Calmly Writer vs OmmWriter (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Calmly Writer grades higher than OmmWriter: 2.8 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Calmly Writer grades higher on the free plan and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Calmly Writer
Distraction-free Markdown writing app sold as a one-time purchase
OmmWriter
Full-screen writing app with backgrounds, music and typing sounds
Which one is for you
Pick Calmly Writer if
- Fits if you want a blank page and hardly any buttons
- Works for homes with a mix of Windows, Mac and Linux, since one license covers three computers
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you write on an iPhone or iPad, as no app is listed for either
- Not for you if you want sync built in, because files are local and the cloud part is up to you
- Tight if you're staying on the free online version, which has no backups, comments or PDF export
- Watch out: the desktop license doesn't cover Android, which is a separate $16.99 with no trial
- Too light for long projects, with no notes, outliner or manuscript tools
Pick OmmWriter if
- Fits if you want a quiet full-screen page and nothing else
- Works for people who write on one Mac or PC and like background sounds
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want outlines, projects or collaboration, as none are listed
- Not for you if you use a phone, tablet or Linux, because there is no version for them
- Tight if you want to try first: no free plan or trial is listed
- Watch out: the site footer reads 2017 and the Windows version dates to 2019, so it may not be kept up
How we grade them
| 2.8GPACalmly WriterGood | 2.2GPAOmmWriterFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A$23.90 once covers Windows, Mac and Linux on up to three computers, with all future updates, and the Android app is $16.99 once. The middle of this category is $8.33 a month, so the desktop license costs about three months of a typical rival and then nothing. | A$9.99 one-time, under a year of the category's $9.75 middle subscription plus a little. There's no subscription. |
| Free plan and trial | CCalmly Writer Online is free in a browser with no signup, but it's a preview: no backups, no previous versions, no writing targets, no comments, no PDF export. The desktop app has a 14-day trial with the lot, and the Android app has no trial at all. | FNo free plan or trial is listed, and the Mac App Store sells it for a one-time $9.99. |
| Features | CMarkdown rendered as you type so you never see the symbols, focus and full-screen modes, word targets, tabs, autosave with permanent backups, DOCX and PDF export, and an Open Dyslexic mode. It does that one job fully, but it is a small job: no notes, no outliner, no manuscript tools. | CFull-screen writing, backgrounds, audio, five typefaces and exports. It has no outline, project or collaboration tools, but covers the basics. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record, but there's next to nothing to learn: install it, type, and a little toolbar appears when you select text. The free browser version opens without so much as an account. | BNo rating on record, but you install it and start typing with nothing to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows, Mac and Linux on one license, a separate Android app and a cut-down browser version, so computers and a phone. No iPhone or iPad app is listed, there are no integrations, and files stay local, so syncing means dropping them in a Dropbox or Drive folder yourself. | CMac and Windows only. The FAQ rules out iPhone, iPad, Linux, Kindle and Chromebook. |
| Best for | a blank page you pay for once | a quiet full-screen writing space |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Calmly Writer and OmmWriter. How we grade
Where they differ
- Calmly Writer also covers Markdown.
- OmmWriter also covers focus music and documents.
At a glance
| Calmly Writer | OmmWriter | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Paid |
| Starts at | $16.99 one-time (Android); $23.90 one-time for Windows, Mac and Linux | $9.99 one-time (Mac App Store) |
| Free plan | Calmly Writer Online: a free browser editor with no signup, with auto-save in the browser, word count, typewriter sounds, dark mode and Markdown. It has only a subset of the apps' features. | None |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial of the desktop app with all features. Afterwards documents open and export, but editing needs a license. | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Calmly Studio | Byteberry Studio, S.L. |
| Price read from | calmlywriter.com | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Calmly Writer
- The desktop license does not cover Android; the Android app is a separate purchase on Google Play with no trial.
- No iPhone or iPad app is listed.
- Files are local with no cloud service of its own; the site suggests saving into a Dropbox or Google Drive folder to sync.
- The free online version is a limited preview without backups, comments, writing targets or PDF export.
OmmWriter
- Mac and Windows only: the FAQ says there is no iPhone, iPad, Linux, Kindle or Chromebook version.
- The site's footer reads 2017 and the Gaia version dates to 2017 for Mac and 2019 for Windows.
- It has only basic writing functions, with no outline, project or collaboration tools listed.
- The price on the maker's website could not be read; the $9.99 figure is the Mac App Store listing.
Key features
Calmly Writer
- WYSIWYG Markdown
- Markdown is rendered as it is typed, so the syntax is never on screen: headings, tables and lists look formatted. Selecting text brings up a toolbar.
- Focus mode and full screen
- A focus mode and a full-screen mode, each with a keyboard shortcut, strip the window down to the text being written.
- Counts and writing targets
- Shows word and character counts with custom targets, plus reading time and a table of contents built from the document's headings.
- Tabs, autosave and backups
- Several documents stay open in tabs. Each is saved automatically and gets its own permanent backups and previous versions.
- File formats
- Opens and saves HTML, plain text, Markdown and its own .calmly format, imports Word .docx files and exports to .docx and PDF.
- Typewriter sounds and themes
- Optional typewriter sounds, smart punctuation, a customizable caret and five color themes, with an Open Dyslexic mode and right-to-left support.
OmmWriter
- Full-screen writing space
- The app opens full screen with only the basic functions, so little else appears while you write.
- Nature-inspired backgrounds
- Includes backgrounds that follow the course of a day and two designed with a colour-therapy expert.
- Audio tracks and typing sounds
- Nine ambient and instrumental tracks play through headphones, and each key press makes a soft sound.
- Five typefaces
- Choose among Open Sans, DejaVu Sans, Noto Serif, PT Serif and Cygnet Round.
- Save and export formats
- Saves as .omm, .txt, .doc and .docx, with direct export to PDF or email.
- One-time license
- The maker says the Gaia license is a single payment with no time limit and no subscription.
Plans
Calmly Writer
Calmly Writer Online$0
A lightweight browser version for quick edits, with no account. It lacks backups, previous versions, writing targets, comments and PDF export.
Android app$16.99
one-time purchase on Google Play
The full app for Android 7.0 or later phones, tablets and Chromebooks. No trial; a 30-day money-back guarantee applies.
Desktop license$23.90
one-time purchase
One license for Windows, Mac and Linux on up to three computers at once, with all future updates and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
OmmWriter
OmmWriter (Mac App Store)$9.99
one-time purchase
Single payment with no subscription; the maker's own site sells it at a minimum price you may exceed.
Ways to pay less
Calmly Writer
No public discounts listed.
OmmWriter
- Other savings
30% off packs of five licenses
The FAQ says buying a pack of at least five licenses gets a 30% discount on each one.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Calmly Writer or OmmWriter?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Calmly Writer starts at $16.99 one-time (Android); $23.90 one-time for Windows, Mac and Linux, and OmmWriter starts at $9.99 one-time (Mac App Store).
Which has a free plan, Calmly Writer or OmmWriter?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Calmly Writer has a free plan. OmmWriter does not.
Which platforms do Calmly Writer and OmmWriter run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Calmly Writer lists a web app and Linux and Android apps. Both list macOS and Windows apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.