StrataWrite vs Inkiostro
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
StrataWrite
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StrataWrite is a research-first writing app designed for scholars, researchers, and serious writers who need more than just a blank page. Built with Apple’s native frameworks, StrataWrite unites structured note-taking and manuscript drafting in a clean, focused environment that helps you organize complex projects and keep your ideas connected. StrataWrite is for text only. No Table or Image support. StrataWrite is about getting the words out and not formatting. StratWrite is the first step in writing up your research. Get the words out in either Notes or Manuscript Views. When the first draft of your writing is complete, export to Plaintext or Markdown and import it into your favorite Word Processor for formatting. Whether you are preparing a dissertation, drafting a grant proposal, or developing a book chapter, StrataWrite provides a workspace designed to keep your research structured and your writing clear. Research-Driven Writing StrataWrite is built for projects that demand more than linear word processing: • Structured Notes – Capture and organize your research with tags, categories, and backlinks. Notes connect into a system that grows as your ideas develop. • Manuscript Drafting – Write in a distraction-free workspace with daily word count goals, progress tracking, and export options for Markdown, or TXT. • Linking Ideas – Create bidirectional links between notes and manuscripts, building a network of connections that keeps your sources and insights close at hand. Native Apple Experience StrataWrite is built with SwiftUI and designed to feel at home across macOS and iPadOS: • Universal App – Switch seamlessly between Mac and iPad. StrataWrite adapts to your workflow, wherever you are writing. • CloudKit Sync – Keep your notes and manuscripts securely up to date across devices. • Clean, Distraction-Free Interface – A modern, lightweight design emphasizes your writing while keeping structure available when you need it. Designed for Focus & Clarity StrataWrite emphasizes research structure without unnecessary complexity. Notes and manuscripts are part of the same system, allowing ideas to move fluidly between your research base and your drafts. By connecting thoughts through links and tracking progress as you write, StrataWrite helps you transform research into finished work with confidence. Made for Scholars and Writers If your projects depend on clarity, depth, and organization, StrataWrite was built for you. Graduate students writing theses, researchers assembling journal articles, and professionals developing long-form work will all find a workspace that supports rigorous thinking and clear writing.
Inkiostro
A distraction-free Markdown editor for Apple devices. Organize files with color labels and tags, and write efficiently with a comprehensive toolbar and live preview. Syncs automatically via iCloud Drive.
- Color Labels for files and folders
- Custom tags for organization
- Complete Markdown toolbar
- Live preview with multiple themes
- Focus and Typewriter modes
- Native iCloud Drive sync
- External folder support
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Inkiostro is a Markdown editor for people who write — notes, documentation, theses, novels. Plain text files that stay yours, a preview that looks like a finished page, and exports ready to hand over. Write in Markdown, or in the visual editor and never see a symbol. Buy once, no subscription. No account, no tracking. WRITE, SEE, FINISH • Two ways to write: the Markdown editor shows the symbols, the visual editor formats as you type, like a word processor. Either way the file stays plain Markdown. (Visual editor: Pro, free for 7 days) • A complete Markdown toolbar: headings, lists, tables and code blocks, one tap away. • A side-by-side preview that comes back exactly where you left it. • LaTeX formulas typeset by KaTeX, and Mermaid diagrams drawn as you type. • 27 preview styles, 11 of them free: GitHub, Sepia, Nord, Solarized and more. With Pro, Manuscript, Book, Report, Academic and others set the page like print. • Focus and Typewriter modes, a live word count and a daily writing goal. FROM DRAFT TO BOOK • PDF with selectable text, formulas and diagrams included. Free, with a small credit line in the footer. • A professional ePub: real chapters, a cover, ISBN, series, footnotes that open over the page, and the accessibility declaration Europe requires. The export sheet tells you what a store would reject — before you send it. (Pro) • A book made of many files: one chapter per file, in a folder, in the order you choose. Arranging it is free; exporting it as a single ePub is Pro. • Self-contained HTML, and page setup for PDF: paper, margins, headers and page numbers. (Pro) NEVER LOSE A WORD • Version history: Inkiostro saves versions as you write. Search them, compare them line by line, and bring back a single word or a whole draft. (Pro) • Backups of your whole library: a dated zip archive with your version history inside, offered when one is due, while the app is open, in a folder you pick. Open it in the Files app and your Markdown files are right there. (Pro) YOUR FILES, YOUR RULES • Unlimited documents, as plain .md files you can open anywhere. • Folders, color labels and tags, with search that filters by tag. • iCloud Drive sync between iPhone, iPad and Mac, with no setup. • External folders: work directly inside any folder on your device or in iCloud Drive. (Pro) INKIOSTRO PRO — ONE PURCHASE, EVERY DEVICE One purchase unlocks Pro on iPhone, iPad and Mac, forever. Try it free for 7 days. • The visual editor • Version history with search, comparison and a year of versions • Backups of your library • Professional ePub, HTML, and books made of many files • PDF page setup • Focus and Typewriter modes • External folders • 24 app themes, the Pro preview styles and any font installed on your device MADE FOR • Writers: novels and essays in plain text, out as a real ebook • Students and researchers: notes and theses with proper formulas • Developers: READMEs, documentation and technical notes with diagrams • Anyone tired of paying every month for a text editor • Anyone new to Markdown: the visual editor works like a word processor PRIVACY Your documents stay in your iCloud Drive or on your device. No servers of ours, ever. Inkiostro collects only anonymous, aggregated usage statistics — never personal data, never the content of your documents — and you can turn them off in Settings.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Inkiostro at Free against StrataWrite's $9.99. Inkiostro also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). StrataWrite's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On ads and device support 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
Inkiostro is free to download; StrataWrite costs $9.99 up front. Inkiostro sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. StrataWrite asks for nothing beyond the download.
StrataWrite ships an update every 2 months, Inkiostro weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | StrataWrite | Inkiostro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | — | 3.0 (4 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 60.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 4 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 18.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 147 MB | 21 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Stance Hurst | Carlo Di Giuseppe |
In-app purchases
StrataWrite
No in-app purchases
Inkiostro
- Inkiostro Pro$19.99









