# Writerly vs Pen to Published

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pen to Published at none against Writerly's 4. Pen to Published also leads on iOS requirement (18.2 vs 26.0). Writerly's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Writerly sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Pen to Published asks for nothing beyond the download.

Writerly ships an update every 10 months, Pen to Published every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Writerly | Pen to Published |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (112 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/writerly/id1143101981/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **112** | — |
| Positive reviews | 76.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 months** | Every 12 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 79 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **18.2** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Russell Archer](https://appshunter.io/developer/1112550413) | [Mila Johansen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1730593829) |

## What reviewers say

### Writerly

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/writerly/id1143101981)

This app guides aspiring and experienced writers through creative writing with advice, exercises, and AI-powered tools. It offers features to spark creativity, brainstorm ideas, research, and develop characters, acting as a constant writing companion.

**Highlights:** AI Toolkit for research and brainstorming, Character development tools and exercises, Daily writing prompts, Techniques to combat writer's block, Sensory detail guidance, Built-in timer for exercises, Home screen widgets

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A Year of Prompts | $0.99 | one-time |
| Ways into Character | $1.99 | one-time |
| Meet your Characters | $1.99 | one-time |
| AI Toolkit | $2.99 | one-time |


### Pen to Published

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pen-to-published/id6477801054)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Writerly free?

Writerly is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Pen to Published free?

Pen to Published is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Writerly or Pen to Published have ads?

Pen to Published shows ads; Writerly does not.

### Which is updated more often, Writerly or Pen to Published?

Writerly ships an update every 10 months, and Pen to Published every 12 months. Most recently, Writerly was updated on October 20, 2026 and Pen to Published on October 4, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*