Comparison

Werdsmith vs Paper

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

Head to head
About

Werdsmith

This app transforms your devices into a writing studio, helping you overcome writer's block with AI-powered suggestions and build a consistent writing practice. It automatically handles formatting, allowing you to focus on your creative process.

Highlights
  • AI-powered writing suggestions
  • Daily writing practice builder
  • Automatic formatting
  • Project and goal tracking
  • Cross-device sync
Features
Read full description

Writing is hard. Werdsmith makes it easier.  Werdsmith turns your iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Vision Pro and Apple Watch into a powerful writing studio that helps you break through writer's block and motivates you to write. BEAT WRITER’S BLOCK Add your project to Werdsmith and whenever you get stuck, the app can suggest the next line of your story for you, in your own writing style. BUILD YOUR WRITING PRACTICE Tell us when you write best and Werdsmith will help you build a daily writing ritual. You can set daily or per-project writing goals and track them as you write. You’ll be writing more than ever. FOCUS ON WRITING Instead of formatting options that distract you from writing, Werdsmith formats your work as you write – automatically adding fonts, chapter titles and even keeping your chapter numbers in order. Werdsmith can fit into your existing writing process, or you can treat it like a fresh start. It's up to you. We’re writers from 175 countries who’ve written over 4 million projects using Werdsmith. Join us! --- Things you might want to know: You can use all of Werdsmith's features for free, but there are limits, for example in the number of projects you can add, the number of writing prompts you can create, or the amount of time you can spend in Novel Mode or using app themes. You can increase or remove these limits by becoming a Werdsmith member. Sync, backup and sharing features are optional, but require a free Werdsmith account. If you choose to become a member, you’ll be charged through your iTunes account at the end of your one-week free trial period, unless you cancel your membership at least 24 hours before it begins. Your subscription will renew automatically, unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current billing period. You can manage, upgrade, downgrade or cancel your subscription in the app's Settings or by going to your App Store account settings. Keep in mind that any unused portion of your free trial period is forfeited if you purchase a membership before the end of the trial. Please read our Privacy Policy at werdsmith.com/privacy and our Terms of Use at werdsmith.com/terms. Feel free to contact us if you need help! A big thanks to the writers who've supported Werdsmith over the years. We couldn't do it without you.

About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

“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) ![Alt Text](http://image.jpeg) - 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

Screenshots

Werdsmith4 screens
Paper4 screens

Verdict

The call

Werdsmith and Paper both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 82% of Werdsmith's written reviews are positive against 72% of Paper's. Werdsmith also leads on ratings volume (8K vs 1.7K). Paper's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, 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

Both are free to download. Werdsmith sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Paper sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Werdsmith against 4.7 for Paper. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8K and 1.7K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 82% of Werdsmith's written reviews are positive against 72% of Paper's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Werdsmith ships an update fortnightly, Paper monthly. Both last shipped on September 23, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Werdsmith versus Paper: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWerdsmithPaper
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (8K ratings)4.7 (1.7K ratings)
Positive reviews82.0% of reviews — better72.5% of reviews
Number of ratings8K — better1.7K
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS17.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size18 MB39 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperWerdsmith Pty LtdMihhail Lapushkin

Customer experience

Werdsmith

All ratings8,002 ratings
Positive92.8%
Neutral3.3%
Negative3.8%
Written reviews615 reviews
Positive82.0%
Neutral8.0%
Negative10.1%

Paper

All ratings1,703 ratings
Positive92.4%
Neutral3.3%
Negative4.3%
Written reviews229 reviews
Positive72.5%
Neutral8.7%
Negative18.8%

User reviews

Werdsmith

From 8K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 📝 Helpful for writing stories and ideas
  • 🔒 Secure with password protection
  • ⏱️ Tracks writing progress and goals
  • 🧠 Inspires creativity with writing prompts
  • 📚 Organized projects and ideas

Room to improve

  • 🔒 Limited free features, need to pay for full access
  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
  • 💻 Syncing issues between devices
  • 🔍 Lack of search functionality
  • 🖌️ Limited formatting options

Paper

From 1.7K App Store ratings

What 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

Bugs and requests

Werdsmith

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Losing written work after updates
  • Cursor jumping issues while typing
  • Inconsistent behavior on different devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add ability to add images to stories
  • Improve chapter/section organization
  • Implement a dark mode theme
  • Allow more free projects/ideas
  • Integrate with other writing tools

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

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Werdsmith

Subscriptions6
  • Membership7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Ghostwriter (300 prompts)1 Month trial$14.991 Month
  • Membership7 Days trial$24.996 Months
Show 3 more
  • Membership7 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Ghostwriter (150 prompts)7 Days trial$99.991 Year
  • Ghostwriter (300 Prompts)7 Days trial$149.991 Year
6 purchases

Paper

Subscriptions4
  • Pro Features — Discounted$14.991 Month
  • Pro Features$29.991 Month
  • Pro Features — Discounted$49.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Pro Features$99.991 Year
One-time2
  • Pro Features — Discounted$99.99
  • Pro Features$199.99

Questions

Is Werdsmith free?
Werdsmith is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Paper free?
Paper is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Werdsmith or Paper?
Werdsmith and Paper are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 8K and 1.7K ratings respectively.
Do Werdsmith or Paper have ads?
Neither Werdsmith nor Paper shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Werdsmith or Paper?
Werdsmith ships an update fortnightly, and Paper monthly. Most recently, Werdsmith was updated on September 23, 2026 and Paper on September 23, 2026.

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