Best Plain Text Editor Apps

249+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

4.1 avg rating
15 free apps
Updated September 2026

From beginner-friendly picks to power-user tools, our plain text editor list covers 249+ iPhone apps updated through September 2026. Compare ratings, prices, and screenshots in one place.

Compare top Plain Text Editor Apps (September 2026)

#AppPriceRatingAdsIn-App PurchasesUpdated
1SubtextSubtextFree4.5β˜… (79)NoNoSep 2026
2Runestone Text EditorRunestone Text EditorFree was $4.994.7β˜… (1.9K)NoYesSep 2026
3Plain Text EditorPlain Text Editor$5.004.4β˜… (9)NoNoAug 2026
4Lightweight Text EditorLightweight Text Editor$2.994.3β˜… (58)NoNoSep 2026
5Text Editor.Text Editor.Free4.4β˜… (4.3K)NoYesSep 2026
6Plain Text Editor - PlainTextPlain Text Editor - PlainTextFree3.0β˜… (2)YesYesSep 2026
7DraftsDraftsFree4.8β˜… (11K)NoYesSep 2026
8Text Editor - TXT File ViewerText Editor - TXT File ViewerFreeβ€”NoYesJul 2026

Top Picks for Plain Text Editor

Subtext#1

Subtext by Charcoal Design

Simple, elegant text editor
Editor's Choice
πŸ› οΈ Developer Tools
4.5😊(79 ratings)
Free
#81in 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

  • πŸ‘ Simple and efficient
  • πŸš€ Fast and lightweight
  • πŸ†“ Free and no ads
  • ✨ Clean and intuitive UI
  • πŸ“‚ Seamless Files app integration
  • πŸ”’ Line numbers included
  • πŸ’‘ No bloatware
  • 🌍 Works well on iPad
  • πŸ”’ Privacy-respecting
  • πŸ“ Great for plain text editing
  • πŸ‘† Easy to use
  • 🌟 Minimalist design
  • πŸ”„ Supports various encodings
  • πŸ“‚ Integrates with iCloud/Dropbox
  • β™Ώ Accessible with VoiceOver

Room to Improve

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

Runestone Text Editor by Simon B. StΓΈvring

Edit plain text and code
Strong Contender
πŸ› οΈ Developer Tools
4.7😊(1.9K ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
#48in Developer Tools
Runestone Text Editor screenshot 1
Runestone Text Editor screenshot 2
Runestone Text Editor screenshot 3
Runestone Text Editor screenshot 4
Runestone Text Editor screenshot 5
Runestone Text Editor screenshot 6

A powerful plain text and code editor for iPhone and iPad. Offers syntax highlighting, line numbers, find and replace, and extensive customization options for developers and writers.

What We Love

  • πŸ’Ž Excellent text editor
  • πŸš€ Smooth and responsive
  • 🎨 Customizable themes and appearance
  • πŸ”’ Secure file storage and sync
  • πŸ‘ Clean and intuitive interface
  • πŸ’° Good value for premium version
  • πŸ€– Helpful developer

Room to Improve

  • πŸ› Occasional crashes or bugs
  • πŸ” Difficulty navigating files/folders
  • πŸ“ Limited functionality without premium
  • πŸ”Œ Performance issues on older devices
  • πŸ”’ Difficulty accessing files in cloud storage
Plain Text Editor#3

Plain Text Editor by Sindre Sorhus

Simple notepad
Worth Considering
πŸ“Š Productivity
4.4(9 ratings)
$5.00
Plain Text Editor screenshot 1
Plain Text Editor screenshot 2
Plain Text Editor screenshot 3

A minimalist text editor focused on pure writing without any formatting options. It allows editing of standard plain text files and includes features like word count and a unique 'brain dump' mode for focused writing.

More Plain Text Editor apps to explore

FAQ about Plain Text Editor

What are the best plain text editor apps for iPhone?
Subtext tops our plain text editor apps ranking as of September 2026, with a 4.5-star average from 79 App Store ratings, and it's free to download.
Yes β€” 15 of the top plain text editor apps we rank are free to download, including Subtext and Runestone Text Editor.
Subtext has no ads and has no in-app purchases, according to its App Store listing as of September 2026.
We track 249+ plain text editor 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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