Verdict
The plainest of these. Markdown, a clean sheet, and files that live in iCloud or Dropbox rather than inside the app.
Best for
A writer who already keeps plain-text files in a folder and wants a tidy place to edit them on a phone.
Dealbreaker
Syncing is where it falls down — nineteen of the last two hundred reviews describe it hanging on download or crashing when opening a file it did not create itself.
The facts.
Pulled from the App Store, not written by hand.
Price
$5.99 once
In-app purchases
Unknown
Ads
Unknown
Platforms
iPhone, iPad
Rating
4.4★ (180)
Version
2.9.3
Last updated
Apr 9, 2020
Released
Mar 10, 2012
Attributes
Native appOne-time purchaseNo subscription
Category
Productivity, Utilities
What reviews consistently say.
Themes grouped from 200 App Store reviews. Source feed ›
Praised for
Import and export54 reviews
Sync and multi-device37 reviews
Ease of use and design12 reviews
Customer support2 reviews
Value for money2 reviews
Battery and performance2 reviews
Complained about
Sync and multi-device19 reviews
Crashes and stability16 reviews
Import and export13 reviews
Customer support2 reviews
Battery and performance2 reviews
Where this comes from
54 of 200 recent reviews raised: Import and export (positive)App Store reviews ›
13 of 200 recent reviews raised: Import and export (negative)App Store reviews ›
37 of 200 recent reviews raised: Sync and multi-device (positive)App Store reviews ›
19 of 200 recent reviews raised: Sync and multi-device (negative)App Store reviews ›
16 of 200 recent reviews raised: Crashes and stability (negative)App Store reviews ›
12 of 200 recent reviews raised: Ease of use and design (positive)App Store reviews ›
A minimal markdown editor that works on files kept in iCloud or DropboxApp Store listing ›
Where we recommend it
Note-taking apps you buy once ›Writing and note apps with no monthly charge.
Alternatives with the same rule.
Every app here is a single purchase. None of them can start charging you monthly for what you already bought. Also with a catch.
$19.99 once · 4.6★ (1,543) · Updated Oct 25, 2026
Verdict. iA Writer is a clean, focused Markdown editor with iCloud sync that many reviewers call calm and distraction-free. Some users report crashes and freezing, especially with non-iCloud cloud drives or long documents.
Best for. Someone writing Markdown documents on iPhone or iPad who keeps everything in iCloud Drive and wants a plain, clutter-free editor rather than a full word processor.
Dealbreaker. Several reviewers report freezing, crashing, or scroll-sync problems when working with non-iCloud cloud storage like Dropbox or Google Drive.
$4.99 once · 4.6★ (392) · Updated Sep 24, 2025
Verdict. 1Writer is a markdown editor built around syncing to your own storage (Dropbox, iCloud, WebDAV, Nextcloud) rather than a proprietary cloud, which is why people use it alongside apps like Obsidian without paying for another sync service. Reviews consistently praise the file import/export and sync flexibility, though a minority report syncing bugs and occasional crashes with Dropbox.
Best for. Someone already using Dropbox, iCloud, or a self-hosted WebDAV/Nextcloud setup who wants a markdown editor that plugs into that storage without adding another subscription for sync.
Dealbreaker. A recurring minority of reviewers report sync breaking or files failing to stay connected, especially with Dropbox and iCloud folders, plus occasional crashes when switching files.
$23.99 once · 4.2★ (2,605) · Updated Sep 29, 2023
Verdict. Scrivener is a serious long-form writing tool with real organizational depth, but its mobile syncing via Dropbox is unreliable for a large share of users, and crashes on iPad are common enough to worry about.
Best for. A novelist or screenwriter who structures long manuscripts on a Mac and mainly wants the iPad app as a secondary writing tool, not their primary workspace.
Dealbreaker. Syncing between devices via Dropbox frequently breaks or causes conflicts, and a meaningful number of reviewers report crashes that make the iPad app unusable for periods of time.