Find the best writing app for your next next writing project. Here are several options for everything from formatting to improving readability.

The best writing apps

An excellent writing app comes in handy if you're an aspiring writer or blogger or even enjoy putting together complex to-do lists. Even experienced screenwriters and published authors rely on writing tools to meet their writing goals.

Fortunately, many excellent story or novel writing apps are available that can support your writing style and offer spell-check functionality. Do you want to work on your creative writing skills or find an app with templates and great formatting options? This list of the best writing apps list can help.

The best apps for writing

Regardless of your writing experience or chosen writing process, you deserve access to distraction-free writing tools. The good news is that there are some fantastic options available. The list below reviews the top 10 writing apps.

Scrivener

Whether you’re writing non-fiction, novels, or short stories, Scrivener is one of the most widely used writing tools. It’s available as a desktop app for Windows and macOS devices and iPhone and iPad.

It allows you to track different versions of your writing, and features powerful editing tools and many templates. There are several price points for different versions of the app. Windows and Mac versions require a one-time $49 payment.

LivingWriter

LivingWriter is an excellent app for all types of writing. It has an intuitive interface, including a drag-and-drop feature, which allows you to re-arrange chapters and paragraphs. It's available for iOS mobile devices and as an Android app. The subscriptions start at $8 per month, but a free version of the app is also available.

Evernote

If you want a minimalist writing app that’s available for free and as a paid version, Evernote is an excellent option. It supports HTML text-based formats, along with TXT and RTF. Of course, it’s available as a web-based tool and mobile app.

It has a practical, easy-to-use sidebar and integrates well with social media platforms. Every version of Evernote allows efficient note-taking, file import, and access to functional home dashboard widgets. Also, you can find many tutorials on how to efficiently use Evernote.

Final Draft

Final Draft is one of the best apps for screenwriters. It has over 300 templates and dedicated pinboards and is generally ideal for visual learners. Furthermore, it allows real-time collaboration and easy exporting. However, it's one of the most expensive options on the market, with a one-time purchase costing up to $250.

Write!

Write! is a web-based book-writing software that offers cloud-based syncing and easy editing. It works with full-screen mode, thus ensuring the least number of distractions. Furthermore, you can track word count and spell check in over 35 languages.

Campfire

Campfire is another fantastic solution for screenwriters and novelists. In terms of features, it’s rather basic, but that’s why the learning curve is relatively modest. You can create headers, change fonts, and use word-building tools to create specific databases. Price-wise, it’s a mid-range writing app and the subscription starts at $12.50 per month.

Ulysses

In many ways, Ulysses is one of the most powerful writing apps available today. You can create footnotes, leave comments, export PDFs, and enjoy a distraction-free interface. It even has typewriter mode, which many appreciate. Ulysses will set you back around $40 per year, though monthly plans are also available.

YWriter

Whether you’re an aspiring self-publishing author or someone who keeps a digital journal, YWriter is one of the best writing apps. It’s completely free, but it’s only web-based. It’s super easy to use as well, supports markdown editing, and has few distractions.

iA Writer

The iA Writer is available for Apple macOS, iOS, and Android devices. Many users appreciate its minimalist user interface. Also, it's the go-to writing app for bloggers but doesn’t have many templates. Users pay a one-time $30 fee and there is access to a 14-day free trial.

The Novel Factory

The Novel Factory has some of the best templates for storytelling. Therefore, this app will help you get started if you're writing a novel. It has a 30-day free trial, which gives you enough time to see if this is the right investment for your writing career. After the free trial, the Novel Factory costs $6.25 per month.

Honorable mentions

While the above list contains the best subscription-based and free writing apps, there are a few more editing tools and apps for writing that deserve attention:

• The Hemingway App
• Grammarly
• FocusWriter
• ProWritingAid

Listen to what you wrote with Speechify

One of the biggest challenges most writers face is how the readers will understand their work. They can ask others to read their lines aloud, but that's tricky for several reasons. A much better solution is using text to speech software like Speechify.

This phenomenal tool can read any digital text aloud, even from writing apps. Hearing the written words in a human-sounding voice, you'll have an easier time identifying readability issues and grammar mistakes.

With the Speechify Chrome extension, you can listen to your words read aloud in WordPress, Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Google Drive, Dropbox, and many other platforms. You can also install Speechify on iOS, Android, Mac, and Windows devices. Try Speechify today for free and improve your writing skills.

FAQ

What app do most writers use?

Writers use many different writing and formatting tools. However, perhaps some of the most popular software options are Scrivener, YWriter, and Grammarly, the grammar checker. Also, the Hemingway app helps improve readability.

Is there a free app for writing?

Yes, there is. For example, many use Evernote, the note-taking app that allows you to write long-form text. It’s also great for brainstorming and writing ideas. It's available as a web-based tool and for mobile devices.

What is the best app for writing on the go?

The best writing apps for people who are always on the go include Evernote, Final Draft, Scrivener, and MS Word processors. These writing apps work really well on mobile devices.

What features should a writing app have?

Some of the essential features writing software should have are the text editor, readability analysis, real-time collaboration, markdown editing, grammar checking, plagiarism checking, and customization options.