The iA Writer Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about iA Writer 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.
iA Writer
The Insider’s Guide
Minimal plain-text Markdown writing app with Focus Mode
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among writing tools, read from iA Writer’s own pages.
Made by Information Architects AG · checked Oct 5, 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 iA Writer’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on iA Writer’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.8
GPA, above 43 of the 69 other writing tools we grade
iA Writer is a plain-text Markdown writing app with a deliberately bare interface: no toolbars or popups, only the text. Focus Mode dims everything but the current sentence or paragraph, Style Check flags clichés and filler words, and Authorship marks which text was typed and which was pasted in from AI or another author. It is sold as a one-time payment per platform for Mac, Windows, and iPhone and iPad.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about iA Writer, taken from its own pages and our grades.
There are no toolbars or buttons to learn, just the text, though the formatting is Markdown that you type yourself.
- 1
Best for distraction-free Markdown writing, paid for once
iA Writer is a Markdown editor with no toolbars, a Focus Mode that fades all but the current sentence, and a mark on text pasted in from AI.
- 2
What it costs
Paid plans start at $19.99 one-time (iPhone and iPad); $29.99 Windows, $49.99 Mac.
- 3
You can try it first
7-day free trial for Mac and Windows, no credit card required. No trial is listed for iPhone and iPad.
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
macOS, Windows and iOS.
- 5
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.
- 6
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.
- 7
Style Check
Flags clichés, fillers and clutter and leaves the decision to cut them with the writer. The check runs on the device.
- 8
A 2.8 GPA, above 43 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.
iA Writer at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $19.99 one-time (iPhone and iPad); $29.99 Windows, $49.99 Mac
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 7-day free trial for Mac and Windows, no credit card required. No trial is listed for iPhone and iPad.
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, iOS
- Made by
- Information Architects AG, since 2010
- Category
- Writing Tools
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
- Store rating
- 4.6 on the App Store, 1,538 ratings
The report card
Best for distraction-free Markdown writing, paid for once
iA Writer is a Markdown editor with no toolbars, a Focus Mode that fades all but the current sentence, and a mark on text pasted in from AI. You pay once, but once per platform: $49.99 on Mac, $29.99 on Windows and $19.99 on iPhone and iPad, and major updates may cost extra. The Android app was pulled from sale in 2024, there's no web version, and it has no notes, outliner or manuscript tools.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Paid 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. |
| Free plan and trial | C | No 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. |
| Features | C | Focus 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. |
| Ease of use | B | 4.56 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. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Computers 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. |
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 iA Writer is for
- 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
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- 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
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$19.99 one-time
To start
iA Writer is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $19.99 one-time (iPhone and iPad); $29.99 Windows, $49.99 Mac.
Each platform is a separate purchase, and major updates may cost extra.
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.
Trying it first
7-day free trial for Mac and Windows, no credit card required. No trial is listed for iPhone and iPad.
Read from ia.net on Oct 5, 2026.
Ways to pay less
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.
Stated on ia.net
What the app costs elsewhere
Each country’s App Store price for the app, against $19.99 in the United States, in dollars at the day’s rate. The four cheapest and the four dearest of 11.
| Country | Price there | In dollars | Against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $19.99 | $14.05 | 30% less |
| Philippines | ₱ 999.00 | $15.90 | 20% less |
| Brazil | R$ 79,90 | $15.96 | 20% less |
| Turkey | ₺899,99 | $18.30 | 8% less |
| Mexico | $399.00 | $21.92 | 10% more |
| Germany | 19,99 € | $22.40 | 12% more |
| South Africa | R399.99 | $24.19 | 21% more |
| United Kingdom | £19.99 | $26.43 | 32% more |
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: macOS, Windows and iOS
Minimal plain-text Markdown writing app with Focus Mode. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: one-time purchase, Markdown, grammar & style.
Bare on purpose and complete at it, but that is a small job: no notes, no outliner, no manuscript tools.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- iOS
What it works with
- WordPress
- Medium
iA Writer is made by Information Architects AG, and has been around since 2010.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
43/69
Other writing tools it is graded above
iA Writer's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 43 of the 69 other writing tools we grade, and level with 13.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 44 of 69) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 70 writing tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. iA Writer’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 44 of 69
- CFree plan and trialAbove 5 of 69
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 69
- BEase of useAbove 32 of 69
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 32 of 69
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 iA Writer for yourself: Markdown. What you would give up is listed below. Whether that is worth the price is your call. At $19.99, paid once, it costs less than the weekend it would take to replace, which is the argument for keeping it.
What you could make
- Markdown: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Grammar checking as you type, wherever you type.
- Apps for macOS, Windows and iOS that stay in step with each other.
What this rests on. iA Writer’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
Ulysses, Typora, 1Writer, Bear and Calmly Writer
The 5 tools iA Writer is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
Ulysses
Free trial · from $39.99/yr
Markup-based writing app for Mac, iPad and iPhone.
- Only iA Writer lists a Windows app.
- iA Writer can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Ulysses also covers long-form writing.
- 2.6GPA
Typora
Free trial · from $14.99 one-time
Minimal Markdown editor that renders formatting as you type.
- Only iA Writer lists an iOS app.
- Only Typora lists a Linux app.
- iA Writer also covers grammar & style.
- 2.0GPA
1Writer
From $4.99 one-time
Markdown editor for iPhone and iPad with scriptable actions.
- Only iA Writer lists macOS and Windows apps.
- iA Writer also covers grammar & style.
- 1Writer also covers notes.
- 2.6GPA
Bear
Free plan · from $2.99/mo
Markdown notes app for Mac, iPhone and iPad with tags and links.
- Bear has a free plan. iA Writer does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only iA Writer lists a Windows app.
- Only Bear lists a browser extension.
- 2.8GPA
Calmly Writer
Free plan · from $16.99 one-time
Distraction-free Markdown writing app sold as a one-time purchase.
- Calmly Writer has a free plan. iA Writer does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only iA Writer lists an iOS app.
- Only Calmly Writer lists a web app.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
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 iA Writer free?
No, iA Writer is a paid product, but you can try it first. 7-day free trial for Mac and Windows, no credit card required.
How much does iA Writer cost?
iA Writer lists 3 plans. iPhone & iPad: $19.99 one-time payment, App Store only.
What platforms does iA Writer work on?
iA Writer is available on macOS, Windows and iOS.
Does iA Writer offer any discounts?
iA Writer publicly lists the following: 20% educational discount on direct purchases.
How is iA Writer rated?
iA Writer's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1,538 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Does iA Writer have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. iA Writer is listed for macOS, Windows and iOS.
Does iA Writer have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. iA Writer is listed for macOS, Windows and iOS.
Is iA Writer open source?
iA Writer is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
What does iA Writer integrate with?
iA Writer's listing names WordPress and Medium. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Does iA Writer have a student discount?
20% educational discount on direct purchases. iA offers a 20% educational discount on the Mac and Windows versions bought directly from it.
Who makes iA Writer?
iA Writer is made by Information Architects AG. It dates from 2010.
What are the alternatives to iA Writer?
The closest alternatives to iA Writer in our directory are Ulysses, Typora, 1Writer, Bear and Calmly Writer.
How does iA Writer compare with other writing tools?
iA Writer's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 43 of the 69 other writing tools we grade, and level with 13.
Could I make my own version of iA Writer?
A writing app at its plainest is a page that saves what you type. You could make the core of iA Writer for yourself: Markdown.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from iA Writer’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from iA's own pages on 5 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-05-19.
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 Information Architects AG. Prices change, so check ia.net before you buy.
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
- iA Writer, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/ia-writer
- 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, "iA Writer: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/ia-writer
Know someone choosing between writing tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/ia-writer/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded writing tools after iA Writer, 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 iA Writer’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. iA Writer is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Information Architects AG. Prices and plans change: check ia.net before you buy.