Updated 8 November 2026

Best novel writing software for Mac

On a Mac, the best novel writing software is Feldar (ours) if you want planning, drafting and AI help in a native app, and Scrivener if you want offline local files and a one-time price. Plottr is the best Mac outliner. Here is how the rest run on macOS.

By the Feldar team · prices checked 5 to 8 November 2026

The best novel writing apps on a Mac

Ordered for a novelist on macOS. Feldar is ours and listed first; the rest are placed by what each does best on a Mac.

01FeldarPlanning, drafting and AI help in a native Mac app OursFree, then $20/mo
02ScrivenerOffline local files, paid once$59.99 once
03PlottrVisual outlining with a Mac desktop app$60/yr or $150 once
04LivingWriterA Mac app that syncs with your iPhoneFree plan
05Dabble, Atticus and the browser appsWriting in the browser, some offlineVaries

How each app runs on macOS

App	On a Mac	Offline	iPhone and iPad	AI	Price
Feldar Ours	Native app on Apple silicon; Intel Macs keep the earlier app; also the web app	No	No app	Built in; suggestions stay only if you accept them	Free; Core $20/mo
Scrivener	Native app, macOS 11 or later; also on the Mac App Store	Yes, local files	iOS app, $23.99; syncs through Dropbox	None	$59.99 once
Plottr	Desktop app for Mac	Yes (desktop)	Web app on Pro works on iPhone and iPad	None	$60/yr or $150 once
LivingWriter	Mac desktop app and web	Not stated	iOS app	Optional, on Pro + AI	Free plan, then Pro
Microsoft Word	Native app	Yes	iPhone and iPad apps	Copilot included	$9.99/mo (Microsoft 365)
Dabble	Browser and a desktop app	Yes, syncs later	Works on phones	None	From $15/mo billed yearly
Atticus	Installable browser app	Yes	Phones and tablets mentioned	None	$147 once
Sudowrite	Browser	Not stated	iOS app	Built in	From $10/mo billed yearly
Novelcrafter	Browser	No (planned)	Usable in the browser	Your own AI keys	From $4/mo

From each company's own pages, checked 5 to 8 November 2026.

The Mac apps in more detail

01Feldar Ours

Best for planning, drafting and AI help in a native Mac app

Feldar for Mac runs natively on Apple silicon, with the same workspace as the web app: an Outline of scenes on every chapter, a Canvas of characters, places and plot beats beside the manuscript, and AI that continues, rewrites or drafts only where you ask. New AI text appears in blue and stays only if you accept it. Intel Macs keep the earlier version of the app for now.

Good: A fast native app on Apple silicon Macs. Planning, story memory and revision tools together. A choice of GPT-6 and Claude 5.5 models. Feldar does not train AI models on your writing.
Watch out: No offline writing. No iPhone or iPad app. No co-writing or version history.
Price: Starter free with 500 credits, no card. Core $20 a month or $180 a year. Pro $40. Ultra $200.

Try Feldar freeMac app and web, no card needed

02Scrivener

Best for offline local files, paid once

Scrivener began on the Mac and it still feels at home there: a binder, a corkboard, an outliner, research inside the project, and Compile to turn the book into Word, PDF, ePub, Kindle or a script. It needs macOS 11 or later, keeps your project as local files and works with no connection at all. The iOS version syncs through Dropbox.

Good: Fully offline. A one-time price. The most flexible export of any app here.
Watch out: No AI. The Windows and iOS versions are separate purchases. Compile takes time to learn.
Price: $59.99 once on macOS, with a 30-day trial. iOS $23.99.

Official site: literatureandlatte.com

03Plottr

Best for visual outlining on a Mac

Plottr's desktop app runs on Mac and Windows and lays your scenes on a timeline, one lane per plotline. The base desktop plan keeps files on your Mac and syncs them by hand through Dropbox, iCloud or OneDrive; Pro adds a web app that works on iPhone and iPad. Pair it with a drafting app, since Plottr plans the book rather than holding the manuscript.

Good: Timelines and series bibles. Works offline on the desktop. A lifetime licence. No AI.
Watch out: You write the book somewhere else. Cloud sync and collaboration need Pro.
Price: $60 a year or $150 once for desktop. Pro $9.99 a month. 30-day trial.

Official site: plottr.com

04LivingWriter

Best for a Mac app that syncs with your iPhone

LivingWriter has a Mac desktop app as well as iOS, Android, Windows and web versions, all in sync, so a scene started on the Mac can be finished on the phone. Boards, templates and Story Elements cover planning, and AI is optional on the Pro + AI plan.

Good: Apps everywhere. A free plan. Screenplay formatting.
Watch out: Offline use is not stated. Prices did not load on its pricing page when we checked.
Price: Free plan, then Pro and Pro + AI.

Official site: livingwriter.com

05Dabble, Atticus and the browser apps

Best if you want to write offline in a browser app, or switch between computers

Dabble works in the browser and has a desktop app, writes offline and syncs when you reconnect. Atticus installs from the browser on a Mac, works offline and is the best tool here for formatting an ebook and print book. Sudowrite and Novelcrafter run in Safari or Chrome; Sudowrite also has an iOS app.

Official sites: dabblewriter.com, atticus.io

Native app or browser?

A native Mac app usually opens faster, behaves like the rest of your Mac and, in Scrivener's and Plottr's case, works with no connection. A browser app goes wherever you go and needs no installing. If you write on a plane or in a cabin, choose Scrivener, Plottr's desktop app, Dabble or Atticus. If you want AI help built in, Feldar's Mac app and the browser-based Sudowrite and Novelcrafter are the options, and all three need a connection for it.

Apple's own Pages and the Ulysses app are popular with Mac writers too. We have not reviewed them here yet.

Questions

What is the best free novel writing software for Mac?

Feldar's Starter plan is free and includes the native Mac app, with 500 AI credits to try. Reedsy Studio and Google Docs are free in the browser. Scrivener has a 30-day free trial before its one-time price.

Does Feldar work offline on a Mac?

No. Feldar needs an internet connection, though it recovers from dropped connections without interrupting your work. If you need to write offline, Scrivener, Plottr's desktop app, Dabble or Atticus will suit you better.

Does Scrivener work on Apple silicon Macs?

Scrivener requires macOS 11 or later, and is sold on the Mac App Store as well as directly from Literature & Latte.

Can I write on my Mac and my iPhone?

Scrivener (iOS app, sync through Dropbox), LivingWriter (iOS app), Sudowrite (iOS app) and Microsoft Word all have iPhone apps. Feldar does not have a phone app yet.