Paper vs Writing Space
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Paper
This app offers a clean and configurable writing environment for various creative projects. It supports Markdown and plain text, syncs with iCloud, and integrates with other tools. Users can publish drafts to popular blogging platforms and export documents in multiple formats.
- Gorgeous writing space
- Silky-smooth typing
- Deep personalization (Pro)
- Markdown or Plain Text support
- iCloud sync
- Publish to Medium, WordPress, Ghost
- Export to PDF, HTML, DOCX, ePub
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“This is a super-clean writing space with a lot of configurability that stays out of sight when you don’t need it.” App Store Review 2020 # STORY Read it here → paper.pro/story # HIGHLIGHTS · Gorgeous writing space · Silky-smooth typing · Deep personalization (Pro) · Markdown or Plain Text · Syncs with iCloud · Integrates with TextExpander · Publishes drafts to Medium, WordPress, Ghost, or Micro.blog · Exports to PDF, HTML, RTF, DOCX, ePub, image, or clipboard · Works seamlessly across your iPhone, iPad, and Mac # PRO FEATURES Basic adjustments like text size are free in Paper. More advanced personalization can be purchased with Pro Features. You will not be buying anything blindly, though. The trial period for Pro Features is untimed, so you can take your time to decide if they are a worthy investment. While trialing Pro Features, you might occasionally see a popup. Simply press Reset in the popup to get rid of it completely. Pro Features are either a subscription or a one-time purchase. Both the subscription and the one-time purchase unlock Pro Features on all your iPhones and iPads that share the same Apple ID. This subscription (or one-time purchase) applies only to iPhones and iPads. Macs require a separate subscription (or one-time purchase). The one-time purchase is hidden by default. To enable it, go to the Settings app → Apps → Paper → Purchases → toggle "Show Lifetime Option". If you want to upgrade from a Monthly subscription to a Yearly one (or to a Lifetime license), go to Paper’s page in the App Store and press the rounded button with the price next to the Yearly subscription option (or next to the Lifetime in-app purchase). # BUSINESSES, SCHOOLS & ORGANIZATIONS Businesses, schools, and organizations can use one of the following methods to purchase the Pro version of the app: · Apple Business Manager · Apple School Manager · Volume Purchasing The Pro version of the app can be accessed from this link → paper.pro/get # MARKDOWN FORMATTING SYNTAX # Heading 1 ## Heading 2 ### Heading 3 #### Heading 4 ##### Heading 5 ###### Heading 6 **Bold** __Bold__ *Italic* _Italic_ ~Underline~ ~~Strikethrough~~ ==Highlight== ::Highlight:: `Inline Code` ``` Code Block ``` [Link Text](http://paper.pro)  - Bulleted List - Bulleted List - Nested Bulleted List * Bulleted List * Bulleted List * Nested Bulleted List 1. Numbered List 2. Numbered List 3. Numbered List 1. Nested Numbered List - [ ] Task List - [x] Task List > Blockquote >> Nested Blockquote >>> 2x Nested Blockquote Text that needs a footnote[^Footnote description] ++ Inline comment ++ /* Inline comment */ %% Comment block | Col 1 | Col 2 | | ------ | ------ | | Cell 1 | Cell 2 | | Cell 3 | Cell 4 | --- ← Horizontal Rule \_ ← Markdown Escape ° ← HTML Escape # FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ## How do I share my document? · On the main screen with documents: Tap and hold the document. Select "Share" from the menu. · In the document editor: Tap the title of the document in the top bar, then tap the round "Share" button in the popup. ## How do I print my document? · On the main screen with documents: Tap and hold the document. Select "Print" from the menu. · In the document editor: Tap the title of the document in the top bar. Select "Print" from the menu. ## Can I draw in the app? No. Paper is purely a plain-text editor. ## Can I add pictures? You can only link to public images on the Web. ## Can I password-protect my notes? No. ## Paper changes the font when I switch between alphabetic and non-alphabetic keyboards. How do I prevent it? · Change the keyboard to a non-alphabetic one (Japanese, Chinese, Korean, etc.). · Tap the "Settings" button in the top right corner. · Under the "Font" submenu, toggle "Keep for ABC Keyboards". ## Need more help? You can reach me via the in-app chat → "Settings" button in the corner → "Chat with the Maker" # TERMS OF USE paper.pro/terms-of-use
Writing Space
This app is a distraction-free word processor designed for writers. It offers customizable themes, rich formatting, and progress tracking to help users finish projects faster. Share or publish your work online with ease.
- Distraction-free writing mode
- Customizable themes and templates
- Rich text formatting options
- Progress tracking with word count
- Automatic backups and cloud sync
- Inline notes for thoughts
- Dark mode
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Writing Space is a powerful writing tool for students, teachers, authors, and bloggers. It is a customizable word processor with a library of user-friendly templates, stunning fonts, and rich formatting options. Writing Space is designed to help you write in a more focused way, so you can finish your writing projects faster and achieve more. Share your writing with your friends and family or publish it online. - Distraction-free writing mode, so you can focus on writing your book with minimal distractions. You can also create lists, insert links, and highlight text with ease. - A library of customizable themes to help you design your book. You can choose from a variety of professionally designed templates, or you can create your own from scratch. - A well-polished word processor packed with all of the features you need for a pleasant writing experience. - Track your progress with Writing Space's word count feature. Set a daily writing goal and know exactly how much you have left to write. - A rich set of formatting options. Change the font, size, color, style, and alignment of your text. - Publish your work online and let everyone read your stories. Writing Space supports PDF or self-publishing. - Dark mode. - Automatic backups - never lose your writing again. Sync your writing with your Google or Apple account, or sign up with just your email. - Inline notes - write your thoughts without including them in your final published copy. - Track your progress with Writing Space's word count feature. Set a daily writing goal and know exactly how much you have left to write. ----------------------------------- If you choose to purchase the Full Access subscription, payment will be charged to your iTunes account, and your account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period. Auto-renewal may be turned off at any time by going to your settings in the iTunes Store after purchase. Current Full Access subscription price starts at $1.29 USD/week. Prices are in USD, may vary in countries other than the U.S. and are subject to change without notice. No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during the active subscription period. If you don’t choose to purchase the subscription, you can simply continue accessing the sample content. Terms of Use: https://www.meali.co/tos.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Paper at 72% against Writing Space's 44%. Paper also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.5). Writing Space's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Paper sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month and Writing Space sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Paper holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.7K and 1.5K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 72% of Paper's written reviews are positive against 44% of Writing Space's.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Paper | Writing Space |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (1.7K ratings) — better | 4.5 (1.5K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 72.5% of reviews — better | 43.9% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1.7K — better | 1.5K |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 11.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 39 MB | 171 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Mihhail Lapushkin | Mealico LLC |
Customer experience
Paper
Writing Space
User reviews
Paper
From 1.7K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 💗 Fantastic app
- 🎀 Great tool for writers
- 👍 Clean writing app
- 🤩 Awesome app
- 👍 Cute animations
Room to improve
- 🐛 Glitchy and unreliable
- 💰 Paywalled features
- 🐛 Lost files and documents
- 🐛 Cursor issues
- 🐛 Buggy and unstable
Writing Space
From 1.5K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Organized writing
- 👍 Customizable book covers and fonts
- 🚀 Simple and easy to use
- 👍 No ads
- 👍 Great for beginners
Room to improve
- 🐛 Crashes and glitches
- 🔒 Inability to access or recover lost work
- 👎 Limited free chapters
- 👎 Subscription required for full functionality
- 🐛 Syncing and backup issues
Bugs and requests
Paper
Reported bugs
3 issues- Files randomly disappearing
- Cursor issues causing freezes
- Syncing and iCloud integration problems
Requested features
5 requests- Add image support
- Improve file management and recovery
- Expand font and customization options
- Implement team/collaborative writing features
- Add text formatting options like italics and bold
Writing Space
Reported bugs
4 issues- App crashes when trying to upgrade
- Chapters and writing disappearing
- Inability to type after using backspace
- Bluetooth keyboard compatibility issues
Requested features
5 requests- Add ability to import/export files
- Implement cursor movement and text selection
- Integrate grammar/spelling checks
- Allow more than 5 free chapters
- Add option to share/publish stories
In-app purchases
Paper
- Pro Features — Discounted$14.991 Month
- Pro Features$29.991 Month
- Pro Features — Discounted$49.991 Year
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- Pro Features$99.991 Year
- Pro Features — Discounted$99.99
- Pro Features$199.99
Writing Space
- Unlimited Full Access$1.991 Month
- Discounted Full Access$3.993 Months
- Unlimited Full Access$5.993 Months
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- Unlimited Full Access$11.991 Year






