Comparison

Byword vs 1Writer

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Byword

This app simplifies writing on mobile devices with robust Markdown support. It offers cross-device syncing, offline access, and seamless publishing to popular blogging platforms. Enjoy features like dark mode, word counts, and accessibility options.

Highlights
  • Markdown writing and editing
  • Cross-device syncing
  • Offline document access
  • Publish to blogs (Medium, WordPress, etc.)
  • Dark mode support
  • Word and character counters
  • Export to PDF and HTML
Features
Read full description

Byword makes writing easier on your iPhone and iPad. # Key features of Byword - Designed to make writing with Markdown easier - Sync text documents across all your Mac, iPhone, iPad devices - Take all documents offline to access them anytime - Filter documents by searching all text (Find & Replace inside documents coming soon) - Alternate dark theme for extra comfort in low-light situations - The most complete Markdown support including footnotes, tables and cross-references - Export Markdown documents to PDF and HTML documents - Publish to Medium, WordPress, Tumblr, Blogger and Evernote # Optimized for iOS 13 - Dark mode support to match iOS preference; - Search documents directly from iOS Spotlight; - Multitasking and split screen on iPad; - Shortcuts to create new document and access most recent documents right from application icon. # Blog publishing Publish to Medium, WordPress, Tumblr, Blogger and Evernote from Byword. Publishing your story with Byword is as simple as: 1. Write in Byword 2. Open Tools and select Publish 3. Confirm metadata 4. Publish # More features - List continuations - TextExpander snippet expansion - Word and character counters with live update - Extensive VoiceOver support for visual impaired users - Spell and Grammar checking and Dictionary lookup - Keyboard shortcuts for formatting and navigating between screens Here are some ways to use Byword in your life: - For posting to your blog without using clunky web interfaces and risking losing your work - For research, meeting and class notes - To write that important email without being distracted - To capture ideas and notes and have them available in all devices # Rich text warning Byword for iOS only works with plain text formats. Supported file extensions are: txt, text, md, mmd, rmd, markdown, markdn, mdown, mkdn, markd and fountain. # Support We are proud to provide a super friendly customer support. If you need help and/or have suggestions, please contact us using the mediums below. Twitter: http://twitter.com/bywordapp Email: byword@metaclassy.com Web: http://bywordapp.com

About

1Writer

This app is a powerful text editor for creating, revising, and sharing ideas efficiently. It supports plain text and Markdown, with advanced features like an extended keyboard, photo insertion, and custom URL actions. Sync with cloud services and personalize your writing experience.

Highlights
  • Markdown syntax highlighting and preview
  • Extended keyboard with custom buttons
  • Photo insertion with Dropbox integration
  • Sync with iCloud, Dropbox, and WebDAV
  • Custom URL actions and JavaScript support
  • In-app web browser for research
  • Passcode and biometric app protection
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

1Writer combines all the basic text editing features you would expect with all the advanced features you will ever need. Use 1Writer to write, research, revise, and share your ideas with maximum efficiency. - - - - - - - - - - "The only Dropbox- and Markdown-enabled text editor for iPhone that’s clicked with me has been 1Writer. It’s simple, looks great, and gets the job done." - TheSweetSetup.com "Really great app, really recommend it." - Federico Viticci, MacStories.net "The app interface is beautiful and distraction-free, with loads of other awesome features lurking beneath its simple exterior. It's now my go-to iPhone text editor." - Chris Gonzales, ToolsandToys.net "For users that want a great visual experience paired with great support for custom actions and third party apps, 1Writer is an excellent choice." - iMore.com "1Writer is the most powerful text editor available for iPhone." - Phillip Gruneich - - - - - - - - - - CREATE - Write :: generate and edit plain text or Markdown files. - Preview :: see the formatted results with Markdown syntax highlighting while you write and a full, rich-text preview when you're done. - Extended keyboard :: a convenient row of buttons for navigation, formatting, special characters (customizable--pick the characters you use the most). - Insert photo :: pick a photo or take a new one, and 1Writer will upload it to Dropbox and generate the Markdown-syntax to add it to your document--all in a single action! - Snippets :: TextExpander Touch support. - Custom URL actions :: insert a document template, encode a selection and replace the original text, look up synonyms and much more. - JavaScript :: create even more powerful custom actions using JavaScript—text manipulation, perform a find & replace, interact with the clipboard—the possibilities are endless. IMPORT - Sync with iCloud, Dropbox and WebDAV. - Share extension :: send text to 1Writer from other apps. In Safari, the extension uses the current URL, page title and selected text to create a new document. - Create, append, prepend, or replace text directly from other apps using the 1Writer URL scheme. EXPORT - CloudApp and Dropbox :: generate a link to share your document in plain text or PDF. - Evernote :: pick your notebook, add tags and turn a text selection or the entire document into a new, rich-text note. - Copy HTML :: put the formatted text for your document directly on the clipboard. - Custom actions :: open a web search, tweet a selection, save a series of items in a list and much more. PERSONALIZE - Support Dark Mode on iOS 13. - 2 dark themes for more comfortable reading and writing at night. - Choose from 20 different fonts. - Bookmark and sync the Dropbox/WebDAV folders you want to have quick access to the sub-folders and documents you need. - Use a passcode or Touch ID/Face ID to protect the app from unauthorized users. RESEARCH - In-app web browser :: research, look up information without having to leave the app. - Bookmarks :: create and access your favorite websites. - Save the current text selection to the clipboard in Markdown syntax. - 1Password support :: login to all your accounts using the 1Password extension. EVEN MORE GREAT FEATURES - Drag and drop. - Open in Place. - Multiple windows on iOS 13. - MultiMarkdown. - Search documents from Spotlight. - Find & replace within document. - Photo and PDF preview. - Today widget :: access your recent documents from the Notification Center or create a new document in one tap. - Checklist support :: create a list of things to do or topics to research, and easily check them off. - Full-text search and hashtag support :: search within a folder to find the document you need, and view related documents that have the same tag.

Screenshots

Byword4 screens
1Writer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Byword at none against 1Writer's 5. Byword also leads on iOS requirement (10.3 vs 13.0). 1Writer's advantage is review sentiment (84% vs 60%) and price ($4.99 vs $5.99). On rating, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Byword costs $5.99 and 1Writer $4.99 up front. 1Writer sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Byword asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

1Writer holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 179 and 388 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of Byword's written reviews are positive against 84% of 1Writer's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 16, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Byword versus 1Writer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterByword1Writer
Price$5.99$4.99 — better
Rating4.4 (179 ratings)4.6 (388 ratings) — better
Positive reviews60.1% of reviews83.9% of reviews — better
Number of ratings179388 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#140#63 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS10.3 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB19 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperMetaclassy, Lda.Ngoc Luu

Customer experience

Byword

All ratings179 ratings
Positive86.0%
Neutral2.8%
Negative11.2%
Written reviews328 reviews
Positive60.1%
Neutral13.7%
Negative26.2%

1Writer

All ratings388 ratings
Positive90.5%
Neutral3.6%
Negative5.9%
Written reviews329 reviews
Positive83.9%
Neutral4.6%
Negative11.6%

Bugs and requests

Byword

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Dropbox sync not working, files not syncing or disappearing
  • Crashes on launch or when opening certain files
  • Issues with file organization, renaming, and folder management

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add support for rich text formatting (bold, italic, underline)
  • Improve Markdown preview and rendering
  • Implement more keyboard shortcuts and customization options
  • Integrate with more cloud storage services beyond Dropbox and iCloud
  • Add search and replace functionality

1Writer

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Byword

No in-app purchases

5 purchases

1Writer

One-time5
  • Small Tip$0.99
  • Nice Tip$2.99
  • Generous Tip$4.99
Show 2 more
  • Massive Tip$9.99
  • Amazing Tip$19.99

Questions

Is Byword free?
Byword costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is 1Writer free?
1Writer costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Byword or 1Writer?
1Writer is rated higher. Byword averages 4.4 out of 5 from 179 ratings, while 1Writer averages 4.6 from 388 ratings.
Do Byword or 1Writer have ads?
Neither Byword nor 1Writer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Byword or 1Writer?
Byword ships an update every 2 months, and 1Writer every 2 months. Most recently, Byword was updated on October 16, 2026 and 1Writer on October 16, 2026.
Which is more popular, Byword or 1Writer?
Byword currently peaks at #140 in the App Store charts, and 1Writer at #63. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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