Great design but in need of an update
EDIT: After much searching, have found a partial workaround for the formatting bar issue: Go to the settings for Scrivener (through the app settings menu), then under the Editor heading, enable 3rd party keyboard support. This stops the menu from disappearing. Still issues with actual styles differentiation, but at least you can set styles that way. Increase from 2 to 3 stars
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As others have commented, Scrivener is an amazing writing tool, especially on the Mac and PC. On the iPhone side, where I’m reviewing this app from, it currently leaves a lot to be desired. Basic formatting functions are broken with iOS 26, and other functions aren’t well implemented, such as side-by-side content in landscape mode (an iPhone 14 Pro Max has plenty of space available for side by side content imo), and syncing between mobile and desktop (no iCloud in sight unfortunately). I know the devs L&L are working on a new (and apparently much delayed) product at present, and there are rumours of a foldable phone with iPad Mini-level real estate later this year, so I’m hopeful that the team will have some bug fixes and feature improvements out before the year is done. If they did this would be an easy 5 star review, but in the meantime, I can only offer 2 (edit: per above, now 3)
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As others have commented, Scrivener is an amazing writing tool, especially on the Mac and PC. On the iPhone side, where I’m reviewing this app from, it currently leaves a lot to be desired. Basic formatting functions are broken with iOS 26, and other functions aren’t well implemented, such as side-by-side content in landscape mode (an iPhone 14 Pro Max has plenty of space available for side by side content imo), and syncing between mobile and desktop (no iCloud in sight unfortunately). I know the devs L&L are working on a new (and apparently much delayed) product at present, and there are rumours of a foldable phone with iPad Mini-level real estate later this year, so I’m hopeful that the team will have some bug fixes and feature improvements out before the year is done. If they did this would be an easy 5 star review, but in the meantime, I can only offer 2 (edit: per above, now 3)
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I never write reviews but I LOVE scrivener
Exactly the title. So easy to use, so many functions for writers, love the interfacing between desktop and mobile to write on the go when inspo strikes
Felt deceived
It was not clearly stated that the iPad version was severely empty of the tooted Scrivener features like templates. If I’d know that I would not have wasted $23. Feeling very much ripped off and sold a product that did not deliver what was promised. This iPad version is barely any better than a simple note app. This is a very expensive note app.
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Trash
The MacOS app is great. This is a mess. Don’t waste your money on this junk.
Better than nothing but clumsy and Dropbox leads to data loss
It is better to have some way to view and edit in my iPad, but I wish it were easier to get around in the app. Even with a keyboard and trackpad it’s harder to get around than the Mac version. Hard to say if that’s a general iPad problem or specific to the app. I’ve also lost a couple of files in a scrivener project recently thanks to the Dropbox sync misbehaving, and wish I could just store the files in iCloud Drive. I haven’t lost data with anything that syncs via iCloud Drive so far.
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