1Writer vs JotterPad

1Writer

• Writing Markdown on an iPhone or iPad with files kept in Dropbox, iCloud Drive or WebDAV
• People who automate text work with JavaScript actions or URL schemes
• Anyone who wants an editor bought once, with no subscription

JotterPad

• Writers who draft in Markdown or Fountain across a phone, a tablet and a computer
• Students formatting APA or MLA papers with BibTeX citations
• Screenwriters who need Final Draft (.fdx) export

1Writer

• iPhone and iPad only: there is no Android, Windows or web version, and on the Mac it runs only as the iPad app on Apple silicon.
• There is no free version or trial; the app costs $4.99 up front on the US App Store.
• The App Store version history lists only bug-fix releases since April 2021; the most recent is version 3.3.8 from September 2025.

JotterPad

• Cloud sync, Fountain and LaTeX files, Word and Final Draft export and blog publishing need a paid plan, and free PDFs carry a watermark.
• No Windows or Linux app is listed: there are apps for Android, iPhone, iPad and Mac, and a web editor for other computers.
• Prices depend on where you buy: the website lists $3.33 a month billed annually, the US App Store $29.99 a year or $6.99 a month.
• The vendor says canceled subscriptions and the lifetime purchase are not refunded.

1Writer

Markdown editing with inline preview

Plain-text and Markdown files show their formatting inline while you write, with a full rich-text preview when you are done. MultiMarkdown is supported.

Sync with iCloud Drive, Dropbox and WebDAV

Pick the Dropbox or WebDAV folders to sync, or sync them all. Changes made offline sync at the next connection, and a document started on a Mac in iCloud Drive can be continued in 1Writer.

Custom actions in JavaScript

Built-in actions can be extended with your own, written in JavaScript or built on the onewriter:// URL scheme, which supports the x-callback-url protocol.

Sharing and export

Generate a link to a document as plain text or PDF, email it as plain text, formatted text or PDF, or copy its HTML to the clipboard.

In-app web browser

Look things up without switching apps, and copy a selection from a web page to the clipboard as Markdown in one action.

Customizable keyboard row

An extra row above the keyboard holds navigation, formatting and special characters, and can be assigned the actions you use most.

JotterPad

Markdown, Fountain and LaTeX editing

Documents are written in lightweight markup and shown formatted as you type. LaTeX support is labeled beta, and Fountain files need a paid plan.

Templates for papers, books and scripts

Templates lay a document out as an APA or MLA paper, a novel, a screenplay, a report, a letter or presentation slides when it is printed to PDF.

Cloud sync and offline work

Pro Cloud syncs files with Google Drive, Dropbox and OneDrive, plus iCloud on Mac and iOS. The apps keep working offline and sync once back online.

Citations with BibTeX

Citations are added by uploading Bib files or pasting BibTeX into a Markdown document, then printed as references in APA, MLA, Chicago or AMA style.

Export and blog publishing

Exports to Word, PDF, Final Draft (.fdx), HTML and ePub, and can send a piece to Ghost, WordPress or Tumblr as a draft or a published post.

Plugins and Wizard A.I.

Plugins add mind maps, Mermaid diagrams, music notation and TeX or chemistry equations. Wizard A.I., built on GPT-3, drafts outlines, summaries and paraphrases.

1Writer

• 1Writer$4.99

  one-time purchase on the App Store

  The full app for iPhone and iPad. The in-app purchases are optional tips from $0.99 to $19.99, and the release notes say no update has been charged for.

JotterPad

• Free$0

  Limited access: Markdown editing, file import and Unsplash images. PDFs print with a watermark, and cloud sync and Fountain files are not included.

• Pro Cloud (App Store)$29.99

  per year, or $6.99 per month, as an in-app purchase

  The Pro Cloud subscription bought inside the iPhone, iPad and Mac app, at the prices on the US App Store listing.

• Pro Cloud (web)$3.33

  per month, billed annually

  Sold on jotterpad.app. Unlocks the Android, iOS, Mac and web apps with cloud sync, Fountain and LaTeX files, and Word and Final Draft export.

• Pro$24.99 - $49.99

  in-app purchase on the App Store; basis not shown

  Two purchases named Pro on the US App Store listing. The help center describes Pro and Creative as lifetime licenses for one platform, without cloud sync.

• Pro Cloud (Lifetime)$159.99

  one-time purchase

  Pro Cloud without a subscription, sold on jotterpad.app. The vendor says it cannot be canceled or refunded.

1Writer

No public discounts listed.

JotterPad

• Lifetime license

  Pro Cloud lifetime purchase for $159.99

  The Pro page sells Pro Cloud (Lifetime) as a single $159.99 payment in place of the subscription. It cannot be canceled or refunded.

• Annual discount

  About 64% less with annual billing on the App Store

  The US App Store listing prices Pro Cloud at $29.99 per year or $6.99 per month, which comes to $83.88 over twelve months.