The Best Writing Apps for iPad

An iPad with a keyboard attachment makes a perfect writing setup, being super portable and handy. A critical part of this equation is the writing program you use. While the iPad comes with the perfectly acceptable Pages app to use for word processing, there are many alternatives out there that you may want to try if Pages doesn’t work for your writing situation or you just don’t jive with it.

In this list of writing apps for iPad, you’ll find the best ones for different kinds of writing or for creating a productive and inspiring writing environment. No matter what you’re writing for, you should be able to find a writing app that works for you.

1. Just Write

For those looking for a minimalistic writing experience, Just Write is the writing app to do the job. Its simple interface allows you to get right into the meat of your writing without lots of extraneous frills. There are tools available for formatting purposes, but other than that, the app is geared towards giving you a distraction-free setting to get your writing done.

Just Write is also good at helping you keep things organized. You can create folders for different documents, and search through your files easily with the search bar. There are also a few other options for keeping everything sorted so you can find what you want to work on quickly. Overall, if you’re looking for a simple writing app, Just Write is a great choice.

2. MyStory.today

Working on writing the next great novel? MyStory is an app that can help in many ways, from outlining your story to organizing chapters to editing your final drafts. The layout, although filled with many features, is easy to navigate and use. You can easily switch from writing to your outline or even look at both at the same time.

The corkboard feature is a unique part of this app, allowing you to keep notes, organize, and breakthrough writer’s block. The app is also great for world-building, as it lets you enter characters and locations from your story that you can refer to at any time.

3. Werdsmith

Find that you get stuck in your writing often? Werdsmith is a great distraction-free writing app to keep writing, even if you can’t think of what comes next. The app provides a “Ghostwriter” feature that gives you prompts while you’re writing to inspire your creative juices.

Werdsmith has a friendly and intuitive design. It keeps your files organized and readily available while not being intrusive. You can categorize documents into either projects or ideas, so the two aren’t mixed, and you can easily find what you want to work on.

4. Ulysses

Whether you are a blogger, novelist, or just enjoy some journaling, Ulysses has writing features tailored specifically for you. As opposed to other word processors, Ulysses uses plain-text editing instead of formatting buttons. While this can be a bit of a learning curve if you’re not used to this editing style, it also allows for greater control over how your final product will look.

Ulysses is especially great for bloggers who want complete control over how their post looks. You can connect Ulysses to many blogging platforms, like WordPress and publish posts directly from the app. You can review how the formatting looks and make changes as needed before publishing as well. This makes formatting posts very efficient and can cut a lot of time from your workflow.

5. Danger Notes – Writer’s Block

Have trouble with the notorious writer’s block? Danger Notes has your remedy if you’re brave enough to try it. This app allows you to set a timer for freewriting, whether it be 5 minutes or 20. Once you begin typing, you are forced to continuously write or be met with a “fail” screen and your writing deleted.

Once the timer is up, your free-write will be saved in the Notes section so you can look back on it. Danger Notes is a great app to overcome a creative block or finally quiet that internal editor that often slows down your writing process.

6. Day One Journal: Private Diary

While pen and paper can be a great place to jot down your thoughts, feelings, and daily happenings, it tends not to be very well-protected. Day One is a journaling app that allows you to combine words, pictures, and even audio to create diary pages. It also keeps it all safe from prying eyes by enabling you to set a passcode or use biometrics.

Day One is effortless to use and gives you daily writing prompts if you want to start a journal but are unsure where to start. For anybody looking to do digital journaling, Day One is top-notch.

7. Final Draft Go

Final Draft is the industry standard of screenwriting for film and TV. It gives you all the tools necessary to get started on a script and helps you write it more efficiently by saving characters’ names and locations.

For $9.99/year, Final Draft Mobile is an excellent alternative to the desktop version, as it allows keyboard support and includes tons of features. You can mark up and add feedback to the script, and you can print it directly from the app if you wish. Whether you’re a beginner or pro screenwriter, Final Draft is the app you want for writing on the go.

8. Bear

Looking to upgrade your note-taking? Bear is a great resource for those who enjoy journaling and planning or need a space to plan a project. It has helpful features like tagging, linking notes, and plenty of formatting options. You can create task lists you can check off, use a highlighter, import photos, and much more.

Best Writing Apps for iPad

All these apps can provide you with the necessary tools and inspiration to get yourself writing. Whether you want something minimal and distraction-free or a full-featured program to outline and world build to your heart’s desire, the apps above are great options to try.