1Writer vs Ocren
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
1Writer
This app is a powerful text editor for creating, revising, and sharing ideas efficiently. It supports plain text and Markdown, with advanced features like an extended keyboard, photo insertion, and custom URL actions. Sync with cloud services and personalize your writing experience.
- Markdown syntax highlighting and preview
- Extended keyboard with custom buttons
- Photo insertion with Dropbox integration
- Sync with iCloud, Dropbox, and WebDAV
- Custom URL actions and JavaScript support
- In-app web browser for research
- Passcode and biometric app protection
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1Writer combines all the basic text editing features you would expect with all the advanced features you will ever need. Use 1Writer to write, research, revise, and share your ideas with maximum efficiency. - - - - - - - - - - "The only Dropbox- and Markdown-enabled text editor for iPhone that’s clicked with me has been 1Writer. It’s simple, looks great, and gets the job done." - TheSweetSetup.com "Really great app, really recommend it." - Federico Viticci, MacStories.net "The app interface is beautiful and distraction-free, with loads of other awesome features lurking beneath its simple exterior. It's now my go-to iPhone text editor." - Chris Gonzales, ToolsandToys.net "For users that want a great visual experience paired with great support for custom actions and third party apps, 1Writer is an excellent choice." - iMore.com "1Writer is the most powerful text editor available for iPhone." - Phillip Gruneich - - - - - - - - - - CREATE - Write :: generate and edit plain text or Markdown files. - Preview :: see the formatted results with Markdown syntax highlighting while you write and a full, rich-text preview when you're done. - Extended keyboard :: a convenient row of buttons for navigation, formatting, special characters (customizable--pick the characters you use the most). - Insert photo :: pick a photo or take a new one, and 1Writer will upload it to Dropbox and generate the Markdown-syntax to add it to your document--all in a single action! - Snippets :: TextExpander Touch support. - Custom URL actions :: insert a document template, encode a selection and replace the original text, look up synonyms and much more. - JavaScript :: create even more powerful custom actions using JavaScript—text manipulation, perform a find & replace, interact with the clipboard—the possibilities are endless. IMPORT - Sync with iCloud, Dropbox and WebDAV. - Share extension :: send text to 1Writer from other apps. In Safari, the extension uses the current URL, page title and selected text to create a new document. - Create, append, prepend, or replace text directly from other apps using the 1Writer URL scheme. EXPORT - CloudApp and Dropbox :: generate a link to share your document in plain text or PDF. - Evernote :: pick your notebook, add tags and turn a text selection or the entire document into a new, rich-text note. - Copy HTML :: put the formatted text for your document directly on the clipboard. - Custom actions :: open a web search, tweet a selection, save a series of items in a list and much more. PERSONALIZE - Support Dark Mode on iOS 13. - 2 dark themes for more comfortable reading and writing at night. - Choose from 20 different fonts. - Bookmark and sync the Dropbox/WebDAV folders you want to have quick access to the sub-folders and documents you need. - Use a passcode or Touch ID/Face ID to protect the app from unauthorized users. RESEARCH - In-app web browser :: research, look up information without having to leave the app. - Bookmarks :: create and access your favorite websites. - Save the current text selection to the clipboard in Markdown syntax. - 1Password support :: login to all your accounts using the 1Password extension. EVEN MORE GREAT FEATURES - Drag and drop. - Open in Place. - Multiple windows on iOS 13. - MultiMarkdown. - Search documents from Spotlight. - Find & replace within document. - Photo and PDF preview. - Today widget :: access your recent documents from the Notification Center or create a new document in one tap. - Checklist support :: create a list of things to do or topics to research, and easily check them off. - Full-text search and hashtag support :: search within a folder to find the document you need, and view related documents that have the same tag.
Ocren
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A reading-notes app that keeps the passages that stayed with you, just by taking a photo. Tap Add and the camera opens right away. Photograph the page and select the part you want. Ocren recognizes Japanese (vertical or horizontal) and English text and saves it to your shelf. No retyping. ■ Photograph a page, keep a memo • Tap Add for the camera → select the area → the text is transcribed automatically • From the camera screen you can also pick a photo from your library or type instead • A passage that runs onto the next page: photograph the next page too and keep it as one memo • Several memos from one photo: select one area after another • The page number is read from the photo, too • The recognized text is kept as it is; whether to correct it is up to you • Add your thoughts (a note), the page number, and one of 7 colored flags to each memo ■ Recognition stays on your device • All text recognition runs on your iPhone • Neither your photos nor the recognized text are sent anywhere • Works without a connection, even in airplane mode ■ Your own bookshelf • Your covers stand on a wooden shelf, and you can see at a glance what you want to read, are reading, and have read • Add books by scanning the ISBN barcode or searching by title or author • Track each book as Want to read, Reading, or Read • Keep memos for each book, and search the memos inside ■ So you don't forget • Quote of the day brings back one of your memos at random • A daily reminder delivers a passage at the time you choose • Look back on books read, memos saved, and your progress over time in charts ■ From everyone's bookshelves • Rankings compiled from readers' bookshelves • See the most shelved books, the books with the most memos, the books most finished this month, and the most wanted books • Who added a book is never shown ■ Share • Turn a favorite passage into a quote card image and share it ■ Safe when you change phones • Sign in with Apple or Google • Your books and memos are saved to your account and carry over to a new phone Available in Japanese and English. Catch the moment a book moves you, right when it happens. • Ads are shown. Purchasing "Remove Ads" (monthly or yearly) hides them • Terms of Use: https://ocren.info/terms/ • Privacy Policy: https://ocren.info/privacy/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Ocren at Free against 1Writer's $4.99. Ocren also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). 1Writer's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and chart position (#47 vs unranked). On in-app purchases 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
Ocren is free to download; 1Writer costs $4.99 up front. 1Writer sells 5 one-off in-app purchases and Ocren sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.79 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
1Writer ships an update every 2 months, Ocren every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | 1Writer | Ocren |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.6 (393 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 83.9% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 393 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | #47 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 19 MB | 117 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Ngoc Luu | YenSense, Inc. |
In-app purchases
1Writer
- Small Tip$0.99
- Nice Tip$2.99
- Generous Tip$4.99
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- Massive Tip$9.99
- Amazing Tip$19.99
Ocren
- Remove Ads (Monthly)$0.791 Month
- Remove Ads (Yearly)$5.991 Year









