# iA Writer vs Scratch

The clearest difference is price: Scratch at $1.99 against iA Writer's $19.99. Scratch also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and review sentiment (100% vs 73%). iA Writer's advantage is ratings volume (1.6K vs 1) and chart position (#41 vs unranked). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

iA Writer costs $19.99 and Scratch $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scratch holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iA Writer has 1.6K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of iA Writer's written reviews are positive against 100% of Scratch's.

iA Writer ships an update every 2 weeks, Scratch every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 12, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iA Writer | Scratch |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $19.99 | **$1.99** |
| Rating | [4.6 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ia-writer-get-focused/id775737172/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scratch/id6814767978/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.6K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 72.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#41** | — |
| Size | 70 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Information Architects AG](https://appshunter.io/developer/775737175) | [Fran Besora Malo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1881994664) |

## What reviewers say

### iA Writer

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

**Currently charting:** #41 Top Paid · Productivity (US App Store)

This is a minimalist Markdown editor designed for focused writing. It offers features like focus mode, style checking, and AI authorship tracking to help users craft clear and concise text without distractions. Export your work to various formats.

**Highlights:** Distraction-free writing environment, Focus Mode for sentence/paragraph isolation, Style Check for clichés and clutter, AI authorship tracking, Markdown support, Export to PDF, Word, HTML, Configurable ⌘-Key

**Features:** iPhone Duo support

**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


### Scratch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scratch/id6814767978)

A fast and simple note-taking app for capturing ideas, drafting messages, or saving temporary text. It automatically saves your work and offers grammar and spelling correction powered by Apple Intelligence. Easily copy, paste, share, or clear your text.

**Highlights:** Automatic saving, Smart grammar and spelling correction, One-tap copy, Clipboard paste, Share to other apps, Customizable appearance, Haptic feedback

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iA Writer free?

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

### Is Scratch free?

Scratch costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

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

Scratch is rated higher. iA Writer averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while Scratch averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do iA Writer or Scratch have ads?

Neither iA Writer nor Scratch shows ads.

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

iA Writer ships an update every 2 weeks, and Scratch every 3 days. Most recently, iA Writer was updated on November 12, 2026 and Scratch on November 10, 2026.

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