NovelAI

NovelAI

NovelAI is a subscription-based platform offering AI image generation specialized in anime art and AI-assisted story writing. Its image generator, NovelAI Diffusion V5, uses proprietary diffusion models to create high-quality, customizable anime-style artwork from text prompts with features like inpainting, Director Tools, and character consistency. The story generator is powered by its GLM 4.6 model, designed to collaborate on narrative creation, world-building, and maintaining narrative memory. It targets individual creators, artists, and writers seeking tools for rapid prototyping and content generation without content restrictions.

Image Generation
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Added on
Sep 16, 2026
Monthly Visits
9.7M
Anime Art GenerationStory Writing AIInpainting ToolsPrivacy-FocusedCommercial Use Allowed
Product information

Everything worth knowing about NovelAI

The complete picture — from everyday features to the technical detail builders and IT folks dig for.

Core features

What it actually does

AI Anime Image Generation
Generate original anime-style characters, scenes, and artwork using natural language prompts and tags.
Story Generation
Build worlds, characters, and narratives with an AI writing assistant that collaborates with you.
Inpainting & Editing Tools
Refine generated images by modifying specific areas, adjusting details, or changing backgrounds while preserving style.
Character Consistency
Define characters separately and use tags to maintain their appearance and positioning across multiple scenes.
Technical capabilities
NovelAI Diffusion V5 Model
Latest image model with a 2.5x larger architecture than V4.5, enabling sharper details, more characters, and full comic pages.
Anlas-Based Generation
On-demand credit system for image generation, allowing usage without a recurring subscription.

Who uses it

Real use cases, no hype
Anime Character Design
Generate original characters with consistent style for comics, games, or social media.
Concept Art & Worldbuilding
Quickly visualize scenes, environments, and props for stories or game projects.
Illustration & Storyboarding
Create manga panels, book covers, or storyboard sequences with AI assistance.
Creative Writing Assistance
Develop stories, lore, and character dialogue with an AI that retains context.
Rapid Prototyping for Artists
Generate base images or poses to speed up the traditional art workflow.
Personalized Content Creation
Make unique avatars, wallpapers, or profile pictures with full commercial rights.
What's great
  • Unrestricted creative freedom with no content filters.
  • Subscription includes both image and story generation.
  • Strong focus on anime/manga aesthetic consistency.
  • Privacy-centric: prompts encrypted, images not stored.
Technical strengths
  • Advanced inpainting and Director Tools for precise edits.
  • NovelAI Diffusion V5 model with 2.5x larger architecture than V4.5.
  • Uses a custom GLM 4.6 model for story generation.
Where it falls short
  • Not a free tier; requires a paid subscription or Anlas.
  • Primary strength is anime, less suited for photorealism.
  • No local/self-hosted deployment option.
  • Recent usage limit adjustments for heavy users.
Technical limitations
  • Proprietary platform with no open-source models.
  • Subscription Anlas policy recently changed, affecting high-volume users.
For technical folks

The deep-dive specs

Image Model
NovelAI Diffusion V5
Text Model
GLM 4.6
Architecture
Proprietary Diffusion Transformer (2.5x larger than V4.5)

FAQ

Includes technical Q&A
NovelAI is an AI platform focused on generating anime-style art and crafting stories. It's designed for creators who want to produce original visual and narrative content with minimal restrictions.

Traffic Insights

Monthly Visits

9.7M

November 2026

Growth Rate

0%

vs last month

Dominance

0%

in Image Generation

Top Country

South Korea

26% of traffic

Top Countries Breakdown

South Korea
26%
United States
26%
Japan
24%
Saudi Arabia
2%
Singapore
2%

Growth Trend

Stable

Traffic has remained stable.

Honest pricing

No sneaky tiers, no “contact sales”

Here's who each plan is actually for — and where the hidden charges might hit.

Paper
$10/mo

Individuals

  • Text generation (LLM)
  • Image Generation
Tablet
$15/mo

Individuals

  • Text generation (LLM)
  • Image Generation
  • Anlas included
Scroll
Most picked
$25/mo

Individuals

  • Text generation (LLM)
  • Image Generation
  • More Anlas included
Opus
$50/mo

Individuals

  • Text generation (LLM)
  • Image Generation
  • Most Anlas included
View Full Plans & Pricing on NovelAI

Official pricing, checkout, and plan upgrades are handled directly on novelai.net.

Reviews

What the internet actually thinks

Data refreshed weekly. No paid placements.

Trustpilot
Not reviewed yet
G2
G2
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C
Capterra
Not reviewed yet
Product Hunt
Not reviewed yet
COMMUNITY COMMENTS

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