# 1Writer vs iA Writer

The clearest difference is price: 1Writer at $4.99 against iA Writer's $19.99. 1Writer also leads on review sentiment (84% vs 73%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). iA Writer's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). On rating, ads, chart position and device support there is nothing between them.

1Writer costs $4.99 and iA Writer $19.99 up front. 1Writer sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. iA Writer asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for 1Writer against 4.6 for iA Writer. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 388 and 1.5K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 84% of 1Writer's written reviews are positive against 73% of iA Writer's.

1Writer ships an update every 2 months, iA Writer fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 1Writer | iA Writer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$4.99** | $19.99 |
| Rating | [4.6 (388 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/1writer-markdown-text-editor/id680469088/reviews) | [4.6 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ia-writer/id775737172/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 388 | **1.5K** |
| Positive reviews | **83.9% of reviews** | 73.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #46 | **#25** |
| Size | 19 MB | 65 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ngoc Luu](https://appshunter.io/developer/476810735) | [Information Architects AG](https://appshunter.io/developer/775737175) |

## What reviewers say

### 1Writer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/1writer-markdown-text-editor/id680469088)

**Currently charting:** #46 Top Paid · Productivity (US App Store)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Nice Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Generous Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Massive Tip | $9.99 | one-time |
| Amazing Tip | $19.99 | one-time |


### iA Writer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ia-writer/id775737172)

**Currently charting:** #25 Top Paid · Productivity (US App Store)

A distraction-free writing environment designed to help you focus on your words. It offers features like Focus Mode, plain text writing with HTML preview, and robust organization tools. Customize your writing experience and export to various formats.

**Highlights:** Distraction-free writing environment, Focus Mode for enhanced concentration, Plain text writing with HTML preview, Document organization and search, Customizable keyboard layout, Export to various formats (Word, PDF, HTML, WordPress, Medium)

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Distraction-free writing experience
- 👍 Elegant and minimalist design
- 💡 Helpful syntax highlighting and formatting tools
- 🚀 Seamless sync across devices
- 👍 Reliable and stable performance

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and sync issues
- 🔒 Limited cloud storage integration options
- 👎 Lack of advanced organization and navigation features
- 👎 Subpar text selection and cursor control
- 👎 Dated app icon and visual design

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when opening certain files
- Sync issues leading to data loss
- Formatting problems when exporting to other formats

**Requested features**

- Improved cloud storage integration (Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.)
- Enhanced file management and organization tools
- Better text selection and cursor control
- More customization options for appearance and layout
- Integrated outline/table of contents view


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 1Writer free?

1Writer costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is iA Writer free?

iA Writer costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, 1Writer or iA Writer?

1Writer and iA Writer are both rated 4.6 out of 5 on the App Store, from 388 and 1.5K ratings respectively.

### Do 1Writer or iA Writer have ads?

Neither 1Writer nor iA Writer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, 1Writer or iA Writer?

1Writer ships an update every 2 months, and iA Writer fortnightly. Most recently, 1Writer was updated on September 25, 2026 and iA Writer on September 23, 2026.

### Which is more popular, 1Writer or iA Writer?

1Writer currently peaks at #46 in the App Store charts, and iA Writer at #25. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

---

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