Cold Turkey Writer vs iA Writer

Cold Turkey Writer

• Writers who want everything else on the computer shut out until a quota is done
• First drafts written against a word count or a timer
• People who prefer a one-time purchase to a subscription

iA Writer

• Writers who want a bare Markdown editor with no toolbars
• People who want to see which text they typed and which they pasted from AI
• Buyers who prefer a one-time payment to a subscription

Cold Turkey Writer

• Windows and macOS only: the vendor says Linux, ChromeOS, Android and iOS are not supported.
• Files open and save as plain text (.txt) only, so formatting has to be finished in another editor.
• Soundtracks, the dark theme, the copy and paste toggle and the key-disabling options need Writer Pro, and Pro has no free trial.
• A session cannot be ended before the goal is reached, so the rest of the computer is out of reach until then.

iA Writer

• Each platform is a separate purchase: Mac, Windows, and iPhone and iPad are bought individually.
• The Android app was removed from sale in September 2024, and iA says it is not planning a web-based version.
• A one-time payment covers the current version; minor updates are free, but major updates may cost extra.
• The 7-day free trial is offered for Mac and Windows only.

Cold Turkey Writer

Full-screen lock until the goal is met

Once a session starts, Writer is the only thing the computer will run until the goal is reached. The vendor's FAQ says no key combination gets out of it.

Timer or word-count goals

A block lasts a set number of minutes, from 1 to 999, or until a chosen number of words has been typed. A progress bar at the top shows how much is left.

Auto save to plain text

The draft is saved to the Documents folder every 10 seconds, so the last version is still there if the computer crashes.

Portable, with no installer

Writer runs as a stand-alone program, so it can be copied to a USB stick and used on other computers.

Key-disabling options (Pro)

Pro can switch off copy and paste, text selection, the backspace and delete keys and the arrow keys, to keep a first draft moving forward.

Soundtracks and dark theme (Pro)

Pro adds coffee shop and rain background sounds, supplied by Coffitivity and RainyMood, and a dark theme for writing at night.

iA Writer

Focus Mode

Highlights the sentence or paragraph being written and fades the rest of the document, in an interface with no buttons or title bar.

Authorship

Tracks what was typed and what was pasted. Your own words stay black and white, AI text appears in color and other authors in subtle tones.

Style Check

Flags clichés, fillers and clutter and leaves the decision to cut them with the writer. The check runs on the device.

Plain text with Markdown

Documents are plain text formatted with Markdown. A Preview shows the styled result using a template, and links, pictures and tables can be embedded.

Export

Copies a document as HTML or exports it to PDF or Microsoft Word. The iPhone and iPad listing also names WordPress and Medium as export targets.

Cold Turkey Writer

• Writer Free$0

  Timed blocks, word-count blocks, distraction-free writing and auto save.

• Writer Pro$14.99

  one-time purchase

  Adds soundtracks, a dark theme, a copy and paste toggle and key-disabling options. Covers every computer you personally use, with free lifetime updates. Refundable within 30 days.

iA Writer

• iPhone & iPad$19.99

  one-time payment, App Store only

  The iPhone and iPad app, sold only through the App Store. Requires iOS 15 or later.

• Windows$29.99

  one-time payment

  Bought directly from iA and usable on more than one Windows PC. Requires Windows 10 or later.

• Mac$49.99

  one-time payment

  Bought directly from iA or on the Mac App Store. Requires macOS 10.15 or later.

Cold Turkey Writer

• Education

  Students can request 20% off

  The pricing FAQ says students can request 20% off. A form on the support page sends the discount to an email address it recognizes as belonging to a school.

• Other savings

  Save 10% on the three-product bundle

  Buying Blocker, Writer and Micromanager together is advertised at 10% off. Each is a one-time payment with no subscription.

iA Writer

• Education

  20% educational discount on direct purchases

  iA offers a 20% educational discount on the Mac and Windows versions bought directly from it. App Store copies get education pricing on 20 or more licenses through Apple School Manager.