iA Writer vs OmmWriter (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, iA Writer grades higher than OmmWriter: 2.8 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
iA 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.
iA Writer
Minimal plain-text Markdown writing app with Focus Mode
OmmWriter
Full-screen writing app with backgrounds, music and typing sounds
Which one is for you
Pick iA Writer if
- Fits if you want a Markdown editor with no toolbars and would rather pay once
- Works for seeing which words you typed and which you pasted in from AI
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you write on Android or in a browser: the Android app was pulled in 2024 and no web version is planned
- Not for you if you want one purchase to cover every device, since Mac, Windows and iPhone and iPad are bought separately
- Watch out: there's no trial on iPhone and iPad, and Mac and Windows get 7 days
- Watch out: the one-time price covers the current version, and major updates may cost extra
- Too light for long projects that need notes, an 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
| 2.8GPAiA WriterGood | 2.2GPAOmmWriterFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | APaid once: $19.99 for iPhone and iPad, $29.99 for Windows, $49.99 for Mac. The middle of this category is $8.33 a month, so even the Mac app is under half a year of a typical rival and then yours. Each platform is a separate purchase, and major updates may cost extra. | 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 | CNo free version. Mac and Windows get a 7-day trial with no credit card asked for, which is the shortest a trial can be and still count. No trial is listed for iPhone and iPad at all, so there you pay the $19.99 first. | FNo free plan or trial is listed, and the Mac App Store sells it for a one-time $9.99. |
| Features | CFocus Mode fades all but the sentence you're on, Authorship colours text pasted from AI, Style Check flags clichés and filler, and Markdown previews and exports to HTML, PDF or Word. Bare on purpose and complete at it, but that 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 | B4.56 on the App Store from 1,538 ratings, which is a B because an A wants 4.7. There are no toolbars or buttons to learn, just the text, though the formatting is Markdown that you type yourself. | BNo rating on record, but you install it and start typing with nothing to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | BComputers and a phone: Mac, Windows, iPhone and iPad, with WordPress and Medium named as export targets. No web version, which iA says isn't planned, and the Android app was pulled from sale in September 2024. | CMac and Windows only. The FAQ rules out iPhone, iPad, Linux, Kindle and Chromebook. |
| Best for | distraction-free Markdown writing, paid 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: iA Writer and OmmWriter. How we grade
Where they differ
- iA Writer also covers Markdown and grammar & style.
- OmmWriter also covers focus music and documents.
At a glance
| iA Writer | OmmWriter | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Paid |
| Starts at | $19.99 one-time (iPhone and iPad); $29.99 Windows, $49.99 Mac | $9.99 one-time (Mac App Store) |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 7-day free trial for Mac and Windows, no credit card required. No trial is listed for iPhone and iPad. | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Information Architects AG | Byteberry Studio, S.L. |
| Price read from | ia.net | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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, iA Writer or OmmWriter?
As of Nov 13, 2026, iA Writer starts at $19.99 one-time (iPhone and iPad); $29.99 Windows, $49.99 Mac, and OmmWriter starts at $9.99 one-time (Mac App Store).
Which has a free plan, iA Writer or OmmWriter?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither iA Writer nor OmmWriter has a free plan. iA Writer has a free trial.
Which platforms do iA Writer and OmmWriter run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only iA Writer lists an iOS app. 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.