Calmly Writer vs ZenPen (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Calmly Writer and ZenPen share a 2.8 GPA, both have a free plan and their prices can't be set side by side, so the choice depends on whether you care more about features and platforms, where Calmly Writer grades higher, or the free plan, where ZenPen does.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on value for money 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
Free plan · from $16.99 one-time
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 ZenPen if
- Fits if you want a blank page for a quick draft
- Works for a short piece you'll paste somewhere else
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want your work saved safely, since clearing browser data can remove it
- Not for you if you need folders or sync, as it has no accounts
- Too light for long projects, because there's no outline or file handling
- Watch out: saving means copying text to the clipboard, with no download button described
How we grade them
| 2.8GPACalmly WriterGood | 2.8GPAZenPenGood | |
|---|---|---|
| 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$0, with only a tip-jar link. Nothing to buy. |
| 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. | AThe whole app is free, no account and no paid plans. |
| 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. | DA text area, a word target, bold, italic and quote styling and Markdown, HTML or plain-text copy. It has no saving, folders or sync, and needs another product for anything longer. |
| 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 open the page and type. 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. | CWeb only, with no accounts, sync between devices or integrations. |
| Best for | a blank page you pay for once | a plain page to type on |
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 ZenPen. How we grade
Where they differ
- Calmly Writer can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- ZenPen is open source, according to its own site.
- ZenPen also covers documents.
In commonFree planWebLocal-firstMarkdown
At a glance
| Calmly Writer | ZenPen | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $16.99 one-time (Android); $23.90 one-time for Windows, Mac and Linux | Free |
| 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. | The whole app is free to use in the browser; the page only offers a tip-jar link to support the maker. |
| 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 | Tim Holman |
| Price read from | calmlywriter.com | zenpen.io |
| 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.
ZenPen
- It is a single-page web app with no accounts, folders or sync between devices.
- Text lives in this browser's local storage, so clearing browser data can remove it.
- Saving means copying the text to the clipboard; there is no file download or export button described.
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.
ZenPen
- Minimal writing page
- A plain page with a text area and a handful of buttons, described as a minimal editor made to stay out of the way.
- Target word count
- Set a word-count goal in the top bar to track progress as you write.
- Text styling
- Buttons apply bold, italic and quote formatting to the text you select.
- Save as Markdown, HTML or plain text
- Pick a format and copy the text with ctrl+c or cmd+c to paste it elsewhere.
- Local storage
- The project's README says everything is kept on your device through HTML5 local storage, not on a server.
- Open-source code
- The code is public on GitHub under the MIT license.
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.
ZenPen
ZenPen$0
Free browser app with no account and no paid plans listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Calmly Writer or ZenPen?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Calmly Writer starts at $16.99 one-time (Android); $23.90 one-time for Windows, Mac and Linux, and ZenPen is free.
Which has a free plan, Calmly Writer or ZenPen?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Calmly Writer and ZenPen have a free plan.
Which platforms do Calmly Writer and ZenPen run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Calmly Writer lists macOS, Windows, Linux and Android apps. Both list a web app. 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.