The 4thewords Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about 4thewords in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
4thewords
The Insider’s Guide
Writing game where your word count defeats monsters
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among writing tools, read from 4thewords’s own pages.
Made by Reboot CR, S.A. · checked Oct 9, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from 4thewords’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on 4thewords’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 9, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 11 of the 69 other writing tools we grade
4thewords is an online writing app built as a role-playing game: the words you write deal damage to monsters, and winning battles earns loot, quest progress and a daily streak. It has its own cloud editor with projects, goals and version history, and a free Chrome extension counts words typed on other sites such as Google Docs and Notion. A free plan covers the core game, and Member, Pro and Lifetime Pro plans raise its limits.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about 4thewords, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No store rating on record, and it's a browser app you sign up for, with projects and goals to set up before the first battle.
- 1
Best for turning your daily word count into a game
4thewords turns writing into a role-playing game: the words you type deal damage to monsters, win loot and keep a daily streak going, and a Chrome extension counts what you write in Google Docs or Notion.
- 2
Paid plans start at $8 a month when paid by the year
As its pricing page puts it: $10 per month, or $96 per year (Member).
- 3
There is a free plan
Free plan with no time limit and no card: 25 files, 2 projects, 25 battles a day, one month of file versions and limited access to special events.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web, with a browser extension too.
- 5
Writing battles
Pick a monster and write the required number of words before the timer runs out. There are solo, endurance and co-op modes, with co-op teams of 2 to 8 writers.
- 6
Streaks and daily challenges
Writing 444 or more words in a day extends a streak that earns rewards over time. Paid plans can repair missed days or reserve future ones.
- 7
Built-in writing editor
A cloud editor groups files into projects, saves automatically, keeps a version history and exports to Word, text, Markdown or HTML.
- 8
A 2.2 GPA, above 11 of 69
That is against the other writing tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Your call
A writing app at its plainest is a page that saves what you type.
4thewords at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $10 per month, or $96 per year (Member)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, Browser extension
- Made by
- Reboot CR, S.A., since 2015
- Category
- Writing Tools
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for turning your daily word count into a game
4thewords turns writing into a role-playing game: the words you type deal damage to monsters, win loot and keep a daily streak going, and a Chrome extension counts what you write in Google Docs or Notion. If the game doesn't get you writing, the editor alone won't earn its $10 a month. It's web only, free stops at 25 files and 2 projects, and monthly plans can't be refunded.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Member is $10 a month, or $96 a year which is $8 a month. Either way that sits between this category's cheaper quarter at $5.00 and its dearer quarter at $12.00, so middling. Pro is $14 a month and Lifetime Pro a steep $599 once, and neither monthly plans nor Lifetime can be refunded. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Free has no time limit and needs no card, and it does include the actual game. But 25 files, 2 projects and 25 battles a day are caps you'll hit inside a week of real writing, versions are kept a month, and streak saving and sharing are left out. |
| Features | C | Battles in solo, endurance and co-op modes with teams of 2 to 8, a streak for every 444-word day, and a cloud editor with projects, version history, goals and charts. The game done fully, but that's a narrow job next to the rest of this category, and the listing's own notes cap sharing at 2 collaborators on Member. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record, and it's a browser app you sign up for, with projects and goals to set up before the first battle. The game itself explains itself quickly: pick a monster, write the words before the timer runs out, collect the loot. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web only, with no App Store download and nothing for a computer or a phone, which is what keeps it off an A. A free Chrome extension counts words typed in Google Docs, Notion, Substack, WordPress, Medium and Overleaf, though it's supported on desktop Chrome alone. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who 4thewords is for
- Fits if game rewards and daily streaks are what get you to the keyboard
- Works for people who draft in Google Docs or Notion and want those words to count
Who it is not for
- Skip it if monsters and loot sound like a distraction from the writing
- Tight if you're staying free on a big project, with 25 files, 2 projects and 25 battles a day
- Watch out: monthly plans and the $599 Lifetime Pro can't be refunded, and yearly plans only within 15 days
- Not for you if you co-write, as sharing stops at 2 collaborators on Member and 5 on Pro
- Not for you if you want a phone app, as it's web only and the extension is supported on desktop Chrome alone
Good to know
Good for
- Writers who are motivated by game rewards and daily streaks
- Building a daily writing habit around a word-count target
- People who draft in Google Docs or Notion and want those words counted
Worth knowing
- The Free plan stops at 25 files, 2 projects and 25 battles a day, and leaves out streak saving and sharing files with collaborators.
- Sharing is capped by plan: 2 collaborators per file or project on Member, 5 on Pro and 10 on Lifetime Pro.
- It is a web app with no App Store download, and the extension is tested and supported on desktop Chrome only.
- Monthly plans and Lifetime Pro cannot be refunded; yearly plans can be refunded within 15 days of purchase.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$8
A month to start, paid by the year. There is a free plan too
4thewords has a free plan. Paid plans start at $10 per month, or $96 per year (Member).
Free has no time limit and needs no card, and it does include the actual game.
Free
$0
25 files, 2 projects, 25 battles a day, one month of version history and limited event access.
Member
$10
per month, or $96 per year
Unlimited files, 40 projects, up to 1,000 battles a day, 6 months of version history, streak saving and full event access.
Pro
$14
per month, or $144 per year
Unlimited files, projects and battles, one year of version history, monthly refills and Pro event perks such as early access.
Lifetime Pro
$599
one-time purchase
The Pro features for a single payment with no renewals, plus up to 3 years of file history.
The free plan
Free plan with no time limit and no card: 25 files, 2 projects, 25 battles a day, one month of file versions and limited access to special events.
Read from 4thewords.com on Oct 9, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Yearly billing saves 20% on Member
Member costs $96 a year against $10 a month ($120 over a year), a 20% saving. Pro costs $144 a year against $14 a month ($168), about 14% less.
Stated on 4thewords.comLifetime license
Lifetime Pro for a one-time $599
Lifetime Pro is a single $599 payment with the same features as the Pro subscription, including any benefits added to Pro later. It does not renew.
Stated on 4thewords.comOther savings
Community Pool for writers who need help paying
Members can donate subscription time to a Community Pool, which goes to writers who have opted in because they need financial assistance.
Stated on help.4thewords.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
2
Places it runs: Web and Browser extension
Writing game where your word count defeats monsters. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: one-time purchase, real-time collaboration, habit tracking, goals, long-form writing.
Web only, with no App Store download and nothing for a computer or a phone, which is what keeps it off an A.
- Writing battles
- Pick a monster and write the required number of words before the timer runs out. There are solo, endurance and co-op modes, with co-op teams of 2 to 8 writers.
- Streaks and daily challenges
- Writing 444 or more words in a day extends a streak that earns rewards over time. Paid plans can repair missed days or reserve future ones.
- Built-in writing editor
- A cloud editor groups files into projects, saves automatically, keeps a version history and exports to Word, text, Markdown or HTML.
- Writing goals and stats
- Word-count targets with deadlines can be set for a single file, a project or the whole account, with charts to track progress.
- Chrome extension
- A free extension counts the words typed on other sites, such as Google Docs, Notion and Substack, and applies them to battles, streaks and quests.
- Sharing and co-writing
- On paid plans a file or a whole project can be shared with friends as editors or viewers, who can write in it together in real time.
Where it runs
- Web
- Browser extension
What it works with
- Google Docs
- Notion
- Substack
- WordPress
- Medium
- Overleaf
4thewords is made by Reboot CR, S.A., and has been around since 2015.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
11/69
Other writing tools it is graded above
4thewords's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 11 of the 69 other writing tools we grade, and level with 8.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (B, above 32 of 69) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $8 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 20 of the 44 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 16 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 70 writing tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. 4thewords’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 13 of 69
- CFree plan and trialAbove 5 of 69
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 69
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 69
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 32 of 69
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 53 writing tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. 4thewords is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Your call
A writing app at its plainest is a page that saves what you type.
You could make the core of 4thewords for yourself: long-form writing, goals and habit tracking. What you would give up is listed below. Whether that is worth the price is your call. It costs $96 a year.
What you could make
- Long-form writing, goals and habit tracking: an app builder makes these well.
- It runs in a browser, which is where something home-made would run too.
What you could not
- Several people working in it at the same moment.
- It plugs into other products, Google Docs, Notion and Substack among them.
What this rests on. 4thewords’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Novlr, Cold Turkey Writer, Dabble, Habitica and 750 Words
The 5 tools 4thewords is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.0GPA
Novlr
Free plan · from $8/mo
Browser-based novel writing workspace built around writing goals.
- Only 4thewords lists a browser extension.
- 4thewords can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 4thewords also covers habit tracking and goals.
- 3.0GPA
Cold Turkey Writer
Free plan · from $14.99 one-time
Text editor that locks your computer until a writing goal is met.
- Only 4thewords lists a web app.
- Only 4thewords lists a browser extension.
- Only Cold Turkey Writer lists macOS and Windows apps.
- 2.4GPA
Dabble
Free trial · from $19/mo
Novel writing app with plotting, story notes and sync.
- 4thewords has a free plan. Dabble does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only 4thewords lists a browser extension.
- Only Dabble lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- 3.4GPA
Habitica
Free plan · from $4.99/mo
Habit and task tracker that works like a role-playing game.
- Only 4thewords lists a browser extension.
- Only Habitica lists iOS and Android apps.
- 4thewords can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.0GPA
750 Words
Paid
Private daily writing site built around a 750-word goal.
- 4thewords has a free plan. 750 Words does not.
- Only 4thewords lists a browser extension.
- 4thewords can be bought with a one-time purchase.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is 4thewords free?
4thewords has a free plan. Free plan with no time limit and no card: 25 files, 2 projects, 25 battles a day, one month of file versions and limited access to special events.
How much does 4thewords cost?
4thewords lists 4 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does 4thewords work on?
4thewords is available on Web. It also has a browser extension.
Does 4thewords offer any discounts?
4thewords publicly lists the following: Yearly billing saves 20% on Member; Lifetime Pro for a one-time $599; Community Pool for writers who need help paying.
Does 4thewords have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. 4thewords is listed for Web.
Does 4thewords have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. 4thewords is listed for Web.
Is 4thewords open source?
4thewords is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 9, 2026.
What does 4thewords integrate with?
4thewords's listing names Google Docs, Notion, Substack, WordPress, Medium and Overleaf.
Who makes 4thewords?
4thewords is made by Reboot CR, S.A. It dates from 2015.
What are the alternatives to 4thewords?
The closest alternatives to 4thewords in our directory are Novlr, Cold Turkey Writer, Dabble, Habitica and 750 Words.
How does 4thewords compare with other writing tools?
4thewords's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 11 of the 69 other writing tools we grade, and level with 8.
Is 4thewords good value for money?
ToolGPA grades 4thewords C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $8 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 20 of the 44 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of 4thewords?
A writing app at its plainest is a page that saves what you type. You could make the core of 4thewords for yourself: long-form writing, goals and habit tracking.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from 4thewords’s own pages on Oct 9, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from 4thewords's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-01-26.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Reboot CR, S.A. Prices change, so check 4thewords.com before you buy.
- 4thewords.com/pricing
- 4thewords.com/
- 4thewords.com/writing-software
- 4thewords.com/extension
- 4thewords.com/about-us
- 4thewords.com/terms-of-use
- help.4thewords.com/account/plans-and-pricing
- help.4thewords.com/account/gift-codes-and-gifting
- help.4thewords.com/getting-started/how-4thewords-works
- help.4thewords.com/getting-started/getting-started
- help.4thewords.com/resources/faq
- help.4thewords.com/writing/documents-and-editor/sharing-and-collaboration
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- 4thewords, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/4thewords
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "4thewords: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/4thewords
Know someone choosing between writing tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/4thewords/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded writing tools after 4thewords, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Writing Tools Insider's GuideEvery one of the 70 writing tools we grade, compared
- Microsoft Word Insider's GuideWord processor sold with Microsoft 365, free in the browser3.4 GPA
- Beat Insider's GuideFree, open-source Fountain screenwriting app for Mac and iOS3.2 GPA
- JotterPad Insider's GuideMarkdown and Fountain editor for books, papers and screenplays3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what 4thewords’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. 4thewords is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Reboot CR, S.A. Prices and plans change: check 4thewords.com before you buy.