# DraftPad

> Simple, clutter-free digital notepad for quick text drafting and sharing. (iPhone/iPad app by Manabu Ueno.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/draftpad/id358067114 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Manabu Ueno](https://appshunter.io/developer/358067117)
- Category: Productivity, Utilities
- Price: Free
- Rating: 4.30/5 from 53 App Store ratings · 181 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 11.0 · 1 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2010-02-26
- Data updated: 2026-07-22
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/draftpad/id358067114/reviews.md

## What is DraftPad?

DraftPad is a simple notepad which is like a single sheet of paper. You can use it to write a draft for messaging, posting, blogging, or any writing tasks.

For the simplicity, DraftPad doesn't have features for filing multiple notes and decorating text elements. Instead, it is always ready to start jotting.

DraftPad allows you to
- Simply write and read on a plain field without any functional complexity or visual clutter.
- Share or export your text via iOS standard activity sheet.
- Restore previous text from the automatic History list.
- Change font size and line spacing.
- Helped by the counters for characters, words, and lines.

Follow @draftpad on Twitter for staying in touch.

## Key features

- Plain text writing field
- Share/export text via iOS activity sheet
- Automatic history list for text restoration
- Adjustable font size and line spacing
- Character, word, and line counters

## What do users think of DraftPad?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 👍 Long-term user satisfaction
- 🚀 Reliable and consistent performance
- 💡 Simple and minimalist design
- 👍 Great for quick note-taking
- 👍 Helpful for writing and brainstorming

**Cons**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 🐛 Keyboard disappearing
- 🐛 Unexpected file creation and behavior
- 💡 Lack of multiple document support

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Crashes when highlighting words
- Keyboard disappearing issue
- Unexpected file creation and growth

**Most requested features**

- Add dark mode option
- Implement font and formatting options
- Allow creating and managing multiple documents
- Improve export and sharing capabilities
- Implement spell check and grammar assistance

## Recent user reviews (10 of 181)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/draftpad/id358067114/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Long term user

*2025-05-16, version 2.0*

Been using this app for a decade now, randomly thought about it… while I miss the themes, I’m glad this app is back and functions just as good as it did 10 years ago!

### 1/5 — Crashes

*2024-11-19, version 2.0*

Crashes every time a word is highlighted for Look Up spell check

### 5/5 — Perfect.

*2023-09-28, version 2.0*

So perfect that all I hope for is that it never loses it’s compatibility with any future iOS.

### 2/5 — Keyboard keeps disappearing

*2023-09-16*

Keyboard keeps disappearing. In order to get it back, one needs to close the current note, go back to history and re-open. This happens so often that it renders the whole app useless.
iPodOS 16.6.1 (and all previuos versions two years back)
iPad A2197 (MW742VC/A) (7th generation)

Otherwise it would be a perfect app to take brief notes.
Please fix it, and you will receive all five stars with an excellent review.

### 3/5 — メモが消える

*2022-12-08, version 2.0*

8日に記載した内容がアプリを開くと消えていて、1週間程度前にメモした内容に巻き戻っていた。
iOS16.1.2

### 5/5 — Very good

*2022-11-20, version 2.0*

I reccomend buying this, you couldn’t ask for more.

### 2/5 — it hangs when I select the whole text exceeds 10,000 characters

*2022-07-14, version 2.0*

I usually use it conveniently, but when I paste large data that exceeds 10,000 characters, it hangs when I select the whole text and I cannot delete it. Please add a function to clear all characters.

### 1/5 — Disturbing

*2022-05-31, version 2.0*

At first, I was very impressed that such a tiny app would allow me to make pdf files of the draft and save them elsewhere…

Then I discovered three files (sometimes four, depending on what I'd done) were being created in my 'Files' (a completely different app); and that each time I returned to DrafPad, those files were getting bigger, even though I'd written NOTHING at all! After deleting these uninvited files (from 'Files'), they would reappear the very next time I opened DraftPad. And then I looked in Draftpad history to discover that these previously empty files were being filled up with some kind of code I could make little sense of, but which might have something to do with formatting (I'm guessing, based on what I saw).

If the developer cannot explain what is happening and reassure me about the reasons for such apparently peculiar behaviour, I feel I have no choice but to delete the app and all associated, uninvited files.

Please get back to me - and if it makes sense, I will have another go and update this review. But for now, I feel very uncomfortable about an app which does things I'm not asking of it and that these auto-created files just keep getting bigger and bigger each time I open the app or look at the gobbledygook I can't make sense of.

### 5/5 — Simply Beautiful (and vice-versa)

*2022-03-05, version 2.0*

Nothing but text editing. I looked and looked for something like this. My favorite feature is the “ready-to-type” interface — you run the app and the first thing it shows is a cursor, not a list of text files with a “plus” sign that you must tap BEFORE you can type. Just run the app and start typing.

### 5/5 — シンプルで良い。このままで、良い。

*2022-01-15, version 2.0*

シンプルで使いやすいです。複雑な機能は入りません。cloud同期なども必要なしです。このまま、ずっと使えたら、それで良いのです。
不具合でた時の対応だけは、よろしくお願いします。末永く永久に使います。

## Frequently asked questions about DraftPad

### What is DraftPad used for?

DraftPad is designed for quickly writing drafts for messages, social media posts, blog entries, or any other writing tasks. Its primary focus is on providing a simple, uncluttered space for immediate text input without distractions.

### What are the key features of DraftPad?

Key features include a plain writing field for simplicity, the ability to share or export text via the iOS standard activity sheet, an automatic history list to restore previous text, adjustable font size and line spacing, and counters for characters, words, and lines.

### Is DraftPad free to use?

Yes, DraftPad is a free application. It does not have any in-app purchases or advertisements, allowing for an uninterrupted writing experience.

### What devices is DraftPad compatible with?

DraftPad is an iOS application, meaning it is compatible with iPhones and iPads. The description mentions utilizing the iOS standard activity sheet for sharing and exporting, indicating its integration with the iOS ecosystem.

### How does DraftPad help with writing tasks?

DraftPad helps by offering a distraction-free writing environment, allowing you to focus solely on your text. The built-in counters for characters, words, and lines are useful for meeting specific length requirements, and the ability to easily share or export your draft streamlines the process of moving your text to other platforms.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 2.0 — 2018-03-07

This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon.

On the last update in 2014, I announced that the development of DraftPad was discontinued, but I changed my mind. This is the new version of DraftPad which is redesigned and optimized for modern iOS 11.

I decided to update DraftPad again because so many people sent me questions and requests after iOS 11 was released. The previous version of DraftPad was a 32-bit app which could not run on iOS 11.

To me, DraftPad had been a past project that I was not to touch again, but I found that it was a present tool to the users. They were very confused about how to get their data back, and actually, the only way for them to restore the data on iOS 11 is to have the updated version of DraftPad which runs on iOS 11.

Now, DraftPad is back. This version was developed from scratch to fit the current framework of iOS. On the other hand, in these four years after the last update, many features have been added to iOS itself, and now apps can be more extended with the standard mechanism. Therefore, I decided to remove some features from DraftPad and pursue its original concept, the extreme simplicity.

New features using iOS standard mechanism
- Activity sheet which provides extended actions and sharing availability
- Text drag and drop
- Quick action from home screen by 3D touch
- Peek and pop from History list by 3D touch

Removed features
- Assists
- iCloud syncing
- Themes
- Receiving data via URL scheme

Please excuse me if you had been enjoying Assist commands. They are no longer available to keep DraftPad simple, up-to-date, and free.

Thank you for using DraftPad for a long time.

### 1.6.3 — 2014-01-29

- IMPORTANT NOTICE
The development of DraftPad has been discontinued. This is the final update. DraftPad is not going to be optimized for iOS 7.
However, as an official sequel to DraftPad, the same development team has released "Textwell." It has already been in the App Store.
Textwell is designed with the same concept as DraftPad, but it is much more powerful and flexible. Please check and try it.

- Small bug fixes.

### 1.6.2 — 2012-11-22

- Minor bug fixes.

### 1.6.1 — 2012-11-07

- Fixed icon bug on iOS 6 with iPad Retina.

### 1.6 — 2012-10-30

- Fully compatible with iOS 6 and iPhone 5.
- Assist items can be managed by folders.
- New preference items in Settings app.
- Minor bug fixes.

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## Related topics

[manabu ueno](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/manabu-ueno) · [one pass draft](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/one-pass-draft) · [style scribe](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/style-scribe) · [writing pad hand](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/writing-pad-hand) · [margins development](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/margins-development) · [penfed mobile](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/penfed-mobile) · [penfed mobile app](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/penfed-mobile-app)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-07-22.*