First of all, don’t get confused by the name; it’s not an AI-based text editor app. iA writer is a simple writing app with the sole purpose of providing a distraction-free environment so you can focus only on your words and the quality of each sentence. It’s the easiest app I tested; but is it at par with the big names like Scrivener or Final Draft? Even fo Android users? Let’s find out in this IA Writer Review.
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Our Verdict
Yes, I would recommend iA Writer if you like a minimal feature, easy to use writing app that is also free (at least for Android). We also recommend Scrivener , ProWritingAid and Write! App .
Grammarly Best All-Around
PROS
- 86% out of 86% accuracy
- 16+ billion database
- 150k+ word limit
- 5 devlice limit
- Includes plagiarism
- 1-hour response
CONS
- Only supports English
- Expensive without our link
iA Writer Limited Features
PROS
- Clean interface
- Compatible with all operating platforms
- “Focus Mode” feature
- Pre-designed templates
- Publish draft directly to WordPress and Medium
CONS
- Only 2 exporting options – PDF and Docx
- No online chat support, only email
Grammarly Premium Walkthrough Video
iA Writer Pros
#1 The biggest strength of iA Writer pro is its clean interface. There is no complexity, no fancy features. Just a plain sheet where you can carve your thoughts. It really helps you keep focused while working on a project. Plus, it integrates with icloud drive.
#2 It’s the only software in my test which is compatible with all the different operating platforms. You can use it on Windows, Mac, Android, and even on your iPhone or iPad.
#3 “Focus Mode” is an interesting feature that, when turned on, focuses the keyboard only on the current sentence or paragraph and greys out everything else you have written on the document. It works great as a night mode, as it also offers monospaced font and various font size choices.
It’s convenient writing tool for keeping your mind on the spot and each sentence. You can find a similar function full-screen mode on Microsoft Word, but I like this writing software’s writing process better.
#4 iA Writer comes with a bunch of pre-designed templates for your disposal that you can use by going to “File”. Or you can also create your own templates, much like you would in Google Docs.
#5 You can integrate iA Writer word with iCloud and Dropbox, and that enables you to backup all your content in the cloud.
And since, you can add Dropbox; it also opens the door for you to share your keyboard writing with your friends and collaborate with them on your projects. The icloud sync, though, is one of my favorite features, as it’s such an addition to your overall writing experience.
#6 iA Writer enables you to publish your draft directly to WordPress and Medium. And it also includes the feature to preview your content as HTML page.
iA Writer Cons
#1 While all the other word software provides at least 3-4 different file formats to export your content, iA Writer fails drastically in this section. There are only two keyboard exporting tool options – PDF and Docx.
#2 I also couldn’t find a way to quickly write rough ideas on iA Writer. You have to go through the same process as you would do to write a general script – there are no keyboard shortcuts or formatting mode hacks to use.
#3 Customer service is another major concern for iA Writer. Firstly, there’s no online chat support; the only way to submit your request is via email. And when you do that, it takes days to resolve your issues, which isn’t true for any word processor you could work with.
iA Writer Pricing Plans
iA Writer offers three different plans for its customers. The Android version is free forever. It is the only tool that has separate mode pricing for its Mac and Windows version, which also offers and on-screen keyboard and iCloud syncing.
While the Mac license is for $28.99, Windows license is a little cheaper at $19.99, and both of the versions are paired up with a 30-day free text trial, which is a great way to check out the writing environment.
Unfortunately, there is no such provision for the iOS platform because of Apple’s policies. You have to buy it in the app store for $8.99.
Do I recommend iA Writer?
Yes, I would recommend iA Writer if you like a minimal feature, easy to use word writing app that is also free (at least for Android).
The Focus Mode, Dropbox, and iCloud integration, and the ability to export minimalist writing directly to WordPress and Medium makes it a worthwhile choice for bloggers, short story writers, and other writers who indulge in general writing stuff, want a distraction-free mode, and work frequently to export text files, blog posts, and notes.
That said, we’d recommend checking out Wordable to publish Google Docs to WordPress in 1-click instead. It will not only clean and properly format your HTML, but also compress images, open links in a new tab, automatically set featured images or create a table of contents, and lots more.
However, this app is certainly not made to serve professional screenplay or mode novel writers or any other heavyweight project that consist of several sections or chapters, bibliography, etc. In those cases, something like MS word would work better, as it’s more powerful for editing and syncing, as well as storing documents in icloud.
