# Just Write vs Astren

The clearest difference is rating: Astren at 5.0 against Just Write's 4.3. Astren also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). Just Write's advantage is update cadence (every 11 days vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (1.8K vs 5). On price there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Just Write sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Astren asks for nothing beyond the download.

Astren holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Just Write has 1.8K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Just Write's written reviews are positive against 100% of Astren's.

Just Write ships an update every 11 days, Astren every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Just Write | Astren |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/just-write-app-for-writer/id942826631/reviews) | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astren/id6762578594/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.8K** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 11 days** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 10 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 26.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tung Vu](https://appshunter.io/developer/870117448) | [JUSTIN ALEXANDER WEISS](https://appshunter.io/developer/1894739699) |

## What reviewers say

### Just Write

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/just-write-app-for-writer/id942826631)

A minimalist text editor designed to streamline the writing process. It supports both RTF and TXT formats, offering rich text editing and Markdown support. Sync your work across devices with iCloud integration.

**Highlights:** RTF and TXT file support, Markdown styling, iCloud file syncing, Rich text editing tools, Multiple themes, Smart selection tool (iPad)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| No Ads | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💻 Simple and straightforward interface
- 📁 Organized folder system
- ✨ Clean and minimalist design
- 🆓 Free to use with no ads
- ⚡️ Offline writing capability

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and data loss issues
- 🔍 Difficulty finding/accessing files
- 🔧 Limited formatting and customization options
- 🖥️ Lack of syncing/cross-device support
- 🖋️ No spell check or grammar assistance

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes and data loss
- Inability to reopen saved documents
- Unreliable auto-save functionality
- Compatibility issues on older devices

**Requested features**

- Add dark mode option
- Implement more font and formatting choices
- Introduce paragraph spacing and indentation controls
- Integrate spell check and grammar tools
- Enable file syncing across devices


### Astren

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astren/id6762578594)

This app combines notes, audio recordings, and guitar tabs into a single platform for songwriters. It offers a full text editor, in-note audio recording, and a built-in tab editor, keeping all your musical ideas organized and accessible.

**Highlights:** Text editing suite, Inline audio recording, Built-in guitar tab editor, Local and iCloud file storage, Share notes, recordings, or tabs, Light and dark mode

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Just Write free?

Just Write is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Astren free?

Astren is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Just Write or Astren?

Astren is rated higher. Just Write averages 4.3 out of 5 from 1.8K ratings, while Astren averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.

### Do Just Write or Astren have ads?

Just Write shows ads; Astren does not.

### Which is updated more often, Just Write or Astren?

Just Write ships an update every 11 days, and Astren every 5 months. Most recently, Just Write was updated on November 11, 2026 and Astren on October 31, 2026.

---

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