NovelAI Pricing (2026): Tablet vs Scroll vs Opus, Anlas, and What Changed in August
NovelAI costs $10 a month for Tablet, $15 for Scroll and $25 for Opus, and there is no free plan — only a trial of 30 image and 50 text generations. Every paid plan includes both text and image generation. The tiers differ in how much the AI remembers, which text models you get, and how images are paid for.
Two things on NovelAI’s own plan table are worth knowing before you choose. Scroll is Tablet with more memory and nothing else. And Opus is the only tier that gets NovelAI’s best writing model, Xialong, with no plans to bring it to the cheaper tiers.
NovelAI also changed two rules in August 2026: Opus’s “unlimited” images now have a usage limit on the newest image model, and unused subscription Anlas now disappear when you cancel. Both are explained below.
Prices and plan contents were checked on NovelAI’s pricing panel and its official blog on 29 September 2026. Prices are in US dollars.
This page is about what NovelAI costs. For what it is like to use, read our NovelAI review — the short version is that it is an excellent writing studio and a weaker game. For the whole category, see what an AI RPG actually costs.
The Price
| Plan | Price | Who NovelAI aims it at |
|---|---|---|
| Free trial | $0 | 30 image generations and 50 text generations |
| Tablet | $10 a month | — |
| Scroll | $15 a month | — |
| Opus | $25 a month | ”For the Enthusiast” |
NovelAI’s pricing panel lists monthly prices only. We found no annual plan on it, so if you were searching for a NovelAI yearly subscription, there is no discounted yearly price to compare.
What Each Tier Includes
This is NovelAI’s own plan table, row by row.
| Tablet ($10) | Scroll ($15) | Opus ($25) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unlimited text generations | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Memory size | 8,192 tokens (~32,768 characters) | 12,288 tokens (~49,152 characters) | 28,672 tokens (~114,688 characters) |
| GLM-4.6 355B | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Llama 3 Erato 70B | — | — | Yes |
| Xialong | — | — | Yes |
| Text-to-speech | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Image generation | Pay as you go | Pay as you go | Unlimited* |
| Monthly bonus Anlas | 1,000 | 1,000 | 10,000 |
| Discount on bought Anlas | 20% | 20% | 20% |
*NovelAI’s footnote: unlimited “for images of up to 1024x1024 pixels and up to 28 steps when generating a single image. Additional usage limits apply to NovelAI Diffusion V5.”
“Memory size” is the number that matters most for stories and games. It is how much of your story the AI can see when it writes the next part. NovelAI counts one token as about four characters. Everything that falls outside that window — an early chapter, a character’s first appearance — the AI cannot read unless you put it in the Memory box or a Lorebook entry. We explain why this limit shapes every AI story in why AI campaigns fall apart.
Tablet vs Scroll: $5 for a Bigger Memory
Read the table again, column by column, and one thing stands out. Tablet and Scroll are identical except for memory. Same text models. Same pay-as-you-go images. Same 1,000 monthly Anlas. Same 20% discount on Anlas.
So the question “Tablet or Scroll?” has a simple answer:
- Scroll adds 4,096 tokens of memory — from about 32,700 characters to about 49,000. That is 50% more.
- It costs $5 more a month.
That can be worth it. If you write long stories and Tablet keeps forgetting things you need, 50% more memory is a real difference you will notice. But if you mainly want images, Scroll gives you nothing Tablet does not: you are still paying per image. And if you want the better writing models, Scroll does not get them either — those are Opus-only.
Our reading: start on Tablet, move to Scroll only when memory is the thing you keep fighting, and if you are going to pay for a second upgrade anyway, look at Opus instead.
Opus: What the Extra $10–15 Buys
Opus is where NovelAI puts everything it is proudest of. For $25, compared with Tablet:
- 3.5 times the memory: 28,672 tokens against 8,192.
- Xialong, NovelAI’s newest writing model. NovelAI released it on 31 March 2026 as a finetune of ZhipuAI’s GLM-4.6, at 355 billion parameters, and calls it its “most capable writing model yet”. Its release post says it was trained so that it does not repeat itself or fall into loops, and that it “works well with a single default preset out of the box”. It is Opus-only, and NovelAI says there are “no immediate plans for a release to lower tiers”.
- Llama 3 Erato, NovelAI’s earlier 70B co-writing model, also Opus-only.
- Unlimited images at normal sizes (with the V5 limit explained below), instead of paying per image.
- 10,000 monthly Anlas instead of 1,000 — useful for large or high-step images that fall outside the unlimited rule.
So Opus is really two upgrades in one: a better writer with a much larger memory, and an image plan. Which half you care about decides whether it is worth it.
What Changed in August 2026
On 20 August 2026, NovelAI published a post called “Subscription Updates: Usage Limits & Subscription Anlas Policy Adjustments”. It came with NovelAI Diffusion V5, its new image model, released on 21 August 2026. NovelAI said V5 is 2.5 times the size of V4.5 and puts heavy load on its servers, and it blamed “a small number of users” for using “a hugely disproportionate share” of compute. It chose two changes instead of raising prices.
Change 1: Opus now has a usage limit on V5 images
Opus images are no longer fully unlimited on the newest model. Every V5 image draws from a usage limit that NovelAI describes as “a rechargeable battery”. It recharges continuously, whether you generate or not. A full recharge from empty “takes about a week”. NovelAI says the limit is sized so “most Opus users will never see it run out”.
What stays the same: all older image models and all text models remain unlimited on Opus at default settings. If the V5 limit does run out, you can keep generating with your subscription Anlas or bought Anlas.
NovelAI also says bigger images use the limit faster, and that lowering the resolution saves more than lowering the step count.
Change 2: Unused subscription Anlas now disappear when you cancel
This one affects every tier. NovelAI’s post says that, from 31 days after the V5 release, “any unused Subscription Anlas will be reset to zero the moment your subscription ends”. If you cancel early, they reset on the date the subscription would have ended. With V5 out on 21 August, that puts the change around 21 September 2026.
NovelAI points out that subscription Anlas never stacked anyway — each month the balance refills to your tier’s amount, not by it. But before, a cancelled subscriber kept their leftover balance. Now they lose it.
The practical advice: if you plan to cancel, use your subscription Anlas before your last paid day. The announcement is about subscription Anlas only; it does not say anything about Anlas you bought.
Anlas: NovelAI’s Image Credits
Anlas are the currency for images. Text generation never uses them. Each image costs a number of Anlas that depends on its size and settings.
You get them two ways: a monthly pool with your subscription, or buying them.
| Pack | Price | NovelAI’s estimate | Per image |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2,000 Anlas | $4.79 | ~76 images | ~$0.063 |
| 5,000 Anlas | $8.19 | ~192 images | ~$0.043 |
| 10,000 Anlas | $13.99 | ~384 images | ~$0.036 |
NovelAI’s estimates are “at the default resolution and settings”. Subscribers get 20% off bought Anlas on every tier.
Some quick sums from those numbers:
- Tablet’s 1,000 monthly Anlas is worth about 38 images at default settings, going by NovelAI’s own per-pack estimates.
- If you mainly want images, compare Opus ($25, unlimited at normal sizes plus 10,000 Anlas) against Tablet plus bought Anlas. At about $0.036 per image, the $15 difference buys roughly 400 images at list price (a little more with the 20% subscriber discount, if it applies to those prices). If you make clearly more than that each month, Opus is the cheaper route.
- If you only make a few images now and then, you do not need a subscription for images at all. NovelAI’s own advice is to buy Anlas “if you need a top-up mid-month, or generate images occasionally without a recurring commitment”. But remember: without a subscription you have no text generation.
Is NovelAI Free?
No. NovelAI has a free trial, not a free plan: 30 image generations and 50 text generations, then you pay. Text generation needs a subscription. Images need a subscription or bought Anlas.
Fifty text generations is enough to see how it writes. It is not enough to know whether it holds a long story together, which is the thing you are paying for.
If a free option matters to you, our NovelAI alternatives guide covers tools with real free tiers, and AI Dungeon vs NovelAI compares NovelAI with the rival that has a playable free tier. And SillyTavern vs NovelAI covers the route where the software is free and you pay only for a model — or nothing, with a local one.
Is NovelAI Worth It?
It depends on whether you want to write a story or play one. That is the question our NovelAI review turns on, and it decides the pricing question too.
For writers, yes — and Opus is the tier to aim for. NovelAI’s strength is prose and its Lorebook, and Opus is where both are strongest: Xialong plus 28,672 tokens of memory. At $25 a month with unlimited text, it is a fair price for someone who writes every week.
For players who want an AI RPG, it is harder to justify. NovelAI’s memory is its weak spot next to general AI models. Even Opus’s 28,672 tokens is small against the 1M-token context windows that current models such as Claude now offer — see the best Claude model for roleplay for what that looks like in practice. NovelAI works around a small memory with its Memory box and Lorebook, and does it well, but the limit is still there. A player who wants a game master rather than a co-writer usually gets more for the money elsewhere.
For images only, the answer depends on volume. Opus’s unlimited images are the best deal for heavy users. Occasional users should buy Anlas and skip the subscription.
For comparison, the other pricing pages we have checked this month:
| Service | Cheapest paid plan | Top plan | Free option |
|---|---|---|---|
| NovelAI | $10 a month (Tablet) | $25 a month (Opus) | Trial only |
| Janitor AI | $12.99 a month (janitor+) | — | Yes, unlimited chats |
| Character.AI | $4.99 a month (lite) | $9.99 a month (c.ai+) | Yes |
AI Dungeon also keeps a playable free tier.
NovelAI is the only one of these with no free plan at all. That is its biggest pricing weakness, and the trial does not fully make up for it.
Our Recommendation
- Trying it out: use the free trial, then one month of Tablet. $10 tells you more than 50 trial generations can.
- Writing long stories: go straight to Opus. Xialong and 3.5 times the memory are the reason to choose NovelAI at all.
- Tablet feels too forgetful, but Opus is too much: Scroll. Just know that memory is the only thing it adds.
- Mostly images: Opus if you make a lot of them, bought Anlas if you make a few.
- Before you cancel: spend your subscription Anlas. They reset to zero when the subscription ends.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does NovelAI cost?
Three monthly plans: Tablet at $10, Scroll at $15 and Opus at $25, all in US dollars. Every paid plan includes both text generation and image generation. You can also buy Anlas, NovelAI’s image credits, on demand: 2,000 for $4.79, 5,000 for $8.19 or 10,000 for $13.99.
Is NovelAI free?
No. There is a free trial, not a free plan. The trial gives you 30 image generations and 50 text generations. After that, text generation needs a subscription, and images need a subscription or bought Anlas.
What is the difference between Tablet and Scroll?
Only the memory size. Scroll gives the AI 12,288 tokens of memory (about 49,000 characters) instead of Tablet’s 8,192 (about 32,700 characters). Everything else on NovelAI’s plan table is the same: the same text models, the same pay-as-you-go images, the same 1,000 monthly Anlas and the same 20% Anlas discount. So the extra $5 a month buys 4,096 tokens of memory.
What does NovelAI Opus include?
The largest memory, 28,672 tokens (about 114,000 characters), which is three and a half times Tablet’s. The two text models that only Opus gets: Xialong, NovelAI’s newest and largest writing model, and Llama 3 Erato. Unlimited image generation at normal sizes, with a usage limit on the newest image model, Diffusion V5. And 10,000 monthly Anlas instead of 1,000.
Is NovelAI Opus really unlimited?
For text, yes: all plans have unlimited text generation. For images, Opus is unlimited for images up to 1024x1024 pixels and 28 steps, except on NovelAI Diffusion V5. Since August 2026, V5 images on Opus draw from a usage limit that NovelAI describes as a rechargeable battery, which takes about a week to refill from empty. Older image models stay unlimited.
What are Anlas?
NovelAI’s image-generation credits. Each image costs some Anlas depending on its size and settings. Text generation never uses Anlas. Subscriptions include a monthly pool (1,000 on Tablet and Scroll, 10,000 on Opus) that refills to that amount each month but does not stack. You can also buy Anlas: 2,000 for $4.79, 5,000 for $8.19 or 10,000 for $13.99.
What happens to my Anlas if I cancel NovelAI?
Your subscription Anlas are lost. Under the policy NovelAI announced on 20 August 2026, unused subscription Anlas reset to zero when the subscription ends. If you cancel early, they reset on the date the subscription would have ended. NovelAI says the change applies from 31 days after the Diffusion V5 release on 21 August 2026. Spend them before your last day.
Is NovelAI worth it?
For writing long stories, yes, especially on Opus, where you get Xialong and the largest memory. For playing an AI RPG, less so: NovelAI is a writing studio first, and its memory is small next to general AI models. If you only want text, Tablet is the cheapest way in, and Scroll is only worth it if Tablet’s memory is running out on you.
Arcanum is independent and not affiliated with NovelAI or Anlatan. NovelAI is Anlatan’s trademark, used here only to identify its service.