Best Plain Text Apps

247+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

4.2 avg rating
13 free apps
Updated September 2026

Out of 247+ plain text apps on iOS, 13 are free and the rest sit in the paid tier. This page sorts them so you can compare both sides before you commit.

Compare top Plain Text Apps (September 2026)

#AppPriceRatingAdsIn-App PurchasesUpdated
1SubtextSubtextFree4.5★ (79)NoNoSep 2026
2Just.txt • Plain Text EditorJust.txt • Plain Text EditorFree4.3★ (35)NoYesSep 2026
3Plain Text PastePlain Text Paste$2.994.3★ (26)NoNoAug 2026
4Plain Text Editor - PlainTextPlain Text Editor - PlainTextFree3.0★ (2)YesYesSep 2026
5DraftsDraftsFree4.8★ (11K)NoYesSep 2026
6Runestone Text EditorRunestone Text EditorFree was $4.994.7★ (2K)NoYesSep 2026
7Plain Paste: Text ClipboardPlain Paste: Text ClipboardFreeNoNoJul 2026
8Lightweight Text EditorLightweight Text Editor$2.994.3★ (58)NoNoSep 2026

Top Picks for Plain Text

Subtext#1

Subtext by Charcoal Design

Simple, elegant text editor
Editor's Choice
🛠️ Developer Tools
4.5😊(79 ratings)
Free
#83in Developer Tools
Subtext screenshot 1
Subtext screenshot 2
Subtext screenshot 3
Subtext screenshot 4
Subtext screenshot 5

A straightforward text editor for iPhone and iPad, allowing direct creation and editing of files within iCloud. It offers advanced controls for line endings and character encoding, ideal for on-the-go code or data file modifications.

What We Love

  • 👍 Simple and efficient
  • 🚀 Fast and lightweight
  • 🆓 Free and no ads
  • ✨ Clean and intuitive UI
  • 📂 Seamless Files app integration
  • 🔢 Line numbers included
  • 💡 No bloatware
  • 🌍 Works well on iPad
  • 🔒 Privacy-respecting
  • 📝 Great for plain text editing
  • 👆 Easy to use
  • 🌟 Minimalist design
  • 🔄 Supports various encodings
  • 📂 Integrates with iCloud/Dropbox
  • ♿ Accessible with VoiceOver

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Fails on network drives
  • 🐛 Data corruption risk
  • 🐛 Difficulty unselecting text
  • 🐛 Buggy Chinese input method
  • 🐛 Random capitalization issues
  • 🐛 Large files cause errors
  • 🐛 No cancel option for save/exit
  • 🐛 Picky about file extensions
  • 🐛 Cannot edit non-text files
  • 🐛 Autosave can be problematic
  • 🐛 No always-on tab key
  • 🐛 Default focus to EOF
  • 🐛 Chinese input method errors
  • 🐛 File saving issues
Just.txt • Plain Text Editor#2

Just.txt • Plain Text Editor by Samira Sadeghi

Clean text editor and markdown
Strong Contender
🔧 Utilities
4.3(35 ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
Just.txt • Plain Text Editor screenshot 1
Just.txt • Plain Text Editor screenshot 2
Just.txt • Plain Text Editor screenshot 3
Just.txt • Plain Text Editor screenshot 4
Just.txt • Plain Text Editor screenshot 5
Just.txt • Plain Text Editor screenshot 6

A distraction-free plain text editor for focused writing. It offers lightweight Markdown support for structuring notes, lists, and to-dos. Ideal for jotting down ideas, drafting stories, or organizing thoughts in a clean, uncluttered environment.

Plain Text Paste#3

Plain Text Paste by Lukas Rossi

Remove Text Formatting Easily
Worth Considering
🔧 Utilities
4.3(26 ratings)
$2.99
Plain Text Paste screenshot 1
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Plain Text Paste screenshot 5

Effortlessly remove text formatting when copying and pasting. This utility allows you to convert rich text to plain text, ensuring consistent formatting across all your applications. You can also view and edit the clipboard content.

More Plain Text apps to explore

FAQ about Plain Text

What are the best plain text apps for iPhone?
Subtext tops our plain text apps ranking as of September 2026, with a 4.5-star average from 79 App Store ratings, and it's free to download.
Yes — 13 of the top plain text apps we rank are free to download, including Subtext and Just.txt • Plain Text Editor.
Subtext has no ads and has no in-app purchases, according to its App Store listing as of September 2026.
We track 247+ plain text apps on the iOS App Store as of September 2026, ranked by rating, recency, and analysis of real user reviews.
Subtext is a simple and elegant text editor designed for iPhone and iPad. It allows users to create and edit text files directly on their device or within iCloud without the need for importing or exporting.
Key features include direct editing of files within iCloud, eliminating import/export steps. It also offers advanced controls for line ending types and character set encoding, making it suitable for technical users.

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