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Best iPad apps for writers in 2022

There are still people who think that iPads are only good for consuming content like watching films, reading books and playing games. Clearly, none of these people have tried to write on a Kindle.

For writers, the iPad does offer every bit of this content consumption, and it offers it extremely well. But every iPad, iPad mini , iPad Air , and iPad Pro is also a writing studio that is about as light and convenient as you could imagine, and at least as powerful as you could hope.

You really should buy some kind of external keyboard, or keyboard case, if you're going to be doing serious writing on any iPad. Typing thousands of words onto the glass is not ideal, and the Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro and now also iPad Air isn't essential.

But you want one of those options and you don't want the other.

Beyond that, you are able to do just about every type of prose writing you need to on an iPad, straight out of the box. Without any other apps than Apple provides, you have a full word processing solution in Pages, for instance.

There are things Pages is poor at, though, such as scripts and screenplays. They can be written in Pages in theory, but in practice, it's no better at them than Word is.

So there are specific needs to use alternative apps, and there are plenty of alternative apps to satisfy requirements like that. Plus there are apps that do the same thing yet one just works better for you than others.

It's like the ancient old days when you might have a preference for which type of pencil you use. You know they all get the job done, yet just one is right for you.

That does mean that any roundup of the best writing apps for iPad is unquestionably subjective. And any unquestionably subjective roundup is bound to leave out your favorites.

Don't take that as a failing, do take it as your opportunity to enthuse in the AppleInsider forums. And also this: the reason people get very passionate about writing apps for the iPad is that they are worth it.

Apple will never say that it only makes iPads for writers, but they're so good for all writers and authors that you have to wonder.

Main word processors for iPad

We used to write everything in one word processor, whether it was a novel or a shopping list. We did so partly because they were built to handle everything, but mostly because they were so expensive that you only ever bought one.

That's changed because of the iPad and the App Store, but while there is a booming market in more specialized writing tools, there are still a couple of heavyweights that would could make a case for being your sole text editor.

Microsoft Word

Microsoft made a mistake choosing to keep Word off the iPad for years. Once users were required to find alternatives, they did, and they also found that they liked them.

Then once a user has moved to an alternative on the iPad, they very easily moved to the same alternative on the Mac. And what they routinely found was that this alternative, whichever it was, didn't crash as often as Word, it didn't drive them spare twice a day.

So Microsoft Word went from being a synonym for word processor and into just one more of your choices.

It has not come close to reclaiming the total dominance it once had. But when it did come to the iPad, it came in a completely new and rewritten form — which was better than we'd had on the Mac.

That wasn't to say it was as powerful, but starting from scratch meant adding in only features that users need. The bloated Word for Mac was regenerated into the slim Word for iPad, and there is a huge amount to like about it.

Microsoft Word is a free download from the App Store, but then requires one of many alternative subscriptions starting from $6.99 per month.

Apple Pages

Pages — free on iPads, Macs and iPhones — does not get as much love as it should. Where Microsoft likes you to see how powerful it is by displaying every tool and option it can, Apple wants you to be able to just get on with your writing.

Consequently, Pages hides away its powerful features until you need them. And unfortunately, that can have the effect of making it look as if Pages does not have these features.

Pages looks simple but it's not just a note-taking app. It is not as powerful as Word, but for the giant majority of writing tasks, Pages is Word's equal — and can subjectively feel better to you.

Only, Word and Pages both date back to the days when everything we wrote was then printed out on paper to be sent to publishers. Today you might be struggling to remember where your printer is.

Word and Pages continue to be used for writing that is going online, or certainly being sent digitally to book publisher systems like Affinity Publisher and Adobe InDesign . But they are not ideal for it.

Worse than not being ideal, if you copy text from either of them — most especially Word — and then paste it into an online content management system, you can get problems. Peculiar formatting, odd characters, even unexpected spacing issues can all arise because these two produce heavily formatted text.

Between a word processor and a text editor

You can't really have both a full word processor without issues like this, but you can have tools that do tiny, specific writing tasks. And you can have some in the middle, neither full word processors nor bare text editors, yet somehow better than both.

The iPad and Mac app iA Writer is a calming, relaxing kind of writing tool which lacks the powerful features of Word and Pages, such as longform book options, but will make you not care.

For iA Writer knows that writing has to be written, that it has to be put down on screen from out of the writer's head. Until then, there's nothing to format, nothing to create footnote citations about.

So this app concentrates on pushing aside features, interruptions, and really even any non-essential options. It's for making you concentrate on your writing.

For the iPad version, iA Writer costs $30 on the App Store.

Now Drafts 5 practically bills itself as a text editor, which is a way of saying you can basically type into it but mustn't expect anything fancy. Except Drafts 5 is replete with fancy tools and options.

Its chief aim is to get you writing immediately. Start the app, start typing. No pause, no waiting for a moment, no tapping on a New or a Plus sign.

There's also no obvious formatting, no obvious controls, it's just a blank page for you to get your words down. There is formatting, though, you can use Markdown controls to set headings and bold, italic and so on.

And what's great about Drafts, beyond just the practical feel of it all, is that once you do have your words written, there is an enormous amount you can do. Take that text and email it directly to your publisher, send it to your Kindle, send it out as a text message, or publish as a blog.

Drafts 5, which is also on the Mac and iPhone, has a library of Actions that let you create whole workflows for your work.

Drafts 5 is free to download from the App Store, and then costs $20 per year.

Specialized prose writing apps for iPad

Somewhere between the word processors of this world and the better text editors, there are apps that you might call writing studios, or writing environments. They are apps that work to help you with the business of writing as well as the job of typing text.

Scrivener, for instance, knows that when you're writing a novel, you are in it for the long haul. It knows you may need research, and it definitely knows that once you're up around 80,000 words or more, you need help keeping track of everything.

So Scrivener will let you write sixty chapters one after another if that's what you like, but it will also then slice that text up. If you have a character who only appears in chapters 4, 7, 11, and 33, then you can have Scrivener show you solely those chapters.

Look at the entire manuscript to get the whole picture, or concentrate on a specific segment. Scrivener bounces between both of these as you want, and it also offers a slew of extra writing, or rather writer, tools.

Such as how it handles research. You can drag images, URLs, whole web pages, and even entire other documents into the research section of your book.

Then whenever you open your iPad to write, everything you need is there. And when you're ready to send the manuscript to a publisher, they get everything — except the research.

Scrivener for iPad costs $20 on the App Store.

Ulysses is a curious writing environment for writers, one that is either completely compelling or just does not feel right to you at all. Rather than having documents per se, Ulysses offers you one single app with one single file — within which you can create countless pieces of writing.

Those are called Sheets in Ulysses and, like Scrivener, you can write them all in one go or you can slice them up.

It's a Markdown editor which means it feels bare, like Drafts can, and it doesn't have the same full-feature sense that Scrivener does. But wherever you go, whenever you open your iPad, you don't just have your latest writing, you have all of your writing.

All of it. Every bit since you started using Ulysses, anyway, and that grows into a very compellingly handy library of all your work.

Ulysses is free to download, then costs around $40 per year. It's also available as part of Setapp .

Specialized writing tools for scripts

As yet, there's no breakout hit app for writing haiku poetry. But there are a lot of apps for writing scripts and screen plays.

Scrivener is one of them. As well as prose, you can switch to a scriptwriting mode in Scrivener and it is a good writing tool for screenplays.

Screenplays have very specific formats and margins, developed over the last century and every bit is the way it is for a reason. It could be a reason that helps location scouts later on, rather than being any use to the writer now, but each reason is real and each formatting requirement is needed.

And they are just fiddly enough that it's only right an iPad should do as much of that work for you as possible. Let you concentrate on what's happening in the script, while your writing app looks after making it readable on the screen.

Final Draft 12

The most famous and the longest-running screenwriting app is Final Draft, now in version 12. It is very, very good on the Mac and PC.

Don't ask any Final Draft user if there's anything they dislike about it, you haven't got time, but still it's very, very good.

Whereas the iPad app is just good, approaching pretty good. It's had some bugs over the years and the company's support hasn't always been marvellous, but there are writers who solely use the iPad version and don't even have a Mac.

If they did have a Mac, they'd find out that the computer version of Final Draft is expensive. For Mac, it's officially $250 , though it tends to go on sale a great deal, and once you have one the company is good at selling you upgrades that are expensive, but seem cheap next to buying the full thing.

On the iPad, though, it costs $9.99 on the App Store. It's some writers' sole professional tool and it costs less than a book.

Alternatively, there is also Celtx, which used to be practically a clone of Final Draft and has the advantage that it's free on the App Store.

As yet, there isn't an iPad version of what might be Final Draft's best competitor on the Mac, Highland 2 . It's modern, slick, and it's built by professional, working screenwriters with long success in the industry.

They say that an iPad version is in the works, but no release date has been announced yet.

Utilities for writers

You could spend all your writing time just checking out utility apps for writers, like dictionaries and outliners and programs that make up your plot for you.

However, save yourself some trouble. Skip those ones where they say you just put in a name and choose a genre like comedy or western, and they'll outline your story for you.

But speaking of outlines... You may not be the kind of writer who plans anything out, you could be a pantser — one who writes by the seat of their pants.

Whether you like outlines or not, you can be required to write them for certain publishers or producers. When that's the last requirement before they start paying you, suddenly you can get to be very fond of outliners.

Try OmniOutliner 3 for iPad when you have any thing like a book structure to create, or an event to program. It's free to download and try, then costs from $19 .

There is an outliner in Word, but it's built for academics and is like working in treacle. There was an outliner in Pages, but Apple removed it.

Actually, you can jury-rig an outline in Pages using heading styles, but moving around it, changing text, grouping ideas together, it's as bad as Word.

Scrivener also has its own outliner and that's pretty powerful. But the separate, standalone OmniOutliner is the kind of writing tool that turns you from a user into a fan.

The best writing apps for iPad

This has been about the best writing apps for iPad, but it's really about the best writing apps for writers and those are on the iPad. We are now most definitely spoiled for choice for straight writing tools, and it is a fantastic thing.

And we have even more choice when it comes to writing being part of a larger project, a larger business. Then there are apps like Notion and Craft which are good for handling lots of information, or DEVONthink which is like a bionic research and writing too.

There may never be an end to the best writing apps for iPad, and there certainly won't be an end to the debate over just what constitutes the best.

But what doesn't change is that each of these runs on every iPad from the regular one, through the iPad mini, and on up to the 12.9-inch iPad Pro . We can have superb writing apps, and we can have them anywhere we go.

After you write your novel, you may want to try to publish it. We'll be talking about that very soon.

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The best writing apps for the iPad

If you’re looking for a portable device that can also be used as a writing station, well, the humble iPad is a great choice. While it’s still lacking in some respects, Apple has bridged the large gulf that previously existed between iPads and laptops, adding a variety of features in iPadOS that help to turn your tablet into a laptop substitute. So whether you’re using the entry-level iPad  or the top-of-the-line iPad Pro and Magic Keyboard , you can get a good writing experience out of your device.

Google Docs (free)

Microsoft word (subscription), ulysses (subscription), scrivener ($20), jotterpad (free/subscription), werdsmith (free/subscription), compo (free), shortly: a.i. writing assistant (free).

But you’ll also need a good writing app to really take advantage of iPadOS’s additional writing oomph. The perfect writing app for you depends on what you need and what you’re using it for. So whether you’re jotting down an assignment, your idea for a bestselling novel, an award-winning screenplay, or anything else, here are some of the best writing apps for the iPad.

Although iPadOS’s keyboard isn’t bad, you’ll want a keyboard to really take your writing to a new level. Check out our list of the best iPad keyboards to see the best keyboards for you.

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This wouldn’t be much of a list without the Google Suite’s writing app. Google Docs may lack the crazy features of some of the other options on this list, but Docs has everything you need for most basic writing tasks, including full formatting, support for images, and spell checkers. But the real strength lies in its online nature. It’s completely free, but despite that, you’ll get instant syncing so you can work on your document at the same time as other people and see edits and additions in real time, and it can import from and export to pretty much every format you’ll possibly need. While it’s a bit bare if you’re writing a novel or a screenplay, this is the ultimate note-taking tool, and one of the best completely free options available.

It’s the classic app we all know and love, and probably the program we all immediately think of when anyone says “word processor.” Word comes with a number of templates for different styles of document, handles images, and has a full formatting toolbar to boot. Word is effectively Microsoft’s answer for Google Docs — except you have to pay for it. Regardless of that, if you already have an Office subscription, Word is a strong option with support for importing from and exporting to many formats, cloud-based storage, and real-time editing with collaborators, plus the advantage of being the word-processing program of choice for many professional editors.

The first app in this list to really push itself to “writers,” rather than people who just need to write, Ulysses is a strong contender for the app for serious writers. You can keep almost anything in Ulysses, including your screenplay, novel notes, a to-do or shopping list, or even your blog’s latest post. There is a strong spelling and grammar checker, it syncs up with the MacOS version of Ulysses, and it can even export as an e-book. Unfortunately, you won’t get this for free, and Ulysses requires a subscription to work. It’ll set you back $6 a month, with discounts for year-long plans — but if you’re serious about writing, Ulysses is a good investment.

Possibly the most powerful single tool for writing, Scrivener is one of our favorite writing apps. It costs an upfront $20, which is a lot of money for an iOS app, but for that price you get a solid writing platform, a place to keep all your research (including images), notes on characters or locations, and a useful “corkboard”-style view for your chapters, which allows you to view everything at a glance, or even move individual chapters around easily like you would on a real corkboard. It exports to e-book and other popular formats, and syncs up with the MacOS version — though you’ll need to buy that too . Still, even with those added costs, Scrivener is the real deal.

Jotterpad’s aim is to provide a writing app without the distractions of a traditional word processor, and it does this extremely well. The interface is simple and extremely streamlined, but even with that, it’s not lacking in features. You’ll find all the usual additions, including Markdown, Fountain, a spell checker, and more. There’s even a rhyming dictionary. You can start up your document as a novel, screenplay, blog, or editorial piece, and you can jump between Jotterpad on different devices, thanks to its syncing. However, you’ll need a subscription to access most of the features on offer, including cloud syncing. A year’s subscription will cost you $30 a year.

Writing should be addictive. At least, that’s what Werdsmith believes, and it has the tools to hopefully inspire you to make writing a part of your daily routine. It uses writing tracking and daily goals to push you into keeping up a streak and jotting words down every day. Heck, it even has an Apple Watch word-counting app. If you struggle to keep writing, this may be the iPad writing app for you. Other than that, it has a decent number of features, including novel or screenplay writing tools and cloud syncing to keep your work current. There is a subscription, but it’s purely to allow you to work on more than a set number of documents at once, for $5 a month.

Compo is a brutally simple writing experience that aims to deliver a quick, easy way of writing down whatever’s on your mind. While some other apps may want you to set up a project and a template before you start, Compo just opens a blank page and lets you at it. Although it’s something more of a note-taking app, it’s certainly good enough for more heavy-duty writing tasks. You can share your writings on a number of different services and social media sites, and it syncs up with iCloud as well.

We’ve left the, well, weirdest until last. Shortly is a writing app with a difference — it has another tiny writer caged inside it, who learns from your writing and pens their own additions to your story when asked. All right, so it’s really an A.I., but Shortly’s writing assistant is actually pretty good, and it’s the perfect tool for getting over a small writer’s block. Using your past pennings as a template, it’ll take the reins and type away, adding new ideas and story turns you might not have thought of. While it’s unlikely to finish your story for you, it’s a great way to get the creative impulses firing up again. Worth a download and a try, even if you’re using another app.

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The Best iPad Writing Apps

The iPad's big screen makes it an excellent device for writing everything from notes to essays to novels. But if you've already decided Apple's Notes isn't right for you, you're probably already looking for a new place to capture your best ideas before they flutter away and disappear.

That's why we've collected our favorites, which cover a wide range of options, from titans such as Microsoft's Word and Apple's Pages, to lesser-known and super-simple options such as Bear, Ulysses and Byword. We've even found an option made for aspiring scriptwriters.

Since the iPad isn't the only device you'll want to write on, we'll note which apps can sync your documents, and where those documents can go, as well as which apps allow you to publish straight to a blog. Many of these writing apps also support the Markdown writing syntax, which is a way to write in plain text, which can then be converted to other formats, including HTML.

iA Writer is one of the better writing apps to offer a minimalist interface, as it doesn't come at the expense of giving users plenty of useful features. My favoriteis likely the Typewriter mode, where your cursor sits in the middle of the screen, which is easier on my neck than at the bottom of the screen.Its Focus Mode, which fades sentences and paragraphs that you're not editing into the background, may also prove useful. .99 Syncs with: iOS , macOS ($19.99), Android Exports to: HTML, Markdown support, PDF, Word Publishes to: Medium, Wordpress

One of the newestoptions for writing on the iPad, Bear is a flexible mix of a note-taking and writing apps. Not only can I write an essay on it, but itincludes support fordrawing, image insertion and even to-do-style check boxes. So while this means it bears a lot in common with Apple's own pre-loaded Notes app, it looks a hell of a lot nicer, with its default white, black and red design. And unlike Notes, Bearoffers a very usable three-column interface so you can see your nested folders (created byusing the # symbol), lists of documents and thenote you're currently editing. If you're worried abouta monthly cost for an app,I would say it's worth it, ascontinued support of Bear — and apps like it, such as Ulysses and Microsoft Word — means that the developers can continue to add new features andmake sure the app stays stableover theyear as Apple updatesiOS. Price: Free; $1.49 per month for Bear Pro subscription includes 1 week free trial. $14.99 yearly payment includes 1 month free trial. Syncs with: iPhone app, macOS app via Bear Pro Exports to: PDF, HTML, RTF, DOCX, JPG,Markdown support

Those writing on the largest scale, working on a screenplay or plotting the next great American novel, will likely want touse Scrivener. Not only does it offer an interface that replicates a grid of notecards — which reminds me of working on my thesis in college — but it organizes work in projects, with drafts, rather than as a simplelist of notes. If thatsounds like a lot to understand, you're right: it even comes with a tutorial, which you'll want to peruse before diving in. .99 Syncs with: iOS (free), macOS ($44.99), Android Exports to: HTML, Markdown Support, PDF, Script via Final Draft, Word

Ulysseslooks to offer the best of both Scrivener and Bear, asit offers project-based organization, tons of export options and lightweight text editing. You also getto assignword count goals, if you're having trouble reaching your own standards for productivity. The only downside is thatits free versionexpires after 14 days.Its $4.99 per month cost makes more sense when you realize it includes its apps for the Mac andthe iPhone. Price: Free 14-day trial before $4.99 per month or $39.99 per year Syncs with: iOS, macOS Exports to: ePub, HTML, PDF, RTF, TXT,Word Publishes to: Medium,Wordpress

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The extremely-customizable Editorialis the writing app for those scribes who can also code.So while it doesn't have many default tools for exporting, sharing and publishing, its devoted users are always cooking up tools. .99 Syncs with: iOS via Dropbox Exports to: HTML

Say you're not a novelist, but you blog a lot?The bare-bones Byword is the right option for you, as it includes publishing to Medium, WordPress, Tumblr, Blogger and Evernote. Not only does it support iCloud sync, but also Dropbox, so you can use its notes in conjunction with other applicationsthat sync to Dropbox. .99 Syncs with: Dropbox, iOS, macOS ($10.99) Exports to: HTML, Markdown, PDF,RTF Publishes to: Blogger, Evernote, Medium, Tumblr, WordPress

Microsoft Word

If you want a more familiar interface, built for everything from formal projects to personal you'll want to rock with Microsoft Word. Aside from itsSwiss Army Knife set of features, Word's natural support for DOCX files means greater collaboration with others who already rely on it, on top of Word's real-time collaborationfor group editing. The only downside, though, is that iPad Pro owners will need to shell out the highest monthly subscription price we've seen for anyof these apps. Of course, though, subscription pricing helps ensure an app stays alive and developers continually update it. Price: Free for regular iPads, but on an iPad Pro, you'll need an Office 365 subscription (starts at $6.99 per month). Sync to Android, iOS,macOS and PCs via OneDrive. Export .DOCX, PDF

Apple Pages

Pages is Apple's alternative to Word, and it'spretty capable as an alternative. Not only can it save files in the .docx version accepted by Word, as well as PDFs, but since Apple made it, you can lock Pages documents under the protection of your iPad's Touch ID sensor. Just like Word, Pages also supports live, real-time collaboration on a document. Price: Free Syncswith: iOS, macOS andiCloud.com Exports to: Word,PDF

Microsoft OneNote

Word's hip, younger sibling, OneNote is better for those looking for a digital notebook. Not only can you add images, but you can annotate themby hand. Just like Word, OneNote syncs everywhere, but it's less formal, and meant for the development and idea collecting process. Worried about your scribbling looking less than formal? Its "Convert to Shapes" mode willturn your handwritten input into crisp shapes. Also includes audio recording, so you can add voice memos to your notes. Unfortunately, it can't export to any option from the iPad. Price: Free Sync to Android,iOS, Macs and PCs viaOneDrive.

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The 6 Best Writing Apps for iPad

iPad has become an indispensable tool for writers seeking a seamless and efficient writing experience. Whether you’re an aspiring novelist, a seasoned journalist, or a student juggling assignments, having the right writing app can make all the difference. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the best writing apps for iPad that combine functionality, versatility, and user-friendly interfaces, ensuring that your words flow effortlessly onto the digital canvas.

The Best Writing Apps for iPad

Price: $49.99

Extremely easy to use, iA Writer eliminates distractions and helps you focus. With its style, features, and ease of use, iA Writer is the indispensable app for writers and ranks first among the iPad apps for writers. Start typing in plain text without getting stuck with the format, then preview it in HTML. 

Also, the app focuses on the current sentence, word, or paragraph and obscures the rest with focus mode. iA Writer allows writers to choose their layout, it’s up to you to rearrange your keys or choose new ones from the extensive list! You can start the frequently used operations in iA Write from the search field, and the app detects unnecessary adjectives, weak verbs, repetitive nouns, and wrong conjunctions and offers authors the opportunity to write correctly. 

Moreover, whenever you want to work day or night, this app provides writers a comfortable working opportunity with an inverted light mode in the dark. When you want to export your articles Customize your Templates and export them as WordPress or Medium, HTML, Microsoft Word (.docx), or PDF. In addition, you can visit iA Writer’s website for more detailed information.

iA Writer on the App Store

Also Read: The Best Note Taking Apps for iPad

Price: Free

Discover this powerful word processing app from Microsoft on your iPad. Enjoy writing your articles with beautifully designed modern templates. Use the app’s rich formatting and layout options for projects, assignments, novels, letters, blog posts, screenplays, and more. Submitted documents remain intact in their format and layout, and appear as they should on any device.

Furthermore, collaborate anywhere with MS Word. Share your thoughts with your colleagues or project team by commenting on documents and staying informed of changes to text, layout, and formatting.

MS Word on the App Store

Also Read: The Best To Do List Apps for iPhone

Price: $23.99

Scrivener is one of the best writing apps for iPad with extensive features, especially for iPad. Specially designed Scrivener allows you to compose your text in the order you want, in large or small sections as you want. Write when inspiration strikes, and Scrivener will guide you! Meticulously outline, identify and reconstruct every detail. The app offers the ability to import Word, RTF, Final Draft, and plain text files and easily divides the imported text into sections.

Additionally, you can view all chapters as a single text with the “Draft Explorer” (iPad only). Quickly navigate sections and format your texts with fonts and presets with the “Linker” sidebar in the app. Take notes for yourself and your teammates with comments, footnotes, links, and highlights. The customizable keyboard row in the app allows you to type in your style faster. Discover your writing style with Scrivener! Plus, Check out Scrivener’s website for detailed information.

Scrivener on the App Store

Also Read: The Best Drawing Apps for iPad

Ulysses offers writers an enjoyable focused writing experience with features such as effective document management, smooth synchronization, and flexible export. Ulysses’ uniquely streamlined toolset covers the entire writing process. The focusing problem will disappear with the clean and simple interface of Ulysses. Ulysses keeps you in the flow, so you can fully immerse yourself in the text from the first draft to the last.

Furthermore, the app stores content you’re about to write, such as novels, diaries, or study notes, in Ulysses’ Unified Library. What you type is automatically synchronized and saved. Misspellings are minimized with Ulysses’ integrated grammar and style checking. The app provides informed suggestions and guides writers.

Moreover, the app has an easy publishing feature for WordPress, Ghost, Medium, and Micro.Blogs. Ulysses offers a built-in preview of the fix before shipping for all four of them. Create eBooks, DOCX, PDFs, and HTML for export based on your use case. Plus, for more information visit the app’s website .

Ulysses on the App Store

Price: $4.99

1Writer covers all the basic text editing features you would expect. It is a successful typing app for typing your ideas with maximum efficiency, so it is just one of the best iPad apps for writers. Use the app’s handy extended keyboard for navigation, formatting, and special characters, and type flawlessly with the app’s full, rich-text preview.

Moreover, sync with iCloud, Dropbox, and WebDAV for importing. Create or modify text directly from other apps using the 1Writer URL scheme. To share text, share your document as plain text or PDF.

Additionally, the app has two dark themes and 20 different fonts. Writers can shape the app according to their style. Also, 1Writer has Touch ID/Face ID for those who want to create more secure documents. For more info, visit the app’s website .

1Writer on the App Store

Also Read: The Best Apps for Apple Pencil

Price: $5.99

Designed to make it easier to write with Markdown, Byword is among the best writing apps for iPad.Text documents can be synchronized on your Mac, iPhone, and iPad devices by Byword. Documents are always accessible in offline mode. Byword offers an alternative dark theme for extra comfort in low light conditions for writers who write for hours.

In addition, Byword provides the most complete support for Markdown, including footnotes, tables, and cross-references. Writers can export their documents to PDF and HTML documents and publish them on Medium, WordPress, Tumblr, Blogger, and Evernote with the Byword. Also, browse the app’s website for more information.

Byword on the App Store

Choosing the best writing app for your iPad depends on your specific needs and preferences. Whether you prioritize organizational tools, distraction-free interfaces, collaborative features, or stylistic aesthetics, the diverse array of writing apps discussed in this guide ensures that there’s an ideal option for every writer. Elevate your writing experience on your iPad with these best writing apps for iPad and let your creativity flow effortlessly onto the digital canvas.

Related posts:

• The 5 Best Grammar Checker Apps
• Apple’s Vision Pro Headset welcomes iPhone and iPad apps
• The 6 Best Calligraphy Apps
• The 10 Best Note Taking Apps
• COVID-19 Lockdowns Lead To A Spike In iPad App Downloads

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The Best Writing Apps For iPad To Write Anywhere Anytime

There are so many fantastic writing apps for iPad now. If you like to write on the move, it’s a winning combination.

You don’t need to carry around your laptop because any iPad, even an old one, has more than enough power and memory for writing apps.

It’s possible to write with the on-screen keyboard. But it’s more practical and efficient to use a keyboard cover. If you don’t have one, do a quick search on Amazon. They range in price, but you can usually find one to suit your budget.

Now you are equipped to write in a cafe, on a plane, in a park, or while waiting for a train. All you need to do now is choose your favorite writing apps.

In This Article

The best writing apps for iPad

When choosing your writing app, you need to decide what features you need. It is especially true if you want to write a book on your iPad .

Many of the free apps offer almost everything you require to write and save your work.

But of course, there are premium apps that can extend your functionality with many more features.

You should try a few to see how they work and if they can do the job for you.

Another factor with writing on an iPad is whether you need a wi-fi connection to save your work.

Most apps will save to your iPad and then sync your files when you are in wi-fi range again.

If you have an iPhone, you can always use your personal hotspot to connect.

The most important factor, however, is the ease of writing.

You don’t want to jump through hoops every time you start a new writing session. You just want to open an app and continue writing from where you left off.

So what are the best choices for writing apps for your iPad? Let’s look at some of the best options.

1. Apple Pages – Free

I have to start with the easiest and best solution.

Well, for me, anyway, it’s the best app for writers with an iPad.

I have used Apple Pages on my laptops and a bunch of iPads over the years.

For any form of writing, it’s one of the easiest apps to use on an iPad.

There are book templates that can get you up and writing in no time at all. For article and essay writers, there are lots of ready-made templates to choose from.

One great advantage is that you can start writing on your laptop and pick up where you left off on your iPad.

All your work is saved and synced on your iCloud account.

You can also use Pages to format an ebook for publishing and export it in an epub file.

You get 5 gigabytes of storage for free with your iCloud account, which is way more than enough to save your writing files.

2. Microsoft Word – Free

You can find the free Microsoft Word app in the App Store.

It’s basic, but you can write and edit your docx files with ease.

I save my Word files to my free Dropbox account, which works super well to sync my files between my iPad and Macbook Pro.

If you have a PC, this is also the best way to sync your files between a Windows computer and an iPad.

3. Novlr – Free and Premium

Novlr is a relatively new writing program for authors.

However, it is gaining popularity. The main reason, I think, is because of the simplicity of the program.

It’s super easy to use, so you can get started on writing straight away.

But when you dig a little deeper, you will find plenty of useful tools to help you write a book, even with the free version.

It’s a cloud-based app, so don’t need to install anything, just use it with any iPad browser.

4. Scrivener – Free trial – Premium

Almost every author knows about Scrivener.

It’s probably the most popular program for writing and publishing books.

It can take a little while to learn how to use Scrivener. But once you get through the learning curve, there are so many tools and features to help you organize, research, write, and publish your book.

While most authors probably use the laptop program, the iPad app allows you to write anywhere and anytime.

There is a generous 30-day free trial period if you are interested. Also, you won’t have to pay an annual subscription. The premium version is available for a one-time payment.

Price: $47.00 for a household Mac or PC license. $19.99 for the iOS app.

5. Google Docs – Free

There’s no doubt that Google Docs is a favorite for article and content writers.

While most writers use it on a laptop, there is an iPad app so you can write on the move.

As far as word processors go, it is probably the most popular after Microsoft Word.

It has every feature you could ever need to write, edit, and check.

6. WPS Office Suite – Free

If you have used Google Docs or Microsoft Word, you can work with WPS Office straight away.

WPS is similar to other free word processors .

It comes with the standard features you expect and is compatible with the most common word-processing file extensions .

But one of its best features is that you can drag and drop paragraphs. It is a practical idea.

Another great feature of WPS is tabbed documents. No need to keep hunting for open windows.

WPS also comes with a free cloud storage service that gives you 1 gigabyte of storage space for PC and iOS. The free iPad app is available on the App Store.

7. Grammarly Keyboard – Free

Grammarly is one of the most popular grammar checkers around, and you probably use it already.

But if you want to write on an iPad, you can use the free Grammarly Keyboard app.

It works for both free and premium Grammarly users, so it’s available for all writers.

While it is certainly not as extensive as the Grammarly editor on a computer, the app provides more than enough help to ensure error-free writing.

8. Apple Notes – Free

One last suggestion is Apple Notes, which is a default app on iPads and Macs and syncs between them.

It’s not the fanciest writing app, but there are enough basic formatting options to meet most writing needs.

Perhaps the best use is to keep a list of your writing notes and ideas so you can work on them on your iPad, laptop, or desktop Mac.

You have so many choices when it comes to writing apps for your iPad.

If you use a different writing program than the ones I have mentioned above, check the App Store to see if there is an app available.

There’s no need to be tied to your desk or office to write. Grab your iPad and write wherever you like.

I recall that when I was traveling a lot, I always took an iPad with me. I wrote chapters and chapters either on a plane, in an airport, or while on holiday.

You won’t use it all the time, but when you feel like a change of scenery, grab your iPad, and you’re ready to write.

Related reading: The Best Phone Apps For Writers Who Want To Write On The Go

About The Author

Derek Haines

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2 thoughts on “the best writing apps for ipad to write anywhere anytime”.

Yes, that can be a problem. But you can often find an old version. Try this article for details. macworld.co.uk/how-to/download-old-version-app-3681477/

If that doesn’t work, you could try updating your iPad iOS.

You said that Apple Pages works, no matter the age of your iPad. I just tried to download it onto my iPad, which is old, and it told me ‘it’s not compatible with this iPad.’

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7 minimalist writing apps for iPad

Super-clean writing space with a lot of configurability that stays out of sight when you don’t need it.

• Gorgeous writing space
• Silky-smooth typing
• Deep personalization (Pro)
• Markdown or Plain Text
• Syncs with iCloud
• Writes and edits texts with ChatGPT AI
• Publishes drafts to Medium, WordPress, or Ghost
• Exports to PDF, HTML, RTF, DOCX, image, or clipboard
• Works seamlessly across your iPhone, iPad, and Mac

Get focused. iA Writer offers a unique writing experience that lets you concentrate and clarify your message. Used by half a million people worldwide, its powerful interface is crafted to cut out noise, let you focus on what you want to say, and help you structure and trim your text. Available for Mac, iOS, Windows, and Android.

Simple and Powerful

No rulers, no formatting bars. iA Writer provides the crisp, uncluttered environment you need to write well, supported by discrete, powerful features, from Content Blocks, to Syntax Highlighting.

Focus and Flow

Focus is the key to good writing, and the guiding principle behind iA Writer. With shortcuts and simplified settings, you can keep your hands on the keyboard and your mind in the text.

Ownership and Control

We think every craftsperson should own their own tools, so when you download iA Writer, you own it. No forced subscriptions, microtransactions, or compatibility concerns. Your work, your files, your app.

Hack Your Syntax

Highlight parts of speech to improve your writing. Spot superfluous adjectives, weak verbs, and unwanted repetitions. Developers have long used syntax highlighting to improve their code. Now you can hack your text.

Power of Style Check

Style Check is like having a personal editor-in-chief on your device, carefully reviewing your text for redundancies, clichés and filler words as you type. It’s simple, different, and powerful.

The Original Focus Mode

Focus only on the sentence or paragraph that you’re working on. Introduced in 2010 with the original iA Writer, Focus Mode has since been copied by many writing apps. This is the original, and still (we think) the best.

Flexible Content Blocks

Swap sections around, add media, and construct your content with flexible building blocks of text, .csv tables and image files. Stitch separate chapters together into one master file. Express yourself through experimentation.

Optimized Typeface

We have created an innovative typeface for iA Writer, specifically designed to enhance the writing experience. The family comes in three flavors: classic Mono, Duo for larger screens, and Quattro for small devices.

Parallel PDF Preview

iA Writer now offers a live, paginated PDF preview, parallel to the text you are editing. Instantly see how your document translates into PDF pages, as you edit.

Advanced Markdown to Word Export

iA Writer features one of the most advanced Markdown-to-Word export functions available anywhere. Quickly export your Markdown documents to MS Word (and back too!). Includes support for tables, images and footnotes.

The Ultimate Writing App for Mac, iPad and iPhone. Powerful features and a pleasant, focused writing experience combined in one tool, made for people who love to write and write a lot — this is Ulysses.

Like 12 Fingers, 25 Hours a Day

Some things simply work better when you’ve got the right tool. Ulysses’ well thought-out features boost your productivity through the entire writing process; its distraction-free interface keeps you in the flow so you can get things done.

Projects Cannot Get Too Big

Be it college essays, blog posts, or the next Great American Novel: No matter what you’re working on, Ulysses is equipped for managing writing projects of all sizes and ambitions.

Built-In Proofreader and Editing Assistant

Write with confidence: Ulysses’ built-in grammar and style check helps you avoid mistakes and meet the right tone. Available for over 20 languages, it offers suggestions for capitalization, punctuation, semantics, redundancy, style and more.

Let Your Words Shine

After you’re done writing, Ulysses can turn your texts into beautiful PDFs, Word documents, ebooks and even blog posts. Everything is just a click away, with on-the-fly switching of styles and a live preview built right in.

iWriter Pro

iWriter Pro is elegant and minimalist text editor with built-in MultiMarkdown support.

Clean and Simple

iWriter Pro is designed to be easy yet powerful text editing app. It provides distraction-free writing experience with a bunch of handy features.

Markdown Highlighting

Markdown is a good way to format your text, apply styles, insert lists and block quotes. iWriter Pro automatically highlights text as you type.

iCloud Support

Use iCloud to store your documents. You can easily create, view and edit your files on Mac, iPad and iPhone devices.

Markdown Notes for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Bear is a beautiful, flexible writing app for crafting notes and prose.

Ready when you need it

Bear works on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, so you can write wherever inspiration strikes. Use todos to stay on task across every device.

Organize easily

Link notes to each other to build a body of work. Add hashtags to organize the way you think. Use Face/Touch ID to protect sensitive notes.

Write your way

Bear is perfect for everything from quick notes to in-depth essays. A focus mode helps you concentrate, and advanced markup options are an online writer's best friend. Full in-line image support brings your writing to life.

Gorgeous settings

Packed with beautiful themes and typography and Dark Mode, Bear makes your writing look great before and after publishing.

Keep notes safe

With Bear Pro, you can encrypt individual notes to keep them safe and lock Bear to keep away nosy friends, family, and coworkers. Set a unique password that only you know, use Face/Touch ID to open your notes, and know that your Bear is safe from everyone.

Edit and export

Bear's simple tools take the effort out of writing, whether you need to hit specific word counts and reading times, or you need to convert your writing into PDF and Word docs. With Bear's custom markup shortcuts, you can add style and links with just a tap or keystroke.

The joy of writing, elevated. A distraction free writing app built with an intelligent editor, smart organization & a design brought to perfection after years of iterations.

Practically magic

The pure joy of bringing words & thoughts to life is what makes writing magical. Unable to write freely, that flow is disturbed. It takes the magic away.

While most apps have a toolbar that makes you choose different options & rest of them support markdown with a syntax that is visible all the time...

Spaces blissfully integrates Markdown & hides all your syntax, as soon as you move your cursor away. It's practically magic!

People loveeeee Spaces

Thousands of people already in love, and we couldn't be happier! Just getting started.

Everything you need

Pin, archive, add to favorites or simply mark your notes as unread to visit them one more time. Sort your content into spaces using hashtags and/or add them into custom filters.

At your fingertips

All your options, spaces & filters available at a swipe with the gesture perfected to milliseconds after 100+ tests so that you get a flawless experience. Every. Single. Time.

An app you can trust

Spaces is built by a truly independant team of passionate people. All your data is synced using Apple Cloudkit.

We don't have access to your data, it is synced directly using Cloudkit, which also powers native Apple apps like iMessage, Reminders etc.

Markdown app for writing in plain text efficiently. Available for Mac, iPhone and iPad.

Draft a blog post, write that story or complete a school report wherever you are. Use Markdown to format text with easy keyboard shortcuts, subtle syntax highlighting, word counters with live update, and much more.

All your documents, on all your devices. With iCloud and Dropbox, you can create documents in Byword on your Mac and access them on your iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. And vice versa. You can edit them from anywhere, on any device you use.

Export & Publish

Byword includes complete Markdown support. Preview your documents in app, export to HTML, PDF, rich text, or publish directly to Medium, WordPress, Blogger, Tumblr and Evernote.

7 Best Essay Writing Apps For Students And Academics

In a rush? One of the best essay writing apps is Grammarly . Learn how these apps can help you with research paper writing!

To write a strong essay, you must follow a logical order when you organize your writing . If you omit this feature, your reader will become confused. Fortunately, there are numerous essay writing applications that can help you stay focused and organized. The best essay writing app for students should help you with grammar, proofreading, and writing style.

As you try to ease your writing load, you need to find applications that can help you with analytics, argumentative, narrative, expository, and critical writing. Whether you are looking for an essay writing app for PC, Mac, iPhone, or iPad, there are plenty of options out there. Take a look at the best essay writing apps, and find the right one to meet your needs.

1. ProWritingAid

2. grammarly, 3. hemingway, 4. ulysses, 5. evernote, 6. focus writer , 7. freemind, how we evaluated the applications, why trust our opinions, final word on the best essay writing apps, how does a writer app or writing software compare to a professional essay writing service, is there an automated tool that writes essays for you, can a brainstorming tool really help your writing process, essay writing resources.

Pricing: $79.00 per year or $20.00 per month. 

ProWritingAid  is a cloud-based editing tool for essay writing, copywriting, and blogging. This software can help you identify proofreading issues, eliminate mistakes, and correct punctuation in essays.

You have access to both a free version and a paid version. You can try the premium version for 14 days to decide whether you want access to the premium features. Premium features include optimizing word choice, avoiding cliches, and fixing sentence length issues.

ProWritingAid helps you improve your readability and writing style while also picking up grammar issues You can use ProWritingAid in Microsoft Word, Scrivener, Google Docs, and Chrome. Free users can only run 500 words at a time through the program.

• The interface is easy to use.
• There are numerous integrations available.
• You can access more than two dozen writing analysis reports.
• The free version is limited to only a few hundred words at a time.
• It can also take a long time to get used to the myriad features available.

ProWritingAid is a powerful, accurate grammar checker and style editor. It's suitable for non-fiction and fiction writers and doesn't require a monthly subscription. Save 20% per month or year.

Pricing: $139.95 billed annually or $25 per member per month. You may be able to negotiate a lower rate if you need multiple users for your business.

Grammarly is one of the strongest essay-writing apps available today. Grammarly helps you correct spelling mistakes, fix stylistic issues, and catches punctuation.

Grammarly has a free version and a premium version available. The free version can help you correct basic grammar , spelling, and punctuation issues. It can also help you optimize long sentences. 

The premium version gives you access to word choice issues, stylistic corrections, and even a plagiarism checker. The premium version can also automatically fix many of these mistakes, helping you save time during the editing process. There is no premium trial available. Grammarly is available as a browser extension and as a separate window into which you can upload documents. 

• Free version relatively powerful
• Contains built-in plagiarism checker
• Works everywhere
• Less suitable for longer essays
• Plagiarism checker is premium only

We tested dozens of grammar checkers, and Grammarly is the best tool on the market today. It'll help you write and edit your work much faster. Grammarly provides a powerful AI writing assistant and plagiarism checker.

Pricing: The web application is free, but the desktop version is $20.

Hemingway is known as a tool that can help you improve your readability score, but it is also a comprehensive proofreading tool.

Hemingway can point out sentences that are too complex for readers, helping you streamline your thoughts. As a virtual proofreader, it can make your sentences clear, concise, and bold.

As you write your essay , the editor will mark sentences that are deemed too complex. Then, you can let Hemingway go to work, picking up passive voice , comma splices, and even run-on sentences. By keeping your sentences short, you hold the attention of the reader. 

• Easy to use
• Ideal for copyediting
• No plagiarism checker
• No specific tools or checks for essays

Pricing: $4.99 per month of $39.99 for the year, following a 14-day free trial.

Ulysses  has been dubbed as the top writing app for Apple products such as Mac, iPad, and iPhone; however, the program is not compatible outside of Apple products. What sets Ulysses apart is that it can sync your files directly to the iCloud. Even if the original file is destroyed, you will not lose your work.

Ulysses uses something called markdown language. This helps you apply styles to your writing without having to worry about a formatting menu.

You can also take advantage of “focus mode,” which helps you streamline your writing to a single line and reduces on-screen distractions. Then, when you finish, you can export your files in a variety of formats to make it easier to finalize your work.

• You will store all of your writing in one place, eliminating the annoying back and forth between multiple folders and files.
• You can store older images of your files, reverting to them if you do not like your work.
• You can use the distraction-free interface to improve your productivity.
• The customer support team is exceptional.
• Ulysses is not available for Windows or Android.
• You do not have access to any pre-designed templates.

Pricing:  Evernote has a free tier, a plus tier at $34.99 per year, and a premium tier at $69.99 per year.

Evernote  is another application that can help with essay writing. The program is a cross-platform, note-taking application that is ideal for processing hand-written notes, such as the outline of a potential essay, or articles from the web, which can be helpful for a research paper. 

Evernote can store just about everything you would ever need, ranging from a simple typed note to an article you came across. That way, you never have to worry about losing your essay ideas. 

While Evernote is most popular among Mac users, it works on multiple devices. Evernote is available for Windows and Mac users, giving people offline access. Evernote also has a convenient Android and iPhone app. 

• Great for research
• Powerful note-taking features
• Fast, reliable sync
• Less enjoyable to write with
• Large libraries get clunky
• Not purpose-built for essays

Pricing: Free, but donations to the maker are encouraged.

Focus Writer  is a free word processor that is available across all major operating systems. This word processor is largely seen as an alternative to Microsoft Word.

Because Microsoft products can be expensive, a lot of students cannot afford them. Therefore, Focus Writer is growing in popularity. 

This tool will give you access to a wide variety of statistics including word count and character count. Furthermore, the program stores its files in an RTF format. This is read by most other word processors, so you can open your essays on other platforms when required.

• The tool is compatible with Mac, Windows, and Android products.
• It gives you access to important text statistics as you write.
• It is a strong word processor for students and writers on a tight budget.
• The program does not give you access to advanced proofreading or editing features.

Pricing: Free

FreeMind is a mind-mapping program that helps users create structured diagrams. If you have recently finished conducting your research and need to organize it before you start biting, this is the perfect program to help you.

You can also use this program to keep track of projects, tasks, and time. It is possible for you to brainstorm an essay, using different colors to show which parts of the essay you are referring to. Then, you can use these color-coding features to keep track of your essay as you write. 

Furthermore, the program comes with advanced DES encryption to help you protect your work. You can protect your work from accidental loss as you finish your project.

• The program is completely free to use.
• The diagram process is versatile for those writing essays in a variety of fields.
• There is DES encryption that protects your work from being lost.
• The diagram process can be challenging for people to use for the first time.
• It does not have a very flashy visual appearance, lacking numerous advanced features.

Because there are so many essay writing applications available, we used a variety of criteria to evaluate each program. Our testing criteria include: 

• The availability of each application across multiple platforms
• The ease of use of each individual application
• The variety of features available
• The price of the program in comparison to the features offered
• The security of each program

After testing the individual features of each program, we developed a ranking system designed for students, essayists, and research paper writers. 

There are several reasons why you should trust our opinions regarding essay writing applications. These include:

• We have written essays for a variety of reasons across multiple platforms.
• We have thoroughly tested all of these applications.
• We have paid close attention to the reviews, ratings, criticisms, and features of each individual application.

Even though everyone has slightly different needs when it comes to essay writing applications for academic papers, we are confident that one or more of these applications will meet your needs. 

Whether you are in high school, college, or working on your Ph.D., there are essay writing apps that can help you along the way. If you compare the benefits and drawbacks of each tool, you can find the right application to help you with your essays and research papers.

FAQs About The Best Essay Writing Apps

A professional service could be a stronger option than an automatic writing tool, but professional services will be more expensive.

Yes, there are tools that can write custom essays and short stories for you, but these programs often produce incoherent babble that will not improve your writing skills or make a good impression on your reader.

Yes. If you want to write a quality paper, you need to use a high-quality brainstorming process to get all of your ideas on the page. A strong writing software program can help you with that.

What is a Personal Essay?

Essay Writing Tips

Great Essay Writing Topics

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Bryan Collins is the owner of Become a Writer Today. He's an author from Ireland who helps writers build authority and earn a living from their creative work. He's also a former Forbes columnist and his work has appeared in publications like Lifehacker and Fast Company.

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10 Best iPad Apps For Writers

Are you a writer and fancy the idea of using your iPad to create more content? You are probably just a student and would love to utilise your device to complete pending assignments. Or you’re creative and need to take notes whenever an idea pops up unexpectedly.

You might be unaware, but the iPad contains numerous applications for writers and editors. Selecting one that meets your writing needs might be challenging. We’ve combed through the web, and here are the ten best iPad apps for writers. 

• Apple notes

Notability 

Microsoft word.

Before proceeding further, it’s essential to understand what to look for in an iPad app. Therefore, here are five factors to guide your app selection.

• Compatibility. Apps are designed differently depending on your device. Ensure there is enough space to accommodate your desired app. You’ll need to find out whether the app is compatible with other tools.
• Price There are a lot of free applications. However, others can be acquired at a fee, while others will require you to upgrade your plans.
• Performance. As a writer, you need to be clear about what you want to write. How do you intend to use the app? And what features would you like to see? 
• User experience. A customer rating defines the performance of the app. Go through the reviews and identify the pain areas. If they are persistent, that app is not for you.
• Support. Check out the options available to contact the customer support team. It’s essential to understand the support structure before things get worse.

As well as covering the main features, the review will also show you who’s best suited to using the app and their ratings and prices. Let’s dive right in to find out more.

Byword is an excellent choice for writers who create content for websites and blogs. It incorporates Markdown capabilities and is accessible via the iPad, iPhone, and Mac, and this allows you to convert your writing into PDF and HTML. 

Besides offering a great text editor, the app allows users to publish their content on Medium, WordPress, Blogger, Tumblr, and Evernote.

Other prominent features include;

• Manage your work both online and offline.
• Screen splitting 
• Word and character count
• Grammar checker
• Incorporated dictionary

The app is best suited for blog writers, student notetaking, and drafting an official email.

Rating : 4.4 stars

Price: $5.99.

The iA writer is designed with a minimalistic user interface. It stays clear from all the other non-writing features and provides the users with the needed environment to write. 

The iA Writer is a four-time award winner with commendations from The New York Times, The Guardian and Wired. 

Some of the notable features include;

• Markdown support
• Save and share content as PDF or HTML
• Direct posting to WordPress and Medium
• In-built editor
• Built-in dictionary/ thesaurus/ rhyming dictionary
• Offline and online writing capabilities

The app is best suited for blog writers, authors and anyone doing notetaking.

Rating : 4.5 stars

Price: Get it at $29.99

Ulysses is another writing app with minimalistic features that allow users to focus on writing. You can access it from either an iPad, an iPhone, or a Mac. This app enables creatives to capture their ideas while on the go. 

The key features include;

• Subscription option
• A 14-day trial
• Grammar and spelling checker
• Available in over 20 languages.

The app has a minimalist user interface with the main focus of giving the writer space to focus and write. 

The app is best suited for blog writers, screenplay writers, to-do lists, and novel authors.

Available for a monthly price of $5.99 .

The GoodNote app is ideal for organising and capturing ideas, thoughts, concepts, etc. All this is achieved by putting them down in a digital notebook, and you can access them on all of your devices through the iCloud platform.

Key features include:

• The app syncs with iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive.
• There is a variety of editing, formatting, and writing templates.
• Presentation capabilities are available.
• Ease of sharing using a link.
• Simplified editing function.
• Use the keyboard or the Apple pencil to write your notes.

You can use it as a student, during a meeting, to plan your to-do list, or on your shopping list during a meeting.

Rating : 4.8 stars

Price: Free an option. Upgrade for additional features at a price of  Price: $7.99 .

Journaling requires practice, and the best ideas often show up when you least expect them. The Simplenote app helps you create, organise, and execute your plans, and you can sync it with your mobile devices for ease of access. 

The key features to look out for include:

• Ease of team collaboration
• Organise your notes into tags and folders.
• Publish directly to wordpress
• Markdown component
• Find and replace option
• Use a password to lock your notes.
• Available in 20 languages.

It’s ideal for anyone who enjoys journaling, taking notes, learning, and working with lists.

Price: Free .

Notability is another great digital tool for notetaking and organisation. It is available on Mac, your iPhone and iPad devices. It’s been featured as Apple Editor’s Choice on various occasions as ranked highest on the App store.

Some of the prominent features to note include:

• Presentation mode helps you showcase your ideas on an external display.
• Record, save, and playback options.
• Ease of navigation with a drag and drop option
• Variety of tools, formats, fonts and layouts to choose from

It’s ideal for teaching, group presentations, notetaking, and creative writing.

Rating : 4.7 stars

Price: Free option . You can upgrade to a monthly $2.99 or an annual subscription of $11.99.

Writing gives birth to ideas, and AppleNotes is a companion that should help you capture those moments. The app syncs with iCloud and is available on all Apple mobile devices. 

It’s not only for note-taking but also to capture images, documents, and website links. 

What are the key features of this app:

• Scan photos, documents, and images.
• Create charts
• Secure using a passcode
• Collaborate and share concepts with teams.
• Available in over 30 languages

The app is suitable for writers, journalists, writers, students, and professionals.

Rating : 3.5 stars

Price: Free 

This is a great app for writers who are stagnant at the beginning or finishing that book. The app is designed to help writers accomplish what they started at each stage of their writing journey.

You can start by writing your plot, making an outline, breaking down your thoughts, and planning out your book. You can break down your manuscripts into sizeable pieces of content for you to follow through. Some of the other distinct features include:

• Useful editing tools like comments, highlights, etc.
• Various templates and formatting options exist.
• Customisable keyboard to suit the user.
• Compare research drafts and written content on screen.
• Multitasking screen split.
• Sync with iCloud and Dropbox.
• Organise and track your work using labels.

It’s ideal for screenplay writers, novelists, and authors.

Rating : 4.4stars

Price: $19.99

Werdsmith is designed with the writer in mind. It encourages you to give it your all and, in the end, brings out the best in you. From setting time limits to giving you writing prompts, this app provides you with the needed tools to finish writing.

Werdsmith journeys with you from planning your idea to giving it life and ultimately publishing it. Some of the notable features in the app include:

• Varied fonts and layouts are available.
• An AI idea generator.
• Passcode security option
• Filing system with folders
• You get to personalise your theme selection.
• Option to auto-save
• Cloud-based text editor
• Make any necessary changes to the font's colour and size.

It’s ideal for screenplay writers, novelists, and poets.

Rating : 4.7stars

Price: Free . Get an upgrade by purchasing a monthly or annual subscription for $4.99 or $49.99. 

Whether handling a class assignment or delivering a multimillion-dollar project, Ms. Word is your trusted writing partner. You can easily create, copy, paste, edit, and share your ideas. It’s available on your iPad and iPhone devices.

It’s flexible and available in desktop and mobile versions. Other features to look out for include:

• There are numerous templates for business or personal letters or posts.
• Strong formatting options
• Work and share concepts with teams.
• Sync with other mobile devices.

It’s ideal for students, resume writing, authors, bloggers, etc.

Price: The app is free . However, you can get additional features for personal and business use, which cost $6.99 and $10.99, respectively. 

These applications can boost your writing, and they allow for remote access. So, make the most of these top iPhone writing applications to improve your skills.

This article has demonstrated some fascinating possibilities for taking notes on your iPad. It's now easier than ever to acquire the benefits of pen and paper writing without sacrificing the organisational capabilities of digital tools.

Writing should, of course, become a habit. Select a suitable option from one of the ten best iPad apps for writers and reap its benefits. 

About The Author

Arielle Phoenix

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A practical guide to writing on the iPad

Apple didn't design the original iPad for writing. It was a device for reading or viewing media, not creating it. Over the years it has become a great portable writing tool. Many writers find it is better than a laptop.

Here we look at why the iPad could be the best option for you. We examine which iPad or keyboard to choose and outline the best iPad writing app.

On this page:

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From the outset it was clear the iPad could do more than display media.

It has evolved to the point where it can do everything a laptop can. Today’s iPads can be better than laptops for many creative tasks.

The iPad has clear advantages for people who need to write:

Long battery life . Sure, you can find laptops that will go the best part of a day between charges. Apple's MacBooks with the M1 or M2 processor sip electricity. You'll struggle to find a Windows laptop which beats an iPad for battery life.

Measure-for-measure, an iPad will last longer between charges than a conventional computer.

Focus . While you can now open side-by-side screens or use Stage Manager, iPadOS lends itself to doing one thing at a time. There is no clutter. With the iPad you can focus on writing without other apps distracting you. Turning off notifications and concentrating is easier. This is why you can see the iPad as the closest modern equal to a portable typewriter.

Portable . The iPad is more portable than any laptop. It can go places laptops don’t. The iPad Air weighs in at 460 grams. It will fit in a large pocket. The iPad Mini weighs 300 grams and is smaller again.

Robust . There are no moving parts on an iPad. No hinges. This makes it more robust than a laptop.

Work while standing . You can work on an iPad when you are standing. It is possible to type on the screen keyboard using your thumbs. I’ve done this at stand up press conferences and while waiting in queues to board planes. This means you can write in more places, more often. Yes, you can do that on a phone, but it’s not the best writing experience. It is not easy to write standing up with a laptop. The same applies if, say, you are sitting in a cramped cramped on a crowded flight or in a train. At a pinch you can tap out words holding the iPad in vertical or portrait mode when there’s no room for a keyboard. Being able to use the taller portrait orientation is an overlooked bonus. There are subtle ergonomic problems with writing across a wide screen. A wider column makes errors harder to spot. A narrow width is easier to proof-read. If you write words to print on paper, the display mirrors how your words will look on the finished document. In my experience, the smaller iPads work better when you are standing, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is more unwieldy.

Great screens . iPads have glorious, well-lit high resolution screens. Higher resolution means your eyes don’t tire as fast. You can work for longer stretches and concentrate for longer. Y

No waiting . An iPad is always ready to go the moment you switch on. Yes, modern laptops can do the same, but you can always start writing in seconds on an iPad.

You don’t need a high-end iPad for writing. Apple sells the 9th generation iPad with a 10.2 inch screen for NZ$649. It has everything you need to write. It is powerful enough to handle almost every writing app and has a screen you’ll have no trouble living with.

Likewise, the iPad mini, New Zealand prices start at NZ$1000, will fit in a pocket and can handle basic writing tasks. An iPad mini is realistically the smallest practical device for serious writing while on the move.

Writing on an iPad Pro with a suitable keyboard is not that different from writing on a laptop. The larger screen is easier to read than other iPads, especially if you have poor eyesight, but they all display your text clearly.

If writing is your focus, your model choice will determine which keyboards you can use. If use an Apple Pencil for note-taking, the iPad model determines your choices.

iPads come with a range of storage options. Upgrading storage isn't practical, which means you need to be careful when buying.

Base level iPad storage options start at 64GB. Smaller models can store up to 256GB, although the iPad Pro goes all the way to 2TB of storage.

By 2023 standards, 64GB is not a lot of storage. You can get by, but the moment you decide to keep music or video libraries on your iPad you'll bump up against limits.

Go with the 256GB model if your budget can stretch that far. At the time of writing that will add NZ$300 to the device price. Often you'd do better trading down to an iPad with more storage than buying a more powerful device that runs out of storage.

It's easy to overbuy storage on an iPad Pro. You are unlikely to need 2TB unless you need to keep vast amounts of video and audio files with you all the time. A 512GB model will be enough for most iPad Pro buyers. Remember, you can offload rarely used files to cloud services.

Consider other tasks when choosing Given you can use every iPad for writing, let the other tasks you plan for the device determine your choice.

Even when you add a keyboard, iPads are smaller, lighter and more portable than most laptops. Apple’s MacBook Air gets close. The nearest non-Apple competitor would be a Microsoft Surface tablet.

If money is no object, you can choose the iPad that you find comfortable to read. If it is an object, pick the iPad you can afford.

Do I need a Sim-card iPad?

Few writers need Sim-card equipped iPads that can connect to cellular networks.

You’ll find Wi-Fi is available in many of the places where you will want to write. Where it isn’t, you can tether your iPad to your phone and connect that way.

Tethering works with both iPhones and Android phones. The experience is better and smoother if you have an iPhone, but don’t get hung up on this point, it isn’t a deal breaker. Android phones work fine.

Cellular adds around NZ$220 to the price of a Wi-Fi iPad. Spend the money saved on storage or a better keyboard.

A keyboard isn’t essential if you own an iPad. You can do a lot without one and there is always the Apple Pencil and handwriting recognition . Apple’s new Scribble feature can change the way you think about your iPad .

But this post is about writing on an iPad. A keyboard makes that easier.

There is no shortage of iPad keyboards to choose from. Any iPad will work with any Bluetooth keyboard, but only a handful of keyboards are made to fit exactly to each iPad model.

When you buy an iPad, chances are someone will attempt to sell you a keyboard as an add-on. It makes sense to buy the keyboard at the same time. If the salesperson is knowledgeable, they can help you get the right keyboard for your iPad. They can also help you get the one that suits you best and let you look closer at your options.

Apple keyboards are the obvious choice. But not always and not for everyone. Choose the keyboard you feel comfortable with. That’s from both an ergonomic point of view and from a budget point of view.

Whether you choose an Apple keyboard or an alternative, match it with your iPad. Keyboards double up as protective covers. A better fit means better protection. This sounds obvious, but I've come across people who run into trouble with the wrong iPad keyboard.

The other thing to watch is that not every Apple iPad keyboard is available for every model. Buying at the same time as the iPad from a retailer who knows what they are doing can save you problems later.

At NZ$620 a pop, Apple’s Magic Keyboard is an expensive, Rolls Royce option. You can use it for writing on an iPad Air or an iPad Pro. It doesn't fit the less expensive iPad models.

It’s a good keyboard but it is not perfect.

You might expect that when you use it at a desk or on a flat surface it differs from the laptop keyboard experience.

That's not the case. The top part, that's the iPad, is heavier than the keyboard. Together, the iPad plus Magic Keyboard, weigh more than a MacBook Air .

There are two hinges, the second one allows you to adjust the viewing angle.

The keys are excellent for typing. I'm a touch typist and can run into problems with some tablet keyboards. This one is touch-typeable from the moment it's opened. Keys are backlit, something that doesn't happen on the less expensive Apple keyboards. And there is a touchpad, which works exactly as you'd expect.

The Apple Smart Keyboard Folio is a less expensive alternative. There are models for iPad Pros and iPad Airs. Prices start at NZ$390.

This is the keyboard I choose when I’m on the move. It has the best balance of function and price. Again, it gives the iPad a laptop feel. Yet it is more flexible and feels less robust than the Magic Keyboard.

It doesn't offer backlighting and there is no trackpad. My Smart Keyboard Folio is now coming up to four years old and is showing signs of wear and tear. It doesn't last anything like as long as the iPad.

If you have a 10th generation iPad, not the Pro, not the Air, then the NZ$530 Magic Keyboard Folio is the top choice. It's not as flexible for positioning as the iPad Magic Keyboard, but the keys and the trackpad are as good. I found it easy to touch type.

Apple's Smart Keyboard is compatible with the iPad, 3rd generation iPad Air and 10.5 inch iPad Pro. Prices start at $320. It's the most basic Apple iPad keyboard, but covers all the bases and gets the job done. I found it harder to adapt my touch-typing technique to the Smart Keyboard, but got there soon enough.

Not all Apple keyboards are available for all iPads. If you buy a more expensive iPad, you'll need a more expensive Apple keyboard.

A word of warning. Apple iPad keyboards flex more than you might expect if you are typing on your lap. When used this way they are not as solid as laptops.

Logitech iPad keyboards

Beyond Apple's own keyboards, Logitech is the best alternative. You could argue some models are better than their Apple equivalents.

There's a wide range to choose from. Again, different keyboards work with different iPad versions. The difference between Apple and Logitech keyboards is price. You can save up to a third of the price for similar functionality.

On the whole Logitech keyboards work as well as Apple models. All keyboards mentioned here double as protective covers for iPad screens. Logitech keyboards do this a little better than Apple's keyboards. The Logitech keyboard plus iPad combinations are thicker than the Apple ones and the function keys differ.

Brydge makes hard shell keyboards that turn your iPad into a laptop. You end up with something that feels like a MacBook. I haven't seen the recent Bridge keyboards, but when I borrowed one for review, it was heavier than Apple's. The keys were smaller. Of all the keyboards mentioned here I found the Brydge keyboards harder to type on. Yet they could be perfect for you.

All keyboards designed to work with iPads offer a degree of protection. That’s important if you are mobile. iPads are not fragile. Yet once you start moving the potential for dropping them or other damage increases.

Sometimes I use a first generation Apple Bluetooth keyboard and a mStand tablet from Rain Design to hold the iPad. It’s a simple and elegant approach. There are many other options. Any store that sells iPads will have a selection.

As mentioned earlier, you can write on an iPad using an Apple Pencil and handwriting recognition. There are two Pencils, Apple calls them the first and second generation models.

Which one you can use depends on your iPad model. Each iPad only supports one Pencil generation. The first generation Pencil costs NZ$200 and the second costs $280.

The main difference between generations is how the Pencil charges. The second generation Pencil is flat and magnetised on one side. It connects to the side of the iPad for charging.

First generation Pencil charge through the blunt end, which looks clumsy, but works fine in practice. On the down side, you have to remove the cap and it is easy to lose that cap. The older Pencil was round, which means it can roll off a table or desktop, the flat side on the second generation Pencil stops that from happening

Apple's free Notes app comes with every iPad. It's great for taking short handwritten notes and has text recognition built in. It's a good place to try the Pencil before spending money on a third-party app.

To use immediate handwriting recognition in Notes chose the pencil tool marked with an A.

The alternative is use another pencil tool, then highlight and choose to convert the word.

Both approaches are fast on even a modest iPad. The technology is forgiving, I have terrible handwriting and it gets about 95 per cent of what I write.

GoodNotes is a great third-part alternative to Apple Notes. It uses a notebook metaphor. You can write a limited number of notes in one of three "notebooks" for free, then you need to pay a one-off US$15 for unlimited use. Paying also unlocks the handwriting recognition feature.

Text recognition is as fast as on Apple Notes and, without extensive testing, the accuracy appears to be on a par with Apple's.

GoodNotes is a better choice than Notes if you plan to use your iPad more for handwriting than typing. There's a strong search feature and note organisation and sharing is a strength. It won the Apple 2022 iPad App of the Year award.

GoodNote's main competitor is Notability from Ginger Labs. You can download the app for free but that doesn't include handwriting recognition and only allows a limited number of edits. To get the full app you need to buy an annual subscription.

Ginger Labs is coy about the price of the subscription, you don't get to see the price until you install the app. I don't like that.

The price appears to change from country to country. When I checked on my iPad, the subscription was $21, although it isn't clear if that is NZ dollars or US dollars. Either way that makes Notability more expensive than Goodnotes. The price is hard to justify.

Noteful is like Goodnotes and Notability, but doesn't have handwriting recognition.

In use, there's a delicious minimal user interface. The app uses the notebook metaphor. It offers something called "layers". That's an idea familiar to people who use photo editing or graphic design software. Searching for notes is harder work in Noteful than in its rivals.

Like Ginger Labs, the company is coy about disclosing its price until you have the app loaded on your iPad. You need to pay a one-off US$5 to unlock all the features, which is reasonable, but transparent pricing would be better.

If you have a Microsoft Office subscription, OneNote is an option. It has good basic handwriting recognition. But it is more clumsy than the alternatives and impractical for anything more than the shortest phrases.

There's a wide range of word processors, text editors and other writing apps for iPad. You'll recognise the names of a few, they are iPad versions of popular apps for PCs and Macs. This guide is not comprehensive, but it covers the important options and the ones you are likely to come across.

Pages is not the best-known, the most popular or the perfect writing tool, but comes free with every iPad and Mac. It's the iPad writing app you'll see first.

It is part of Apple's own productivity software suite: iWorks. Alongside Pages, iWorks includes Numbers, a spreadsheet and Keynote, a presentation manager.

Apple and everyone else describes Pages as a word-processor, which is true. Yet unlike other word-processors, Pages focuses on page design.

In a sense it sits somewhere between Microsoft Word and Adobe InDesign although it has far fewer features than both. That said, you could write and layout a print magazine or a book with Pages.

Page design works better than you might expect on an iPad. While you'll get better results with a large screen iPad Pro, working on an 10-inch iPad is possible. Pages is ideal, a better bet than Word or Docs, if you plan to create Apple Books or PDFs.

Apple's Pages could be all the word processor you need. It will open documents created with Word or Google Docs and you can send Pages documents in the Word format. Round trips work fine almost all the time. I've seen problems with earlier versions of Pages, not with the current Pages 12.

You can deal with corrections and Track Changes between Word and Pages documents.

Presenter mode

There’s one Pages feature I love, even if it is not my first choice for writing on the iPad. Presenter Mode turns the iPad into an autocue. When I’m on a long radio broadcast, presenting live or doing similar work I use it as a prompt.

Pages has better cloud support than Word, but you will need an Apple iCloud account to make use of this. While Pages' online collaboration is superior to Word, Google Docs is better again.

Apple's Pages templates are better than Microsoft's basic Word templates. If you are new to word processing, Pages is easier to learn and master. That said, if you have learned Word elsewhere, there may be some unlearning to do before you get on top of Pages.

Pages isn't the best writing tool for everyone. Yet it is a solid option that is free and simple. At the very least, you should give it a try before spending money on another iPad writing app.

Microsoft's Word is good on an iPad. If you know Word from a laptop or desktop, Windows or MacOS, you'll be immediately at home.

All the important features for everyday folk are here. The app is the most feature rich iPad word processor. Word power users might miss advanced features, they are not the target market.

Add a decent keyboard to your iPad and the Word experience is on a par with that laptop or desktop. I'd argue the experience is better. Because there are fewer features the user interface is less cluttered, easier to navigate.

While the interface will be familiar and easy to use if you know Word, it won't challenge newcomers. There are points where it doesn't act like other iPad apps, especially when storing or retrieving files. Then there are the needy messages from Microsoft

Microsoft designed Word on the iPad to work with its own OneDrive cloud service. The chances are you'll need a Microsoft subscription to use the app and storage comes as part of that subscription. It's possible to access files stored on the iPad or in iCloud direct from Word, but that's not the first choice. Microsoft has added an impressive array of alternative cloud storage choices.

Another way Word departs from the standard iPad user interface is the way it relates to the keyboard. There are keyboard shortcuts you may know from the Mac or PC that work, others don't. You'll find out with practice.

Word remains the most feature rich and complete iPad word processor. If you use Word on a laptop or desktop it will be familiar. The interface doesn't always act like a standard iPad app, but there's nothing that is likely to be a barrier for most people.

The app is a free download. The software remains free if your iPad's screen is smaller than 10.1 inches. Beyond that you'll need a Microsoft 365 licence. A one person licence is NZ$120 a year, prices are different overseas. It covers you on up to five devices including tablets and conventional computers. The 365 Family licence at $165 a year means up to six people can use the software.

If you need Word to work on your iPad at home, check if your employer or place of study has a licence you can use.

Word isn't the right iPad writing app for everyone. If you already use it or know it, it can make sense to stick with what you know. For many users it offers far more than you might need or want to pay for.

If you love Office or Word, but are on a tight budget, there's a free web version of Office that works fine on an iPad. It's had other names over the years. These days Microsoft calls it ' Office '.

There are ways the web version of Office is like Google Docs. Like Google Docs, it stores your finished documents online. In this case Office uses Microsoft OneDrive, not Google's cloud storage. Microsoft Office online can't handle files larger than 2GB. This is not going to trouble anyone unless documents contain embedded media.

Microsoft's web version of Office has fewer features than the PC or Mac version. It is closer to the iPad version. The user interface is distinct from both the PC and the iPad versions. You will need a live and consistent internet connection to use the online app. In practice you'll notice more lag than when writing on the other Word apps. This has little to do with connection speed. I tested on a gigabit fibre connection and the latency was the same as on a slower connection.

The online version will open any file format supported by the desktop Word app. Saving to the OneDrive cloud is automatic. There are tools for sharing documents with colleagues. If sharing is important to you, Google Docs does this better.

You can use Google Docs two ways on the iPad. It will work as a web app in your iPad's Safari browser or you can download and install the free iPad app. You'll get a better experience using the browser version, you need a decent internet connection for that. If you want to use Google Docs offline there is an iPad app, but it's mediocre compared with the other options on this page.

The free online version of Google Docs is almost identical to the version in the paid-for Google Workspace. New Zealand prices for Google Workspace start at NZ$9 a month for a plan with 30 GB of storage. A version with 2 TB of storage is a heft NZ$18 a month. This is more expensive than Microsoft Office. The most noticeable difference between the free and paid versions of Google Docs is that it is harder to create templates in the free version.

Google built Docs for online work. It is the best option if you collaborate on documents with remote colleagues. It's less powerful than Office and has fewer features than most of the other choices listed on this page. Getting started is easier, but you can rub up against limitations.

Things get tricky when you have large documents. The app is fine for up to a couple of thousand words. It starts to slow down as the file grows and would be slow if you were editing an entire book.

One downside is there can be problems if you lose your internet connection or you want to work offline, say while on a flight. The Google Docs iPad app helps, it can store documents in the iPad's memory. You have to sign into a Google account before using the app online or offline. This can be tricky, in the past I've found myself logged out while offline and unable to use the app.

I recommend using Google Docs if you already use the app elsewhere or if you work with others using the app. Otherwise you can do better elsewhere.

Collabora Office is a promising mobile open source document editing suite based on LibreOffice . It's compatible with Microsoft Office and works with the Open Document Format. There's iPad app and an online version. The app is free for "testing", a subscription std US$20 a year.

My 2021 Collabora Office review warns the software wasn't ready for everyday use and that it jars with iOS. Both remain true. There are fewer bugs and the software is more stable, but it is hard going. You'd need to be an open source devotee to choose it, and people who feel that way are less inclined to use an iPad.

Markdown is a markup (yes that does sound odd) language used to format text with simple codes. Type a single hash # character at the start of the line for a top level head, two hashes means second level head and so on. It takes seconds to learn, a day to master.

This approach leaves formatting that is easy for humans to read. You can create Markdown using a text editor. Markdown editors will show you how your formatting looks in a finished document. You can send finished Markdown documents direct to WordPress or Ghost blogs. Markdown editors usually let you convert them into other word processor formats.

It's possible to start writing on your iPad using IA Writer, make edits on an iPhone using a text editor and finish on, say, a desktop using Byword.

On one level there is nothing fancy or complicated about IA Writer . That's its attraction. You can start laying down words within minutes.

In recent years the app's developers have added more features. Yet it retains its simple user interface. It hides that added complexity from sight until you need it. Many users never will.

The minimal interface lets you focus on putting words on the screen. Coupled with the iPadOS, it becomes the closest thing you can get to an old school typewriter and paper.

One feature you may find useful is the style checker which helps improve your writing. It looks for clichés, fillers or redundancies but leaves it up to you to do anything about them.

In the past Writer forced you to store documents in an iCloud or Dropbox account. Now you can save them on your iPad, a better idea if you ever work away from an internet connection.

IA Writer’s price continues to climb faster than inflation. When I first bought the software I paid NZ$3. It was a promotional price when the app was in its infancy. Today the software costs NZ$50. If you buy the iPad version, you can use it on an iPhone at no extra cost. Buying the MacOS version will set you back another $50. It remains good value, but is no longer something you can afford and then discard if it doesn't work for you. Luckily there are free trial versions.

Byword is a great alternative to IA Writer on the iPad. It has a much lower NZ$10 price, which makes it a bargain. Byword has the same minimalist user interface.

Like IA Writer, Byword co-operates with blogs like WordPress or Medium and plays nice with Evernote. If anything Byword is simpler to use and easier to learn than its main rival.

Byword can look better on an iPad screen than IA Writer. You can choose the font and the size of your type.

Unlike IA Writer, which gets constant attention and new features, Byword has changed little in close to a decade. This doesn't have to be a bad thing, the app is stable and does what it sets out to do without fuss.

Scrivener (NZ$24 in the App Store) sits at the opposite end of the writing app spectrum from Markdown editors like IA Writer or Byword.

Markdown editors hide complexity. Scrivener is about providing the all the complexity a writer needs in one place.

In a sense, Microsoft Word is a more appropriate point of comparison. Although in practice the gulf between Scrivener and Word is as wide as the gulf between it and IA Writer.

In a sense, Microsoft Word is a more appropriate point of comparison than the Markdown editors. Although in practice the gulf between Scrivener and Word is as wide as the gulf between it and IA Writer.

If anything Word requires even more work to master than Scrivener. People don't notice that effort because they pick up the complexity of Word almost by osmosis. It can take years, often starting at school.

Switching to Scrivener means doing all that learning in a matter of days or weeks. It's a steep learning curve. You may find it rewarding if your brain thinks in the right way. I'm afraid it doesn't work for me.

Literature and Latte, the company behind Scrivener, built it for ambitious writing jobs. There are tools to help, such as a cork board for keeping notes. You can attach the parts of your project to a single file and even colour code them making them easier to navigate.

Because Scrivener is complex, users tend to have a few windows open as they work. This lends itself to a large screen on the desktop. No doubt there will be Scrivener fans reading this who love the app running on a small MacBook. Yet, I'd argue the app works best with a larger screen.

Which brings up to the iPad version of Scrivener. Why might you choose it? The iPad app is feature rich although it doesn't include everything in the desktop version, although it does include the cork board.

Literature & Latte's marketing suggests the iPad app complements the desktop app. You might use it when working away from your desk or in the field researching. It allows you to push on while on an airplane flight or a train journey. To this end, everything you do on the iPad syncs with your desktop project.

I suspect, but don't know, that few people use the iPad app without also using Scrivener on the desktop. If it sounds like something you need, try the free desktop download first before buying the app.

Ulysses uses the same Markdown formatting as iA Writer and Byword. It adds more word processor-like features. This sounds contradictory. Yet it marries a minimalist look and feel with background complexity. You’ll either love it or it will bewilder you.

Like Scrivener, Ulysses - the company shares the app's name - pitches its software at people working on complex projects. And like Scrivener it also caters for people writing smaller articles. It has tools to help you publish direct to popular blog sites.

The Markdown in Ulysses is somewhat non-standard. You may struggle at first moving to the app after using another Markdown editor. If you haven't used Markdown before, this won't be an issue.

At first look, Ulysses is pretty where Scrivener's cluttered look is ugly. It doesn't take long before Ulysses can become as cluttered.

Tools like the goal display telling you how many words you still need to write can be both a distraction and a source of demotivation.

The elephant in the room with Ulysses is its price. The app is a free download. A subscription costs NZ$11 a month or $75 a year which is expensive for what is, at core, a Markdown editor with trimmings.

Most apps with a similar functionality have a one-off price. The desktop version of Scrivener has a one-off price of NZ$100.

A family licence for Microsoft Office that includes Word, other apps and storage for up to six people is NZ$165. You can run the software on iPads, laptops, desktops or phones.

The NZ$75 Ulysses subscription allows you to use both the desktop and iPad versions

If Ulysses is right for you and gels with your thought processes, the price is a bargain. You'll recover it in no time. Otherwise, do your wallet a favour and consider everything else first.

Other writing apps

Wordprocessors, Markdown editors and text editors are not your only options. A handful of iPad users choose to write documents using Bear . It's a flexible note-taking app that blurs the distinction between a notes app and an editor. Another option is Evernote , although it is more about note-taking, less about writing. Simplenote is a free alternative.

• Take the path of least resistance. If your employer or school pays for a Microsoft Office or Google Workspace account, use it. You won't have to pay anything, there should be support and you won't have to learn how to use an alternative.
• Otherwise, look at Apple Pages first. It's free, works well on the iPad's touch screen and Apple designed it with the entire ecosystem in mind. It should have all the features you need. Best of all, you can start writing in Pages on your iPad and switch to working on an iPhone or Mac without missing a beat.
• If you are coming from another writing tool, take time to adjust to Pages. It's worth the effort and you'll save money that might be better spent elsewhere.
• An alternative strategy is to choose radical simplicity. Markdown editors like IA Writer or Byword let you focus on your words in the most efficient way possible. Disclosure: this is what I do.
• Invest time and money finding the keyboard that works best for you. While it's easy to buy devices online, it pays to go to a store and try keyboard options before parting with any cash.

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Best AI writing apps for iPhone and iPad in 2024

With its remarkable advancements, artificial intelligence has emerged as a game-changer in the world of writing. AI writing assistant apps have become a must-have for writers due to their ability to improve writing experiences and efficiency. In this article, I will introduce you to the best AI writing assistant apps for iPhone and iPad.

Essentially, AI writing apps use natural language processing (NLP) and artificial intelligence (AI) technology to serve users. They are designed in such a way that they can analyze text and provide feedback or suggestions to improve the user’s overall content. Now that we have a basic understanding of what these apps do, let’s look at the entries!

• ParagraphAI

1. Grammarly – Editor ‘ s choice

When compiling a list of top AI writing apps for iOS devices, Grammarly is the first app that comes to mind. This app is capable of performing various tasks, such as checking spelling and grammar, improving sentence structure, and enhancing clarity in your content.

One of the app’s most significant features is its privacy policy. The developers have ensured that user privacy is taken seriously, and they have committed to never selling or renting out user data. You can refer to the company’s privacy policy page for more information on this.

Grammarly’s keyboard has a variety of functions, including real-time writing suggestions, tone detection, multiword text predictions, smart autocorrect, and even emoji predictions and a search bar. Additionally, the app has a Safari extension that provides spelling and grammar checking for writing on websites.

For those who require more advanced features, Grammarly also offers a premium version. This version provides suggestions on tone, style, and the use of active versus passive voice, which can significantly improve the quality of your writing. Furthermore, Grammarly has a browser extension that can be used while writing on the web.

• Compliments you regularly
• Illuminates your writing
• Provide great suggestions
• Simple to use AI
• Suggestions get influenced by your tone in the long run

Price: Free (In-app purchase starts at $29.99)

2. ParagraphAI – Smooth AI writing assistant iOS app

This revolutionary AI writing assistant app has taken the world by storm. As per the company’s claims, their app is the first of its kind, powered by GPT-3 and developed by brilliant engineering minds from Meta, MIT, and OpenAI. This app’s multi-lingual keyboard is intended to assist students and professionals to quickly write high-quality articles, emails, and messages.

Whether you’re writing an essay, a report, or responding to an email, the app can generate text in any format you want. With the tone and voice adjustment feature, you can fine-tune your AI text to the level you prefer. Additionally, I’d suggest you have a look at our guide to efficiently using ChatGPT on your iPhone .

One of the app’s most impressive features is its ability to respond to emails, messages, and chats in real-time. You can get an immediate AI response in your desired tone with a simple copy and paste. This saves you time while also allowing you to stay on top of your communication game.

Additionally, the app includes a grammar and tone improvement feature that checks and corrects rough draughts and outlines with professional spelling, grammar, and vocabulary. Its AI sentiment analysis ensures that you say what you want to say in the appropriate tone.

• Easy-to-use UI
• Can set writing tones
• Worth to price
• Not for iPad

Price: Free (In-app purchase starts at $24.99)

3. Genius – The smart AI chat assistant for iPhone

If you’re looking for an AI writing assistant who can help you with everything from research to writing, Genius is a great option. Because of the AI’s advanced capabilities, it can comprehend and respond to a wide range of topics, making it an excellent tool for you.

Genius can help you with anything from complex research and developing new ideas to write compelling prose. You can be confident that the app’s content will be accurate and engaging because it uses GPT to understand and write like a person.

However, with the premium version of the app, you can unlock unlimited requests, allowing you to use the app as much as you want without worrying about exceeding the limit. Furthermore, if you are a first-time subscriber, you will receive a 3-day free trial period to test out the app before committing to a subscription.

While Genius is a powerful tool, there may be instances where the information it provides is incorrect or incomplete. As a result, the app’s creators are not liable for incorrect information, and users should avoid entering any personal information into the app. However, if you use Genius responsibly and with caution, it can be an extremely useful and versatile writing assistant app.

• Good suggestions
• Simple user interface
• Allow you to check the history
• Consumes a lot of time while generate responses
• Irregular updates

Price: Free (In-app purchase starts at $9.99)

4. Chatsonic – AI Chat Assistant

Chatsonic is an AI writing assisting tool that uses advanced machine learning algorithms to help you research and improve your content. Its ability to adapt to your writing style is also impressive. The smart app learns from your writing patterns and preferences, resulting in more personalized and relevant writing suggestions in the future.

I appreciate the iPhone writing app for its wide range of writing features which includes grammar and spelling checks, contextual synonym suggestions, and structural recommendations. Furthermore, it can analyze text for readability and make suggestions to improve the text’s flow and coherence.

In my opinion, it’s a fantastic tool for both new and experienced writers. The app can inspire and guide those struggling with writer’s block or difficulty organizing their thoughts. Moreover, the writing apps have a user-friendly interface and intuitive design that simplifies the writing process.

The app is excellent for both individual writing and team collaboration. It allows multiple users to work on a document at the same time and provide real-time feedback and suggestions. Furthermore, the app includes  cloud storage , allowing you to access and share your work from any device. In short, an app is a must-have tool for writers looking to improve their writing skills and productivity.

• Response time is less
• High-quality content
• Beginners friendly built
• Can add more features with the free version

5. Wordtune – The customizable writing assistant

Wordtune is a powerful writing tool that leverages artificial intelligence to improve the quality and effectiveness of your writing. Whether you’re drafting an email, a blog post, or a report, its intuitive interface and advanced algorithms can help you fine-tune your message and communicate more effectively with your audience.

It offers a variety of customizable options – such as Tone & Length, Translates, and Rewrite – at the same time to help you tailor your writing to your specific needs and goals. The app can help you achieve your goals and realize your full potential, whether you’re a professional writer or just looking to improve your written communication skills.

One of the key benefits of the app is its ability to help you save time and increase productivity. The app’s suggested alternative phrasings and vocabulary choices can help you write faster and more efficiently without sacrificing quality or clarity. Furthermore, the multi-platform support allows you to use the app wherever you write, whether on your desktop, laptop, or mobile device.

Wordtune is a fantastic resource for non-native English speakers looking to improve their writing abilities and expand their vocabulary. By providing real-time suggestions and feedback, the app can help you learn new words and idioms, improve your grammar and syntax, and better understand the nuances of the English language.

• Straightforward app
• Packed with a plethora of features
• Quick to respond
• Not available for iPad
• Sometimes logs out automatically

6. Writecream – Content generator

Writecream is a content writing app for iPhone that can save you countless hours of writing time. It can generate unique and plagiarism-free content in minutes thanks to its advanced algorithms. Whether you need assistance with a blog post, a novel, or a script, the app’s powerful features can help you quickly create compelling content.

The app’s ability to generate intro and conclusion paragraphs, as well as an outline for your content, is one of its most useful features. This feature is especially useful for those experiencing writer’s block or who need to quickly jot down their ideas. It can also generate content for all sections and sub-sections of your work, making it a versatile writing tool.

Aside from content generation, the app also includes various copywriting tools. You can make use of tabs like paraphrasing, summarizing, and rewriting to improve your writing and create more engaging content.

The app is a versatile and essential writing assistant app for writers, authors, freelancers, SEO copywriters, marketing agencies, startups, and enterprises, thanks to its automated content ideas and customizable AI tools.

• Write plagiarism-free content
• Include copywriting tools
• Uses advance algorithm
• The quality of the content generated needs improvement

Price: Free (In-app purchase starts at $8.99)

7. Pure AI – Human bot writing assistant

A pure AI chatbot is a virtual assistant that is designed to interact with users through text or speech. It understands user queries and responds accordingly using natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning algorithms. It can also be used to create a wide range of content, such as news articles, product descriptions, social media posts, and more.

The app can also be integrated with content management systems, allowing content creators to produce high-quality content more quickly. AI writing has numerous benefits, including increased  productivity , improved accuracy, and cost savings.

Pure AI chatbots, unlike traditional chatbots, are highly intelligent and can learn from every interaction to improve their responses. The app can handle complex queries and provide users with personalized responses, making it ideal for customer service, sales, and marketing. Furthermore, they can automate repetitive tasks, allowing human resources to focus on more critical tasks.

• The efficiency of the app
• Quick learning ability
• Lack of creativity
• Technical issues

Price: Free (In-app purchase starts at $4.99)

Siri  is a voice-activated digital assistant that uses artificial intelligence to understand and respond to your requests and commands.

No, there is no official ChatGPt app for your iPhone. However, you can use the AI tool in a variety of ways.

Is AI leveling up the writing game?

With a variety of features that can assist writers of all levels in improving their writing skills and producing high-quality content, the above apps are a must-have for any iPhone or iPad user. The apps will change how you write and practice your craft, from suggesting corrections to providing writing prompts. What are your thoughts on my list of AI writing assistant tools? Your feedback is welcome in the comments section.

• How to set up and use Google Assistant on iPhone and iPad
• How to fix “Erase Assistant is not Supported On This Mac” error
• Elephas app: An AI writing assistant for Mac
• Best AI art generator apps for iPhone

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The 10 Best iPad Apps for Your Apple Pencil

Quick links, apple notes, astropad slate, linea sketch, affinity designer 2, sticker doodle.

An Apple Pencil can help turn your iPad into an even more powerful computing device, especially if you have the right apps installed. Here are some of the best apps to use with an Apple Pencil on your iPad.

Before you jump into the abyss of amazing third-party apps, don't forget that Apple Notes is one of the best note-taking apps available for Apple users . The built-in Notes app fully supports the Apple Pencil, and it works flawlessly.

Make a new note, then just start writing with the Apple Pencil. You can scribble, draw, or do whatever else you want. Tap the Pencil icon at the bottom to reveal the toolbar. From here, you can switch to a pen or a marker tip and pick any color you want.

Tap the lasso tool icon to make a section. With it, simply draw over part of the note, and you'll be able to pick it up and move it around.

The best reason to use Apple Notes as a quick note-taking app is its integration with iPadOS. Tap on the Lock screen with your Apple Pencil, and you'll instantly open the Notes app with either a blank note or the last note you accessed (you can specify this in the app's settings).

Notability is a multipurpose note-taking app, especially for students. When you open a note, you can choose to write with your Apple Pencil or type with the keyboard (and easily alternate between them).

Plus, you can record audio in the background. This makes Notability the best tool for taking lecture notes. Thanks to the infinite scrolling feature, you can change the background to show graph paper and write as much as you need. Notability also marks page breaks, which makes it easy to export notes as PDFs or print them later.

Download: Notability (Free, subscription available)

Astropad Slate can take your Mac experience to a new level. The app turns your iPad and Apple Pencil into an input device for your Mac. You can draw or write with the Apple Pencil on your iPad's screen and interact with your Mac.

You can pretty much use your Apple Pencil as a mouse cursor. The experience basically turns your iPad into a giant and precise trackpad for your Mac. It's perfect for artists to use like a no-screen pen tablet and with desktop creative programs.

When handwriting on the app, even without an Apple Pencil, the app offers gesture input like one- and two-finder touch to scroll and zoom. With compatible iPad Pro models, you can use the Hover gesture, allowing you to move your Apple Pencil over the top of the tablet. Tap the Apple Pencil to the screen to click. The app also offers a simulated Hover gesture for older models

Download: Astropad Slate ($19.99)

Linea Sketch sits somewhere between a simple doodling app and more professional drawing tools. It gives you the simplicity of doodling whatever you want, with power user tools like unlimited layers, transform tools, automatic ruler, grids, and more.

Like every other drawing app, Linea takes a canvas-based approach. Unlike Notability, you won't find an endlessly scrolling page here. However, you can create multiple canvases and organize them into projects.

The grid tool gives you backgrounds for note-taking, drawing, and user interface design. Linea Sketch's genius lies in its simple design. The tools are arranged in two panels on either side of the screen, letting you ignore features you don't need.

However, this is a double-edged sword, as many of Linea's interesting features are hidden behind buttons. Once you get comfortable with the app, you should create a blank page and try all the tools at least once.

Download: Linea Sketch (Free, subscription available)

Luminar is an excellent app for editing photos on an iPad with your Apple Pencil. Even if you're a beginner, you'll find it easy to use. One of its top features is a wide variety of AI assistance. For example, the Structure AI feature can unlock hidden details and clarity in an image by enhancing contrasts and texture.

You can also dive into photo editing with a plethora of other editing features like curves, details, photo filters, and more. The app also allows you to edit RAW images directly on your iPad, helping you preserve maximum image quality and flexibility. The Apple Pencil makes it easy to quickly edit and provide more details in the final process.

Download: Luminar (Free, subscription required)

Procreate is the ultimate Apple Pencil app. If you can dream it, and you have the skills, you can probably make it using Procreate on your iPad. If you don't want to use Photoshop, Procreate is rightly positioned as an Adobe suite replacement.

However, Procreate is best suited for drawing and painting. It's not really designed for graphic design and vector work. If you ever run into any issues, make sure to see some tips to fix the Apple Pencil if it ever glitches in Procreate .

Download: Procreate ($12.99)

Affinity Designer 2 is a top-notch and full-featured vector design app for iPads. It brings almost all the features of the Mac app to your iPad in an intuitive manner.

At first glance, you might feel like there's a lot going on as the app covers three edges of the screen with toolbars. But don't be overwhelmed; tap each button, and you'll see detailed options appear.

To make working easier, Affinity has three different modes: Vector , Pixel , and Export . The Vector mode is for drawing, while Pixel mode is similar to using a raster app like Photoshop. If you're using Designer to design graphics or user interfaces, the Export mode makes it easy to export individual assets.

The app is fast and slick. Start creating points and paths, and you're on your way to creating an illustration. The features you expect from a good vector design app (pen tool, node tool, fill tool, live shapes) are all here, and they've been made more intuitive for a touchscreen and the Apple Pencil.

Download: Affinity Designer 2 ($164.99, free trial available)

Flow brings the iconic Moleskine notebook to your iPad. Just like with a real Moleskine, if you can dream it, it's possible to create using the app and an Apple Pencil.

One of the app's most unique features is that documents have infinite width, so you can simply pan and continue the drawing. And with a virtual toolset, you can create custom tools available with just a single tap.

The app is free to download. A subscription unlocks cloud storage and backup for all documents and tools so that you can start on one iPad and then pick up work on another.

Download: Flow (Free, subscription available)

Coloring is known to reduce stress and anxiety. The mere act of taking time out of your busy life and focusing on coloring can be meditative. And you don't need to buy an adult coloring book or colored pencils to get started. All you need is an iPad coloring app.

Pigment has a collection of more than 4,000 coloring pages. You'll certainly find something that strikes your fancy, as it has everything from simple nature drawings to complex mandalas that you can really take your time with.

The app has two coloring modes. If you want, you can tap on a shape to only color inside it. No matter how inaccurate you are, the color won't bleed outside the selection. If you want a more realistic drawing experience, don't tap on the shape before you start coloring.

Download: Pigment (Free, subscription available)

Even the most novice drawer can still use an Apple Pencil with an iPad for some fun results. With Sticker Doodle, you can use your Apple Pencil to draw anything and turn it into a sticker you can send to others via iMessage.

You can also create sticker packs for WhatsApp , Telegram, and even Discord. Slack users can export drawings as emojis for use on the platform.

Thanks to iCloud support, you can start on a sticker on your iPhone and finish it on your iPad with an Apple Pencil. You can create five stickers with the free version; you'll need to pay a one-time fee of $1.99 to remove this limitation.

Download: Sticker Doodle (Free, in app-purchases available)

As we've seen, the Apple Pencil is truly a remarkable tool when paired with iPad apps designed for it. So, grab some of the best apps for your Apple Pencil and see what you can create on your iPad.

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Best Free Writing Apps in 2024

Showing 83 writing apps that match your search.

Freedom blocks distractions across all your Mac, Windows, Android, iOS, and Chrome devices so you don’t have to fight off the temptation of distracting pings, notifications, headlines, and emails.

Platforms: Mac, Windows, Android, iPhone, iPad, Chrome, Online, PC

Best for: Productivity, Journal, Book, Story, Essay, Poetry, Blog, and Free

Website: https://freedom.to/

Base price:

Premium price:

★★★★★ Performance

★★★ Features

★★★★★ Accessibility

Also rated 4.4 ★ on Google Play

A minimalist writing zone, where you can block out all distractions and get to what's important. The writing! To get started, all you need to do is delete this text (seriously, just highlight it and hit delete), and fill the page with your own fantastic words. You can even change the title!

Platforms: Online, Chrome

Best for: Drafting, Book, Story, Poetry, Journal, Essay, and Free

Website: https://zenpen.io/

★★★ Accessibility

A reliable proofreading tool and essay editor for any writer or student.

Platforms: Online

Best for: Editing, Proofreading, Essay, Blog, and Free

Website: https://typely.com/

★★★★ Performance

★★ Accessibility

★★★★★ Value

Also rated 4.3 ★ on Capterra

Learn more about Reedsy Studio .

FocusWriter

FocusWriter is a simple, distraction-free writing environment. It utilizes a hide-away interface that you access by moving your mouse to the edges of the screen, allowing the program to have a familiar look and feel to it while still getting out of the way so that you can immerse yourself in your work.

Platforms: Windows, PC

Best for: Drafting, Book, Essay, Journal, Poetry, Story, Blog, and Free

Website: https://gottcode.org/focuswriter/

Also rated 4.0 ★ on TechRadar

With Scrittor store all your ideas, thoughts and whatever your mind tells you.

Platforms: Android, Chrome

Best for: Note-taking, Story, Book, Blog, Journal, Poetry, and Free

Website: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.shahid.nid

★★★★ Features

Joplin is an open source note-taking app. Capture your thoughts and securely access them from any device.

Platforms: Android, iPhone, iPad

Best for: Note-taking, Journal, Essay, Blog, and Free

Website: https://joplinapp.org/

★★★★ Accessibility

Also rated 4.3 ★ on the App Store

Campfire Write

Campfire is a versatile writing tool organized into modules, each one offering a different type of story element you can create. Keep track of each character's motives, history, eye color, and more. The Characters Module gives you an easy way to make quick notes or detailed character sheets about anyone in your story. Upload your map to the Maps Module, add pins to integrate it with the rest of your story, and nest other maps to keep things organized.

Platforms: Mac, Windows, Online, PC

Best for: Outlining, Drafting, Book, Story, and Free

Website: https://www.campfirewriting.com/

★★★ Performance

Also rated 4.0 ★ on Reedsy

Character Story Planner 2

Every character has stories and every World has histories. Planning and building a story cannot be easier with the help of this app. It helps the writer planning the story and the development of characters, relations, groups, races, creatures, etc.

Platforms: Android

Best for: Worldbuilding, Book, Story, and Free

Website: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=lfantasia.n...

Also rated 3.9 ★ on Google Play

ApolloPad is a feature-packed online writing environment that will help you finish your novels, ebooks and short stories.

Best for: Outlining, Drafting, Story, Book, and Free

Website: https://apollopad.com/

Writer is a writing application without the fuss and distraction of a traditional word processor. It's perfect for everything from taking notes to writing a novel on your phone or tablet.

Best for: Note-taking, Book, Story, Journal, Essay, Blog, Poetry, and Free

Website: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jamesmc...

Also rated 3.8 ★ on Google Play

Create documents, make impact. When your work needs to wow, Craft gives you the tools to make it magnificent.

Platforms: Mac, iPhone, iPad, Windows, Online, PC

Best for: Note-taking, Drafting, Journal, Essay, Blog, and Free

Website: https://www.craft.do/

Also rated 4.9 ★ on the App Store

An online writing app for novelists and storytellers

Best for: Drafting, Book, Story, and Free

Website: https://thequill.app/

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What Phones Are Doing to Reading

By Jay Caspian Kang

For the past five years or so, I’ve read books on my phone. The practice started innocently enough. I write book reviews from time to time, and so publishers sometimes send me upcoming titles that fall roughly within my interests. When a publisher provided a choice between a PDF of a book and a physical copy, I would usually ask for the PDF, because I didn’t want my house to fill up with books that I might end up not reading. But what was at first a matter of clutter-free convenience became a habit, and now I encounter nearly every written work, regardless of its length, quality, and difficulty, on the small screen of my iPhone.

I use a variety of e-reading apps: Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, Libby . The last three books I downloaded onto the Apple Books app are Rachel Cusk ’s novel “ Second Place ”; Malcolm Lowry ’s 1947 classic “ Under the Volcano ,” which I bought because I wanted to see if I would enjoy it more than I did when read it twenty years ago; and Gary Indiana’s essay collection “ Fire Season .” According to the little readout beneath the cover image for each book, I am nine per cent through the Cusk, a distressing three per cent through the Lowry reread, and a hundred per cent through the Indiana, a book I found liberating, both for its style and for its freeing expression of unpleasant thoughts.

The e-reading apps have their merits. At times, they become respites from the other, more addictive apps on my phone. Switching to a book from, say, Twitter, is like the phone-scroller’s version of a nice hike—the senses reorient themselves, and you feel more alert and vigorous, because you’ve spent six to eight minutes going from seven to eleven per cent of Arthur Koestler ’s “ Darkness at Noon .” Or you might feel a sense of pride because you’ve reached the sixty-per-cent mark in Elton John ’s autobiography, “ Me ,” which isn’t a great work of literature but at least is better than Twitter. The book apps also seem to work as a stopgap for children, who are always lusting after screen time of any sort. My seven-year-old daughter has read hundreds of books on the Libby app, which lets you check out e-books from public libraries you belong to. As a parent, I find this wildly preferable to hearing the din of yet another stupid YouTube short or “ Is it Cake? ” episode coming through her iPad’s speakers.

Still, the arrival of these technologies has been accompanied by a steady decline in the number of books that get read in any form. A pair of 1999 Gallup polls, for example, found that Americans, on average, had read 18.5 books in the course of the previous twelve months. (It should be noted that these were books people had read, or said they had read, “either all or part of the way through.”) By 2021, the number had fallen to 12.6. In 2023, a National Endowment for the Arts survey found that the share of American adults who read novels or short stories had declined from 45.2 per cent in 2012 to 37.6 per cent in 2022, a record low. There are plenty of theories about why this is happening , involving broad finger-pointing toward the Internet or the ongoing influence of television, or even shifting labor conditions, as more women have entered the workforce .

We continue to spend a lot of time reading words, whether via social media or push notifications or text messages, but it can seem off to label any of that “reading,” a term that suggests something edifying or educational. Even book apps, I find, can feel like a sort of in-between, not the time suck of social media but also not the comfortable absorption of a good paperback. There’s something about scrolling and tapping that leads to a quick calcification of muscle memory. You start to tap on the same things not out of familiarity or comfort but out of sheer habit. Now that I read on my phone, I give up on new books more quickly than I used to. I go back to the same stuff over and over, in the same way that I watch the same YouTube videos over and over. I’m not entirely sure why I get mired in such a rut; part of it, I suspect, is just that I’m getting older. Of the books I’ve recently downloaded, only the Cusk came to me via recommendation algorithm, the “For You” box in Apple Books. Even so, I find that my reading habits follow a pattern that one might call algorithmic, and which I prefer to call laziness.

My colleague Kyle Chayka has written shrewdly and at length about the seduction of algorithms and the homogenizing effect they have on cultural production. But I have found myself wondering whether we actually live in a world forcibly shaped by algorithms or whether our phones themselves—their fiddly buttons, their flashing screens, their slight but satisfying heft—have other, more fundamental ways of making us lazy. If the algorithms are to blame, then we need to find ways to get outside of or otherwise away from them. But if the problem is our phones—and, of course, us—then we may have to walk away from much more.

The BOOX Palma is a new e-reader that promises an immersive experience for “reading an ebook, listening to a podcast, or perusing your favorite news feeds.” It costs about two hundred and eighty dollars and is roughly the size of a Google Pixel phone. The Palma runs on the Android platform, which means that you can add apps like Twitter to the device, but doing so is clearly not the point. The screen is matte, gray scale, and plain. Like the Kindle and other e-readers, the Palma is supposed to approximate the look of the physical page and cut down on eye fatigue.

Several years ago, there was some talk that cell-phone addiction was driven, in part, by the bright colors on our phone. Turning your phone display to gray scale would, it was suggested, make things feel less immersive and a bit drearier; this, in turn, would help you cut down on your screen time. Of course, even if this trick works, you can always change your phone back whenever you want. The Palma, though, does not have color options, nor does it have cellular service, and that means you cannot connect to the Internet without Wi-Fi. You can take the device on long, contemplative walks, listening to music or podcasts that you’ve downloaded, knowing that you will not be disturbed by a push notification while you stroll through the woods.

I have bought a handful of similar devices through the years, in the vain hope that one of them might replace my iPhone. The dream is a handheld object that renders the worst and most addictive apps unusable and perhaps even makes the good apps—which is to say, word-processing and e-reading apps—a little better. There’s always a honeymoon period with these devices, during which I envision a whole new life of information consumption. When I bought a Kindle, a few years ago, I subscribed to the Financial Times’s Kindle delivery service; I pictured myself sitting at the table in our kitchen with a bowl of oatmeal, a pot of coffee, and the gray-scale version of the F.T. , which might not be as nice as the print version, with its salmon pages, but is certainly better than reading the newspaper’s iPhone app, with a notification buzzing every few minutes. That particular fantasy didn’t last a week.

A methadone-like treatment for cell-phone addiction—that is, a tamer and less addictive version of the real thing—doesn’t seem to work. Though the BOOX Palma can make the apps gray and accessible only through Wi-Fi, I will probably just spend more of my time in Wi-Fi range, watching black-and-white videos. This doesn’t mean that the Palma or other e-readers are useless. The Palma has speakers and Bluetooth compatibility, so it can work with audiobooks to create something of a patchwork of portable text: words issue from the car speakers on my drive to my younger child’s day care, pop up on the device’s screen when I’m waiting in line for coffee, and finally appear on the desktop monitor in my office, where they will get swallowed up by five separate chat platforms and the demands of my fantasy-basketball team.

This bouncing around might be clumsy and a bit tacky, but it tweaks the relationship I have with the prose on the page—and not, to my surprise, in a bad way. As a writer, I often read to remind myself that sentences can, in fact, be interesting. This multimedia method of reading creates quick little shots of prose that can loosen the writing gears. You can read a few pages of Bruce Chatwin , listen to the next chapter in your car, then bounce back to your Google Docs app to spill a bit of short-term inspiration onto your own page. Writers are not entirely different from the large language models that are supposed to replace us : we take in words with our eyes, sort them in our heads, then spit them back out in a sequence that mimics a voice. E-readers can provide a point of stylistic differentiation. Maybe the L.L.M.s will learn to mimic Nabokov better than I can, but I doubt that they will ever sense the difference between “ Pale Fire ” when it’s read out loud and “Pale Fire” on the page, nor can they feel out the subtle demands this new form of reading would place upon us writers who, I imagine, will soon have to adjust our prose, even subconsciously, to move from screen to speaker to second screen. Those of us who care about human interventions into style, regardless of how subtle and ultimately insignificant they may be, can perhaps take some solace, then, in the possibility that the future of reading will be across mediums, devices, and senses. If we are truly being colonized by the algorithms and A.I., we at least have more places to hide.

One of the books that I find myself tapping on repeatedly—without ever getting past forty per cent, somehow—is Richard Brautigan’s novella “ Trout Fishing in America .” I’m not being compelled by an algorithm. But there’s a surf spot in Marin County that I used to go to which is very near the house where Brautigan, in 1984, died by suicide. Over the years, I told a handful of other surfers about the links between Brautigan and this spot, and later, whenever I would make it back out there, I would see the cropping of little houses on the hill overlooking the ocean, many of them with chicken runs and ruined vegetable-garden projects, and I would think to myself, with a great deal of embarrassment, that I still hadn’t actually finished “Trout Fishing in America.” Little compulsions like that one probably determine our online behavior more than we would like to admit. What’s particularly distressing to me is that, although I can imagine a world in which careful regulation and avoidance of algorithms makes phones less addictive, I cannot imagine myself freed from such stubborn vanities. ♦

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