includes both image generation and text generation; text generation does not use Anlas.
Story memory grows by tier, from about 32,768 characters (8,192 tokens) on the $10 plan to about 114,688 characters (28,672 tokens) on Opus.
The FAQ describes inpainting, Director Tools and a built-in canvas for editing images, and image generation runs on NovelAI Diffusion V5.
The FAQ says there are no commercial-use limits on generated images and no extra subscription tier is needed for it.

Limitations

Tag-based prompt system and interface have a steep learning curve
Limited context/memory tokens with no rollover warning, causing character amnesia in long sessions
Prose quality trails leading LLMs like Claude for serious literary work
Opus tier pricing feels steep for hobbyists and casual users
No native offline mode or mobile app
Occasionally produces unpredictable, inappropriate images
Can be slow and return error messages at times
Image model trained on artwork used without original artists' consent
Loses consistency in longer documents with multiple narrative threads

Common Use Cases

Writing fiction and stories with AI assistance
Overcoming writer's block with AI-driven suggestions
Generating anime images to visualize story scenes and characters
Interactive text-adventure storytelling
Creating uncensored NSFW text and image content

Details

Pricing Model: Freemium
Starting Price: Free trial; paid from $10/month
Category: AI Image & Video Generation

Who is NovelAI for?

Fiction writers and storytellers

Unlimited text generation on every paid plan and up to about 114,688 characters of memory on Opus suit long projects.

Anime-style artists

NovelAI Diffusion V5 with inpainting, Director Tools and character-separation prompting targets anime art.

Privacy-minded creators

The FAQ states prompts are encrypted, generated images are not stored on its servers, and accounts need no linked personal information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is NovelAI free?

NovelAI offers a free plan, with paid plans starting at Free trial; paid from $10/month.

Does NovelAI offer a free trial?

Yes, NovelAI offers a free trial.

Does NovelAI have an API?

NovelAI does not currently offer a public API.

Is NovelAI cloud-based or self-hosted?

NovelAI is offered as a cloud-based (SaaS) deployment.

What are the downsides of NovelAI?

Tag-based prompt system and interface have a steep learning curve Also, Limited context/memory tokens with no rollover warning, causing character amnesia in long sessions

Who is NovelAI best for?

NovelAI is best suited for Fiction writers and storytellers, Anime-style artists, Privacy-minded creators.

What can I use NovelAI for?

Common uses for NovelAI include writing fiction and stories with ai assistance, overcoming writer's block with ai-driven suggestions, generating anime images to visualize story scenes and characters, interactive text-adventure storytelling.

What is the best alternative to NovelAI?

Our reviewed alternatives to NovelAI are AI Dungeon, Sudowrite, Novelcrafter, KoboldCpp and SillyTavern. Open-source options: KoboldCpp, SillyTavern.

How does NovelAI compare to InfiniteArt.ai?

NovelAI and InfiniteArt.ai are both used for ai image & video generation -- specifically image generators. See the full side-by-side comparison for pricing and feature differences.

NovelAI alternatives we reviewed

Reviewed when this listing was published; open-source options are marked.

See all reviewed alternatives →

AI Dungeon
AI-driven text adventure where players build open-ended stories and dynamic worlds on the web or in an app.
Visit site →
Sudowrite
AI tool for novelists and fiction writers offering drafting, revision, feedback and planning features.
Visit site →
Novelcrafter
Writing platform for authors with planning tools, a Codex for tracking story details and optional AI assistance.
Visit site →
KoboldCpp
Open source
Open-source tool that runs GGUF AI models locally with a KoboldAI UI, as a single file with no install.
Cost:
Free / self-host
Licence:
Open source
Visit site →GitHub
SillyTavern
Open source
Open-source LLM frontend for power users.
Cost:
Free / self-host
Licence:
Open source
Visit site →GitHub