Top pick
Information Architects AG
View on the App Store ›$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.
The catch
Several reviewers report freezing, crashing, or scroll-sync problems when working with non-iCloud cloud storage like Dropbox or Google Drive.
One-time purchaseNo subscriptionPlain markdownFocus mode
$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.
The catch
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.
One-time purchaseNo subscriptionWebDAVWorks with Obsidian
$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.
The catch
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.
One-time purchaseLong manuscriptsDropbox sync
$5.99 once·4.4★ (180)·Updated Apr 9, 2020
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.
The catch
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.
One-time purchasePlain markdowniCloud or Dropbox
