# Flowstate — user reviews > 73 indexed App Store user reviews of Flowstate by Overman, LLC, rated 4.49/5 from 55 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flowstate/id1060276201/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flowstate/id1060276201.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 41 · 4★ 7 · 3★ 2 · 2★ 3 · 1★ 2 ## Newest reviews (15 of 73) ### 4/5 — Almost perfect *2021-08-06* For what it is, this app is great. It looks great, runs great, and has a great concept behind it. What it’s missing for me is an option to disable deletion while you’re writing. I get distracted by spelling errors and impulsively go back to correct them, which ends my state of flow. Unfortunately this has ruined the app for me personally. I’d rather use a pen and paper as I don’t have that option. ### 4/5 — something wrong *2019-10-16* love this app but i swear it used to have a five minute timer and now it only counts down from a minute?? havent even updated this so idk how this happened i cant find a way to change the timer.... ### 3/5 — Nice app, but... *2019-09-01* As you can see from tdhe version history, this app is no longer supported. I found a bug while using split view, so I sent a email, but the developer didn’t replied. ### 4/5 — Please, give me choice color *2019-05-29* I like white theme like mac. i want choice color in option. ### 4/5 — Free flow writing *2018-11-18* Whether you’re doing a brain dump so you can sleep, or jumpstart your writing at the beginning of the day, this app is a great tool. Flowstate doesn’t give you time for freak out over a blank word processor—no procrastination allowed. This is one of the best direct connectors to your mind you can have available. My sole complaint is that I want to have the same app on my laptop—please grace us with a version for Mac OS! ### 4/5 — Fantastic tool *2018-08-29* EDIT: Still using this app, but wish I could do sprints longer than 15 minutes on the app. Emailed the developer, but haven’t heard back - hope this isn’t an app they leave to languish without updates forever. I am so excited about this. I am exactly the person this app is designed for - I definitely need the timer/don't stop or you'll lose your work function of this app. I am working on an iPad Pro with the Smart Keyboard. For those previous reviewers who couldn't get the app to Landscape view, here is how I figured it out - go through the tutorial, tap on the contact link. Then, tap email and go to your mail client. Flip your iPad back and forth so the mail window goes to Landscape, then swipe back to Flowstate. It should then appear in Landscape and you can start your documents. Yay! ### 4/5 — App *2018-03-02, version 1.28* Good app with lots of potential There are ways to work around the system like copy and pasting - Disabling the copy and pasting feature until after the time limit has passed would help But if nothing else, it keeps you on your toes and your mind active ### 4/5 — Well worth the money! *2017-11-12, version 1.28* I love FlowState. I love how it focuses me and keeps me 'in the zone'. I like how, prior to a recent update, you could set it for a certain time frame: 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes. Unfortunately, this function is no longer available - a great pity, and I wish it would be brought back. But other that that, I love this app. I wish I'd had it ages ago! It's well worth the money. ### 5/5 — YES! So happy this is on the iOS App Store too! *2017-06-30* I fell in love with this app on the Mac, and was nervously hoping it would appear on my iPad's App Store too. Thank you developers of this fantastic app. Okay, so for those who don't get the usefulness of this app: It makes you write. Period. If you don't keep writing, you lose everything. But don't fear! You get plenty of advance warning. Your text actually starts to fade out, but once you start typing again it all comes back. So just keep at it. Easy. The point is you aren't supposed to worry about what you're writing, just do it. Your thoughts will come out, and you'll remember ideas you had throughout the day that you desperately wanted to get into text but could only remember when you were literally forced to keep those fingers moving and building the muscle memory necessary to type an entire novel out. Question to the devs: Any idea how many novels have been published using Flow State to create the first draft? I'd be curious to know. Cheers guys, fantastic app. You may have solved my decades long crippling self-consciousness and compulsion to edit as I go. I LOVE this app. ### 4/5 — Great app (bug report) *2017-06-25, version 1.28* I'm an avid user of both Byword and Flowstate on iPad Pro 9.7" and noticed some very strange bugs when exporting from Flowstate to Byword. (I'm using the latest released versions of all apps and iOS.) First, if any non-ASCII characters are input in Flowstate, they become nonsense characters in Byword. I assume the two apps must use different encodings. (This is not the case when exporting from Flowstate to Ulysses -- all characters appear the same in both apps.) The second bug is much weirder: For text imported from Flowstate, in Byword it's necessary to press the left or right arrow keys twice to move the cursor by one character. (Again, this is not the case for documents exported from Flowstate to Ulysses.) The up and down keys work normally. For any text written in Byword (after import from Flowstate), the left and right arrow keys work normally. This means that having to press the arrow keys twice in succession and working normally coexist in the same document. In Byword on macOS, when opening the same .txt files exported from Flowstate to Byword on iOS, any text entered in Byword appears with Chinese or nonsense (symbol) characters. Clearly there's something going on with encoding. I don't know whether these bugs are in Byword or Flowstate, but I thought I should pass them on. (There doesn't appear to be a contact page on the developer's website so I had to submit this as a review.) I also submitted them to Byword's developer. Hope this can be resolved soon. ### 5/5 — Read the poor ratings and laugh *2017-05-19* Some ratings here insinuate that there is a bug that deletes your data. They are referring to this app's fundamental feature. When you need to kickstart your creativity, you're forced to write intensely for five (or whatever) minutes for fear of losing your data. This is a FANTASTIC feature. Not a bug. Far from it and it has moved me to write several stories I otherwise would not have. Feature request: first time users aren't given a clear explanation as to what's happening. An up front video or tutorial would help mitigate against these errant and poor reviews. ### 4/5 — Commitment is key *2017-05-15* If you can't commit than don't invest in this app. If you can commit; if you can turn off your phone, ignore email, ignore texts, and elevate your work beyond trivial distraction then buy this app. GBU. ### 5/5 — Fantastic Productivity App *2017-04-10* Wow, the update to this is fantastic! Everything that was a little awkward/confusing has been streamlined. I love this app, forces you to focus in a way that nothing else does. I finally found an app that greatly enhances my first draft in writing, by forcing me to write continuously. If you need help getting the initial words down, this app is a real productivity enhancer! ### 5/5 — Crap! *2017-04-08, version 1.28* Hurts so good. ### 5/5 — Great *2017-03-13, version 1.27* Perfect app. I like how this forces you to write or risk losing it all. A book I once read taught me to write every day in a notebook for 30 minutes, its so cool to see and app like this. I now write occasionally on the phone, mostly when Im bored. I use this app on my phone and ipad, but would love to have it on my imac as well. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — It crashes on you while writing *2023-12-22, version 1.28* DO NOT BUY THIS. It crashed on me while writing and I lost my work. SO infuriating ### 1/5 — Makes me feel disappointed *2017-05-14* I tried using this to capture my thoughts, and it lost everything I typed. I gave it several tries, because it seemed like it had promise. But everything I've typed is gone. Maybe you could make an app that doesn't lose what I write. ### 1/5 — Don't buy this s$&@ *2017-05-02, version 1.28* It deletes all your work as soon as you stop typing. This is not good at all. ### 1/5 — Crashing *2016-12-02, version 1.22* Very happy with functionality and design of app, when it works. Having problems with it crashing on startup. Don't know how to fix without deleting and reinstalling app, which would cause me to lose my writing. I click the support button on App Store and it takes me to a site without a way to contact company. ### 1/5 — No Landscape Support! *2016-05-15, version 1.22* If you have an iPad and a keyboard forget about this software as it doesn't support landscape view. I emailed the developer about this but no response yet :-( ### 1/5 — Useless *2016-03-26, version 1.22* This app doesn't work for me at all. As soon as I put in a full stop it loses what I have typed. ### 1/5 — Unusable on iPad Pro *2016-02-29, version 1.22* I really wanted to try this app and I paid my $15. Unfortunately, it doesn't work in landscape mode (which I can live with, because I don't need to read what I'm typing) but it also doesn't work with the apple keyboard! I type and nothing happens! Very disappointed - hopefully there will be an update VERY soon so I won't have wasted my money. ### 1/5 — Maybe I'm missing something... *2016-02-11, version 1.22* I got this for the iPad Pro - it doesn't appear to support landscape mode, so impossible to use, then it crashed. Could the developer respond to confirm this is correct ### 2/5 — Anyone know if this app is now broken like the Mac version? *2018-12-24* I have written in this app every day for years, on iOS and OSX, and absolutely loved it, would have given it 6 stars. When I upgraded to Mojave, the Mac app ceased to work, eating my words before it was supposed to, with no warning. Anyone know if the developer has kept up better with this iOS version? ### 2/5 — New version won't let you adjust the amount of time before the writing gets deleted *2018-02-12* I have been using Flowstate for over a year and it has helped my writing a lot. The new update destroyed it for me though, for two reasons. First, I lost all the files I had created before the update. I tried to follow the procedures they recommended for recovering them from the cloud, but got nothing. Second, on the earlier version I was able to adjust the time it took before it deleted everything. I was able to find a time short enough to spur my creativity but long enough to let the words flow naturally, rather than feeling frantic about getting them out in time. On the new version, I can't find any setting that allows me to adjust the delete time, and the default setting is too quick for me. Others have written about great support from the developers. That has not been my experience. I have emailed them and have never received a response. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Great App *2022-09-18, version 1.28* Some mornings, I just don’t want to write. I have the app set to a 15 minute burst. At the end of that time I usually have 500-600 words written. After a few days, I have enough to begin editing down (and building up) a chapter. Simple idea, very valuable tool. ### 5/5 — Great app! *2022-07-19* Everything I’ve been looking but in a compact and minimal form! Just one suggestion. Could you add in a setting that allows you to set the duration of the timer? It would be great to see if longer time durations evoke a more demanding meditating state and more of an exercise to see if it can be trained. Again thanks again! And also could you update the app to fit the iPhones with the notch on the top of the screen? ### 5/5 — Wonderful to partner with editing & organizing apps *2022-06-07* Flowstate excels at allowing (forcing) one to write “in the zone” and results in great productivity. Enabling the autocorrect feature results in usable text fro ppl like me whose touch typing is rather…well, let’s just say, I could practice more. Sharing a doc with another writing app (Ulysses, for example) makes sense and allows organization, especially for large projects, including novels. (Ulysses is great, but has no autocorrect, leaving poor typists frustrated.). The reflow tool, allows you to challenge yourself by adding time to each exercise. ### 5/5 — This. *2019-05-21* Terrifying. Necessary. It’s probably easier than you think. Getting out of flow state is my problem, weirdly enough. Once I start writing, I get in such a compulsive state of flow, I can’t make myself stop typing even when I want to. I use this to train myself by letting the writing fade. It’s a backwards way to use it, but it took that problem I had and neutralized it down to ...what is now, in terms of writing ... not my issue, but my edge. But if you want to be in flow-state, just do this until you’re no longer monitoring yourself, let anything come out, and don’t feel the need to read it again. It’s a good way to purge mental clutter, to learn things you didn’t know you thought about, to get some weird poetic dream-like writing (if you’re into that) or just to see what happens. Sometimes I like to write the best thing I’ve ever written, and let it almost disappear. Don’t do that though....it’s probably not healthy lol. 😏 To do this without this app (sorry developers) use a pad and pen and try not to let the pen leave the page... or stop moving, even if you are just scribbling for a minute, it’s the same effect minus the panic attacks from the documents disappearing. This app is genius ... I wish more developers did these cool little niche interest apps. 👍🏻🙏🏻 ### 5/5 — Awesomely inspiring *2018-10-05, version 1.28* Just a great idea. A brilliant implementation of a strategy to force you (enjoyably) to come at things differently - from left field, however you want to put it - it is simultaneously making you try something different and yet, paradoxically, making you focus completely on what you want to do. No psychoactive substances were harmed during the writing of this review (apart from coffee) ### 5/5 — I love this app *2018-04-11* The app is designed to force you to write for a set number of minutes. I normally choose 5 minutes, and I sometimes start a second 5-minute flow. And then I write. I write whatever is on my mind. This app is perfect for that. It’s just a blank screen that forces me to write. Other than what autocorrect makes, I don’t care about my typos, I don’t have time. I have to write or else my work disappears. I’d rather have a draft I can revise than no draft at all…so I write until my flow timer expires. This app does precisely what it says it will do: write for a set time. If you stop for more than 5 seconds, your text will start to disappear. Trust me, I’ve lost work because I’ve paused for too long. So, I have to start my flow state again. Sometimes the only way to create a draft is to force a draft. And that is what this app does. I’ve found it is also useful to help me create entries for my Day One journal. ### 5/5 — Love love love *2017-12-14* Great app to put you into flow ### 5/5 — Magic! In so many ways *2017-10-16, version 1.28* Wrote a three star review yesterday complaining that Flowstate wouldn't work in landscape mode. Decided in the middle of the night that I love FLowstate so much that it didn't matter if I felt like I was writing sideways. The way it works is that you just write anyway. You can go back to read it later. So, I open it again this morning and it opened in landscape mode! Fabulous. This is not only a writing tool - it is a great way to become your own psychiatrist. Just set it for 15-30 minutes and write. See if you aren't wiser by the time you are done. ———- Updating this. All of the above remains true and what I'm about to write is what I would put out to support, if there were such a thing. If anyone has any tips about how to find it on the "too-cool-for-school" website, let me know. When my time is up, Flowstate disappears from my screen. I suppose that's not the worst thing that can happen. When I reopen it, all of my writing is still there, including the sentence or word I was typing when the app disappeared. So, it's OK, but it's disconcerting. Did you do this intentionally with the update? Or is it a bug? ———— It has been a year or so since the previous update. Whatever my problem was then has been taken care of. I want to repeat and emphasize one point from my first review. If the cost bothers you, compare it to the cost of psychotherapy. I find that 15 minutes on Flowstate a few times each week is more useful and insightful than many therapy sessions. Not many apps can claim to make you a better person, but I think Flowstate could make that claim. ### 5/5 — God I wish i had this 15 years ago. *2017-07-08* Need i say more?! ### 5/5 — An Amazing Tool for Writing *2017-07-07* This has helped me kickstart stories I had left in the dust without inspiration, and has been an immense help in starting new stories from scratch. Writing, for me, is a better experience due to this app. If you read the poor, 1-star reviews, don't heed them; the disappearance of work as you type is the main idea of the app. The app is supposed to force you into the "zone", a state of focus often talked of amongst artists, writers, and musicians alike. By pressuring you to keep writing or your work will disappear, you are therefore pushed into that "zone", and your creativity will soar. Overall, this is a serious game-changer in the world of writing apps, and I recommend it so much. --- *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 2026-06-10.*