Comparison

Lists for Writers vs Writerly

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

Head to head
About

Lists for Writers

This app provides extensive lists of prompts and ideas for creative writers. It covers a wide range of categories including character traits, plot lines, settings, and vocabulary to aid in brainstorming and writing projects. Features like shuffling, searching, and an integrated notepad enhance the user's creative process.

Highlights
  • Extensive lists of writing prompts
  • Character, plot, and setting ideas
  • Search and shuffle functionality
  • Integrated notepad for collecting ideas
  • Dictionary support for word lookup
  • Multitasking support on iPad
Features
Read full description

Lists for Writers is a great addition to any writer’s toolbox. Helpful to both novice and expert writers alike, this app delivers list after list of prompts and ideas for your brainstorming sessions: names, character traits, plot lines, occupations, obsessions, action verbs, and much more! Whether you are working on a creative writing project, a short story, an essay assignment, National Novel Writing Month / NaNoWriMo, or your next fiction book, this app helps get it done. NEW! Support for multitasking on the iPad! Shuffle and search features! You can now search any list as well as randomly shuffle lists and search results! Includes dictionary support so you can look up most words without leaving the app. Includes a Notepad feature where you can collect any interesting list items for your writing, edit them, and email or print your notes. Featured in Slate magazine and The New York Times! * * * * * "perfect to browse for inspiration" - Cult of Mac Lists included: * Character - Naming - First Names (male and female) - Last Names - People/Roles - Nonhuman Characters * Character - Physical Characteristics - Body Types - Facial Characteristics - General Physical Characteristics - Skin and Complexion - Hair - Clothing * Character - Occupations - Modern - Archaic * Character - Milestones - Anniversaries - Birthstones - Birth Flowers - Zodiac * Personality - Thoughts - General Characteristics - Phobias - Philias - Obsessions - Wisdom - Belief Systems - Emotions * Personality - Behaviors - Character Traits - Bad Habits - Hobbies - Super Powers * Plot - Seven Basic Plots - Thirty-six Dramatic Situations - Conflicts - Issues * Setting - Geographical - Cities (U.S. and World) - Landforms * Setting - Countries by Continent - Africa - Antarctica - Asia - Australia - Europe - North America - South America * Setting - Other - Forms of Government - Encounter Locations - Archaic Locations - Futuristic Locations - Modern Locations - Weather * Genres - Fantasy, Myths, and Magic - Divination and Fortune Telling - Ecclesiastical - Holidays - New Age - Nautical - College Teams - Sciences and Studies - Scientific Instruments - Military Terms - Military Acronyms *Miscellaneous - Animals (Domesticated) - Animals (General) - Animal Sounds - Colors - Color Values - Foods - Vehicles - Feeding and Eating - Textiles - Halloween - Thanksgiving - Christmas - Forms and Shapes - Units of Measurement - Carriages and Chariots - Fighting and Combat - Dance Styles - Bearing - Causation * Words - Grammar - Action Verbs - Dialog Verbs - Nouns - Prepositions - Adjectives - Adverbs - Verbs - Common Misspellings - Transitional Words and Phrases - Word Terms * Words - Fun - Rhyming Words - Gadzookery - Nonsense - Triples - Aussie Slang ***** PRIVACY DISCLOSURE Lists for Writers: - Does not collect or share any personal data - Does not contain any ads - Does not contains in-app purchases - Does include links to the Thinkamingo web site, Facebook page, and Twitter profile in an information page

About

Writerly

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
Read full description

Want to write? Start thinking like a writer! Writerly will show you how. Writerly is for everyone interested in creative writing. From first steps to advanced topics, Writerly is loaded with advice, exercises, ideas and prompts to help you develop as a writer, whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro. Our new AI Toolkit unleashes the power of Apple Intelligence to bring you tools to spark your creativity, brainstorm your ideas, help you research books and novels, and create characters and writing exercises - it's like having an always-available creative writing friend! Writerly includes a huge amount of unique content that has been extensively tested and trialled by professional authors and creative writing students. So have fun, get inspired and get writing! Key features: - Available for your Mac, iPhone and iPad! - Learn how to observe the world like a writer - AI Toolkit (for research, exercises, brainstorming and more) - Like having an always-available creative writing friend! - Techniques to combat writer's block - Discover techniques to unlock your creativity - Unique 'generators' for Appearance, Mood, Character, Journeys and much, much more - Warm-up exercises - Meet your characters (like speed dating with your characters!) - Ways into Character (in-depth character development tools, techniques and exercises) - A Year of Prompts (a writing prompt for every day of the year) - How to work with sensory detail - Core character development exercises - Built-in timer for exercises - Widgets (daily prompts and character generation right on the home screen) - Progress tracker

Screenshots

Lists for Writers4 screens
Writerly4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Writerly at Free against Lists for Writers's $2.99. Lists for Writers's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ratings volume (494 vs 112). On rating, review sentiment, 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

Writerly is free to download; Lists for Writers costs $2.99 up front. Writerly sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Lists for Writers asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Lists for Writers holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 494 and 112 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 84% of Lists for Writers's written reviews are positive against 76% of Writerly's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Lists for Writers ships an update every 9 months, Writerly every 10 months. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Lists for Writers versus Writerly: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLists for WritersWriterly
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating4.7 (494 ratings) — better4.5 (112 ratings)
Positive reviews84.0% of reviews — better76.5% of reviews
Number of ratings494 — better112
Update frequencyEvery 9 months — betterEvery 10 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS9.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB79 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperThinkamingoRussell Archer

Customer experience

Lists for Writers

All ratings493 ratings
Positive94.5%
Neutral2.2%
Negative3.2%
Written reviews144 reviews
Positive84.0%
Neutral6.9%
Negative9.0%

Writerly

All ratings111 ratings
Positive91.9%
Neutral1.8%
Negative6.3%
Written reviews17 reviews
Positive76.5%
Neutral11.8%
Negative11.8%

In-app purchases

None

Lists for Writers

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

Writerly

One-time4
  • A Year of Prompts$0.99
  • Ways into Character$1.99
  • Meet your Characters$1.99
Show 1 more
  • AI Toolkit$2.99

Questions

Is Lists for Writers free?
Lists for Writers costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Writerly free?
Writerly is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Lists for Writers or Writerly?
Lists for Writers is rated higher. Lists for Writers averages 4.7 out of 5 from 494 ratings, while Writerly averages 4.5 from 112 ratings.
Do Lists for Writers or Writerly have ads?
Neither Lists for Writers nor Writerly shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Lists for Writers or Writerly?
Lists for Writers ships an update every 9 months, and Writerly every 10 months. Most recently, Lists for Writers was updated on October 29, 2026 and Writerly on October 29, 2026.

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