Simple pricing for
serious writers.
Start free. Upgrade when you're ready. All plans include the full offline writing environment.
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Writing tools
- Distraction-free editor
- Story Plotter
- Reference folders
- The Pad & tabs
- Proofreader
- Version history Export
- Export to .docx, .md, .txt, .pdf
- Agent-ready query format (.docx)
- 1 free self-publishing export (EPUB + typeset PDF) AI features
- Trial: 3 full chapter reviews
- Trial: 20 research queries
- No AI after 30 days Add-ons available
- Full Manuscript Review — £30
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Everything in Free, plus
- Prose Analysis — unlimited, runs locally
- Story Board & Timeline view
- Structured Resource Hub
- 3 self-publishing exports (EPUB + typeset PDF)/month AI usage per month
- ~15 full chapter reviews
- 100 research queries
- 50 AI Editor chat messages
- Top-ups available when you need more Add-ons available
- Full Manuscript Review — £20
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Everything in Premium, plus
- Unlimited self-publishing exports (EPUB + typeset PDF) AI usage per month
- ~30 full chapter reviews
- 180 research queries
- 100 AI Editor chat messages
- Top-ups available when you need more Full Manuscript Review
- 1 review included per year
- Additional reviews at £15
Everything, compared.
Every feature across every plan, in one place.
Add-ons.
Need something beyond your plan's monthly usage? These are available to everyone, priced by tier.
12 — £10 · 35 — £25
AI usage top-ups.
Used up your monthly allowance before the month is out? Top up any time — top-ups roll over and never expire.
Top-up packs
Buy more when you need it. Top-ups are drawn down only once your plan's monthly allowance runs out.
or ~120 research queries
or ~120 AI Editor chat messages
or any mix
or ~300 research queries
or ~300 AI Editor chat messages
or any mix
or ~600 research queries
or ~600 AI Editor chat messages
or any mix
What's a credit?
Behind the scenes, every AI action draws from a credit balance — it's how usage gets measured fairly across different kinds of requests. You'll never need to think about it day to day; your plan and top-ups are shown in plain terms like chapter reviews and research queries.
Common questions.
Does my manuscript leave my Mac?
Not unless you choose. Your manuscript is stored on your Mac until you switch on sync for a book or document, or send it to the Formatter. When you use AI features, your text is sent to process your request and immediately discarded — we never store, retain, or train on your writing.
What happens after the 30-day trial?
The full writing environment stays free forever. The offline editor, Story Plotter, Resource Hub, Proofreader, and Version History never go away. Only the AI features require a subscription.
What happens if I use up my monthly AI allowance?
Everything else keeps working as normal. You can buy a top-up pack any time to keep going — top-ups never expire, so unused usage simply carries forward.
How is a "chapter review" actually measured?
Your plan's monthly figure (~15 or ~30) is calibrated to a typical 4,000-word chapter run through all four editorial modes. Shorter chapters draw less from your allowance — so if you write concise chapters, you'll get more than ~15 or ~30 reviews a month. Longer chapters draw more, scaling up gradually the further past 4,000 words they run. A short scene is never worse value than the headline number suggests.
What about research queries and AI Editor chat?
Those stay simple — each question or message draws one from your monthly allowance, whatever its length. Only chapter reviews scale with word count, since that's where actual analysis depth varies most. Prose Analysis is different again: it runs entirely on your Mac, so it's unlimited and never counted against your usage.
Can I cancel at any time?
Yes, monthly and annual plans can be cancelled at any time. You keep access until the end of the billing period.
Is the mobile app included in my plan?
The mobile app is free to download on every plan. The free plan and the 30-day trial sync 1 book and 30 documents to your phone. Paid plans have generous fair-use limits. Notes are unlimited, and anything already synced keeps working if you downgrade. See how the mobile app works.
What macOS version do I need?
macOS 13 Ventura or later. Writing Desk is a native macOS app distributed directly, with no Mac App Store required. The mobile app for iPhone and iPad is on the App Store.
Where can I see exactly how much I've used?
You can track your AI credit usage in the app via the usage tracker. This shows credits used and remaining as well as estimates of how many chapter reviews, research queries, and prose checks for the current billing period are let. This is automaticaly updated so there's never any guesswork.