Comparison

Write Only vs Minimal | Notes

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

Head to head
About

Write Only

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
Read full description

Write Only allows you to use your iPad/iPhone in the exact same way as a good old typewriter. It is a special app designed for people who just want to focus on writing. By separating writing from editing, it helps you focus more on getting your ideas out. Using it is like sitting in front of a typewriter and letting words flow out of your finger tips. Everything you put down on the page is permanent. All the typing is saved as a PDF file, including the positions, the font size, and the colors that the texts come out with. No matter where and when you are going to view these pages, they will be kept exactly same as the time you typed them. Fixed cursor sits right above the keyboard, therefore your eyes will be close both to the text you're typing and the fingers, and that can help to reduce typing errors. You can start typing on the page at any place by tapping on that location and use any margin you want by moving the page. It is very easy to type aligned texts. An extension keybar includes frequently used keys like ' or ; that are difficult to access in iOS' default keyboard. Write Only is good for writing the first version of any work, especially diary or journal. When you come back to your writings years later, the shapes of the text and the errors you made will help you remember the moments of the writing. Tips: - To delete a page, slider your finger from right to left over the page you want to remove; - To send one or more pages, long press on the page you want to send, after the toolbar shows up, you can select more than one pages. More pages means more time to prepare. Sending multiple pages will combine pages into one single PDF document first. - To select a different font, go to Settings app -> Write Only, choose your favorite font, then return back to Write Only, start a new page or simply restart.

About

Minimal | Notes

This app offers a distraction-free writing environment inspired by meditation. It features collaborative writing, note expiration, and the ability to publish notes as websites. Organize tasks with integrated to-do lists and sync across all your Apple devices.

Highlights
  • Note Lifetime reminders
  • Collaborative writing
  • Publish notes as websites
  • Todo lists sync with Calendar
  • Beautiful formatting
  • Sync across Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Features
Read full description

Write with focus. Open your mind with Minimal, a meditation-inspired notes and writing app. Minimal combines thoughtful, modern design with powerful features to deliver a spacious, beautiful writing environment. • Note Lifetime • Collaborative writing • Publish notes as websites • Add Todos to the Calendar app • Beautiful formatting • Sync everywhere: Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch Minimal is a simple yet powerful notes app. Inspired by meditation, nature, and architectural design, Minimal provides a beautiful space to think, write, and organize projects. NOTE LIFETIME The Note Lifetime keeps your notebook fresh and reflective of the present moment. When a note goes unedited for a duration you choose in settings, you’ll be gently notified. This is an opportunity to review the note, act on it, or let it go. COLLABORATIVE WRITING Share notes with friends, family, and teammates. With a gentle design, writing remains focused and tranquil, even as thoughts merge and ideas multiply. Everyone receives changes as notes evolve, and multiple people can make edits at the same time without conflict. FOCUSED + SPACIOUS DESIGN Minimal is designed so only one element is ever in focus. We love the beauty of a blank page – abundant empty space allows for an ease of creative expression. PUBLISH AS WEBSITE Transform notes into beautifully-formatted websites in microseconds. TODO LISTS Todo lists are an effective way to organize projects and complete tasks. Sync with the Calendar app, get things done, and check everything off. BEAUTIFUL FORMATTING Minimal combines Markdown-style formatting with elegant typography. The result is simple, expressive notes that make it easy to think and write. SYNC EVERYWHERE Bring focus to your favorite devices. Minimal is designed for Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. Cloud Sync is fast, reliable, and invisible. SHARE, EXPORT, IMPORT You’re in control of your notes. Share directly in iMessage, export as PDF or HTML, and use the system share mechanism to take notes anywhere. Importing links + prose into Minimal is just as easy. CUSTOMIZE EVERYTHING The best notebook is personal. We made everything in Minimal customizable, from fonts + themes to sorting notes + note actions. You can also build custom workflows using the Shortcuts app. A LITTLE GIFT Wow, thanks for reading. As a little gift for tuning in, these are our favorite musicians -> Somi, Snarky Puppy, and London Grammar. They’re jazzy and introspective, just how we like it. Enjoy. —— For help, write us at team@minimal.app or on Twitter at @minimalnotesapp. To learn about our terms + approach to privacy, visit https://minimal.app/terms. We offer a long free trial and make cancellation easy. After that, Minimal costs $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year. These prices are in USD and may vary by region. Cancel in your iTunes account settings at least 24 hours before renewal.

Screenshots

Write Only3 screens
Minimal | Notes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Minimal | Notes at 81% against Write Only's 33%. Minimal | Notes also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.6) and ratings volume (290 vs 14). Write Only's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and iOS requirement (5.1.1 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Write Only sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Minimal | Notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Minimal | Notes holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Minimal | Notes has 290 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 81% of Minimal | Notes's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Write Only ships an update every 6 weeks, Minimal | Notes every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Write Only versus Minimal | Notes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWrite OnlyMinimal | Notes
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.6 (14 ratings)4.7 (290 ratings) — better
Positive reviews33.3% of reviews81.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings14290 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS5.1.1 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB59 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer潮激 李Timeless

Customer experience

Write Only

All ratings14 ratings
Positive71.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative28.6%
Written reviews93 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral6.5%
Negative60.2%

Minimal | Notes

All ratings290 ratings
Positive91.7%
Neutral3.1%
Negative5.2%
Written reviews374 reviews
Positive81.3%
Neutral6.4%
Negative12.3%

User reviews

Write Only

From 14 App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

Minimal | Notes

From 290 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent note-taking app
  • 👍 Beautiful and simple design
  • 🚀 Seamless syncing across devices
  • 👍 Customizable appearance and formatting
  • 🚀 Responsive and helpful developer

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
  • 🔒 Lack of password protection or locking for notes
  • 💰 Expensive subscription model

Bugs and requests

Write Only

Reported bugs

13 issues
  • Cannot backspace to remove words
  • Cannot delete pages or erase
  • Cannot save or export
  • App crashes and deletes work
  • Crashes with each delete
Show 8 more
  • Doesn't work on iOS8
  • UI and accessibility issues
  • App freezes and crashes
  • Cannot delete old pages
  • Space bar bug (types adjacent letter)
  • Text moves and becomes jumbled
  • Kicks user off at inconvenient times
  • Upgrade prompts reappear after purchase

Requested features

10 requests
  • Add copy/paste functionality
  • Add export to text option
  • Add PDF conversion
  • Add Russian language support
  • Add Korean keyboard
Show 5 more
  • Add typewriter key sound
  • Add dark mode
  • Add print option
  • Add email functionality
  • Make it free without upgrade limitations

Minimal | Notes

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes when using certain formatting or pasting content
  • Syncing issues between iOS and macOS versions
  • Incompatibility with older macOS versions

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add ability to insert images or attachments
  • Improve iCloud sync reliability
  • Implement a folder-based organization system
  • Add a word/character count feature

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Write Only

One-time2
  • Unlimited Fonts$0.99
  • Unlimited New Pages$1.99
3 purchases

Minimal | Notes

Subscriptions3
  • Minimal Monthly14 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Minimal Annual14 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Minimal Family Plan14 Days trial$79.991 Year

Questions

Is Write Only free?
Write Only is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Minimal | Notes free?
Minimal | Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Write Only or Minimal | Notes?
Minimal | Notes is rated higher. Write Only averages 3.6 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while Minimal | Notes averages 4.7 from 290 ratings.
Do Write Only or Minimal | Notes have ads?
Neither Write Only nor Minimal | Notes shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Write Only or Minimal | Notes?
Write Only ships an update every 6 weeks, and Minimal | Notes every 3 weeks. Most recently, Write Only was updated on September 29, 2026 and Minimal | Notes on October 4, 2026.

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