iA Writer for PC and Mac

Software Reviews and Criticism

• By Ames Brown (NYC)

  So much better than Ulysses. Plus a reccomendation for IA writer dev team

  IA Writer is SO much better than Ulysses in terms of the writing/typing/composition interface. And the settings actually work and make sense. I tried and tried and tried to make Ulysses look half as good as IA writer on the screen, but despite being more expensive, that program is flawed. ★★ Here is a strong reccommendation for the IA Writer dev team however: when there is a conflict between documents (saved versions), it is pretty hard to decipher the differences between them using only the tiny images and timestamps provided. Of course the ideal would be a text comparison (which is easy given we’re dealing with plain text), or at least you should be able to scroll through the contents of each before committing, or having to save them all. I and more than a few users I know have lost valuable revisions because of this.

  
  
• By 1everage

  It's a good writing app!

  I've very much enjoyed using this application to write. I bought it ages ago when I had a few extra dollars in credit on the iTunes store, and it's served perfectly as a space where I could draft emails, journal my thoughts, and write responses to surveys before actually entering them into forms. It's also been incredibly useful when it comes to character and word count assignments, given it's handy and easily-viewable bar at the bottom that takes no extra effort to access. It is not the main way I write, but it has given me a place to write away from Word and Google Docs, and aesthetically, it feels very pressure-free. If you're looking for something to use that is outside the realm of popular writing apps and feels comfortable and simple to use, I'd recommend it. It definitley has more uses than I use it for, but its simplicity is there if you want it.

  
  
• By kbizz12

  Great Gets Better

  iA is fantastic. What I appreciate so much about this app and its team is its slow but steady evolution. I have traversed a good number of other writing apps/programs and many are great but iA just sits delicately atop them all for some reason. I firmly believe it is simply because the app, when it needs to work, works flawlessly. I believe it’s due to the slow and well-planned feature improvements to the app. Many writing apps have a few bells and whistles that would be awesome for iA to adopt but what I find is that THEY WILL… and they’ll do it better than everyone else. As someone who believes in longetivity and consistency in their workflow and “toolbox” of apps they use to navigate both business, pleasure, and everything in between, I believe iA is operating in a very sustainable manner that warrants commitment to their product.

  
  
• By mnborja

  Better than DayOne, Pages, Word and TextEdit!!!

  This app is editor’s choice for a reason. I just bought the version for Windows, gave up my annual DayOne Premium subscription and couldn’t be happier. I love all the “simplicity” features such as the monospaced font, the night mode and the text highlighting. Along with my new purchase of a bluetooth mechanical keyboard from Filco, I have found my inspiration to write/journal again. I have to say that my most favorite feature is the “speaking mode”, which if I’m not mistaken none of the other writing apps or word-processors I’ve used in the past, have. The speaking-mode lets me listen to what I’ve written and somehow helps me spot overly-complicated or compound sentences, so that I can simplify these and improve on my first draft. I wouldn’t use any other writing app from hereon! —m

  
  
• By JustARandomDmitry

  A joy to use and write.

  I remember I've been using iA Writer on iOS since version 1, and if my memory serves me well, it was perhaps first of a kind writing app back then; as other reviewers here, I immediately liked the "no fuss" approach, clean interface and attention to detail. All similar writing tools that started to appear later just didn't have this feeling of "rightness" for me. Getting an OS X version made my life even better. This is pretty much my only writing app where I keep notes, technical docs, essays, whatever. With hashtags and library toolbar you can even use it for your Zettelkasten if you fancy. My only wish is extension of smart folder functionality with various filters. Maybe one day? :wink: Seeing the continuing improvement of iA Writer by developers simply brings me joy. Much love and thank you for your dedication. I mean, where else do you get people making a custom (and good!) font for their editor?

  
  

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