# Write Only vs Storyist 4

The clearest difference is rating: Storyist 4 at 4.3 against Write Only's 3.6. Storyist 4 also leads on ratings volume (384 vs 14) and review sentiment (44% vs 33%). Write Only's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 4 months) and iOS requirement (5.1.1 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Write Only sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Storyist 4 sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Storyist 4 holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Storyist 4 has 384 ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of Write Only's written reviews are positive against 44% of Storyist 4's.

Write Only ships an update every 6 weeks, Storyist 4 every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Write Only | Storyist 4 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/write-only/id590507955/reviews) | **[4.3 (384 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/storyist-4/id1423912340/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 14 | **384** |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | **44.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 6 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | **5.1.1** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [潮激 李](https://appshunter.io/developer/342075158) | [Storyist Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/438008297) |

## What reviewers say

### Write Only

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/write-only/id590507955)

This app offers a distraction-free writing experience, mimicking a typewriter to help users focus on generating ideas. All content is saved permanently as a PDF, preserving formatting and layout. It features a fixed cursor for reduced errors and an extended keybar for easier access to common symbols.

**Highlights:** Typewriter-like writing experience, Permanent PDF saving, Fixed cursor for accuracy, Extended keybar, Focus on idea generation, Customizable fonts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Fonts | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlimited New Pages | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Retro aesthetic
- ✍️ Focused writing experience
- 😌 Peaceful typing
- 💡 Simple and beautiful UI
- 💡 Accurate typewriter simulation

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❌ Cannot delete words
- ❌ Cannot delete pages
- ❌ No save/export option
- ❌ Limited free pages
- ❌ Ads are distracting

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot backspace to remove words
- Cannot delete pages or erase
- Cannot save or export
- App crashes and deletes work
- Crashes with each delete

**Requested features**

- Add copy/paste functionality
- Add export to text option
- Add PDF conversion
- Add Russian language support
- Add Korean keyboard


### Storyist 4

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/storyist-4/id1423912340)

This app provides a robust writing environment for authors and screenwriters. It allows for detailed story outlining, manuscript creation with rich text editing, and seamless revision on any device. Organize all your writing projects in one place for easy access and collaboration.

**Highlights:** Rich text editor with comments and images, Index card outlining and story sheets, Manuscript and screenplay formatting, Cloud storage and collaboration support, Import/export text and images, Support for various file formats

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Free Trial | Free | one-time |
| Storyist 4 Upgrade | $9.99 | one-time |
| Storyist 4 | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Clean, intuitive user interface
- 🚀 Fast iCloud synchronization across devices
- 💰 One-time purchase with no subscription fees
- 📝 Excellent for organizing long-form writing projects
- 🔄 Seamless Mac-iPad-iPhone sync

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Data loss and file deletion issues
- 💔 Upgrade from v3 to v4 requires full repurchase
- 😤 Misleading free trial presentation
- 🔧 Clunky navigation requiring multiple taps
- ⚠️ Significant bugs in version 4 compared to v3

**Reported bugs**

- Files and projects mysteriously disappear
- App crashes when opening manuscripts
- Freezing during typing sessions
- Auto-capitalization in middle of sentences
- Spell-check suggestions showing duplicate words

**Requested features**

- Footnotes and endnotes support
- Word and Pages format export compatibility
- Better backup system with cloud storage
- Folder tree navigation on mobile
- Non-fiction templates with query tracking


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Write Only free?

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

### Is Storyist 4 free?

Storyist 4 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Write Only or Storyist 4?

Storyist 4 is rated higher. Write Only averages 3.6 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while Storyist 4 averages 4.3 from 384 ratings.

### Do Write Only or Storyist 4 have ads?

Neither Write Only nor Storyist 4 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Write Only or Storyist 4?

Write Only ships an update every 6 weeks, and Storyist 4 every 4 months. Most recently, Write Only was updated on October 12, 2026 and Storyist 4 on October 11, 2026.

---

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