Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Typora VS iA Writer

Compare Typora VS iA Writer and see what are their differences

Typora logo Typora

A minimal Markdown reading & writing app.

iA Writer logo iA Writer

Minimal Design, Maximum Focus
  • Typora Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-23
  • iA Writer Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-27

Typora features and specs

  • Live Preview
    Typora offers a real-time preview of Markdown syntax, allowing users to see the formatted output as they type.
  • Minimalistic Interface
    The interface is clean and distraction-free, focusing on content creation without unnecessary clutter.
  • Customizable Themes
    Users can customize the appearance with various themes or create their own, tailoring the editor to their preferences.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    Typora is available on multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux, ensuring a consistent experience across devices.
  • Support for Multiple File Formats
    It supports exporting to various file formats like PDF, Word, and HTML, making it versatile for different purposes.
  • Integrated File Tree
    The file tree feature aids in easy navigation and organization within the editor, streamlining project management.
  • Math Support
    Typora supports LaTeX and MathJax for embedding mathematical expressions, catering well to academic and technical users.
  • Table of Contents
    Automatically generates a table of contents based on the headings in the document, enhancing document structure and navigation.

Possible disadvantages of Typora

  • Proprietary Software
    Typora is not open-source, limiting the ability for the community to contribute to or modify the software.
  • Paid License
    After the free evaluation period, Typora requires a paid license for continued use, which may be a barrier for some users.
  • Limited Collaboration Features
    Lacks native collaborative editing features, making it less suitable for teams needing real-time collaboration.
  • No Mobile Version
    Currently doesn't have a mobile app, which restricts usage to desktop and laptop devices.
  • Dependency on Electron
    Being an Electron app, Typora may consume more system resources compared to native apps.
  • Limited Plugin Support
    Does not support plugins or extensions, limiting the ability to extend functionality beyond what is built-in.
  • Potential Learning Curve
    Beginners to Markdown or those used to WYSIWYG editors may face a learning curve when adapting to Markdown syntax.

iA Writer features and specs

  • Focus Mode
    iA Writer includes a Focus Mode that dims everything except the current sentence or paragraph, helping writers concentrate on their work without distractions.
  • Minimalistic Interface
    The application features a minimalistic design, providing a clean and clutter-free environment that emphasizes content creation over unnecessary features.
  • Markdown Support
    iA Writer supports Markdown formatting, allowing users to easily format text without taking their hands off the keyboard, enhancing writing efficiency.
  • File Export Options
    It offers various export options including Word, PDF, and HTML, making it easy to share documents in different formats.
  • Syntax Highlight
    The app includes syntax highlighting functionality that visually differentiates different parts of speech to enhance understanding of sentence structure.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    iA Writer is available on multiple platforms, including macOS, iOS, Windows, and Android, ensuring a consistent writing experience across devices.
  • Document Library
    It features a built-in document library for easy organization and quick access to all your writing projects.

Possible disadvantages of iA Writer

  • Limited Collaboration Features
    Unlike other writing tools, iA Writer lacks advanced collaboration features, making it less suitable for team projects that require real-time editing.
  • Basic Customization
    The application provides limited customization options for the writing environment, which might not appeal to users who prefer a highly personalized interface.
  • Learning Curve for Markdown
    New users unfamiliar with Markdown may experience a learning curve, which can slow down the initial writing process until they become accustomed to the syntax.
  • Price
    iA Writer is a premium product, and the cost may be a barrier for some users, especially when there are free alternatives available.
  • Limited Advanced Features
    The focus on minimalism means that some advanced features found in other writing applications, like extensive template libraries or robust project management tools, are lacking.
  • Occasional Sync Issues
    Some users have reported occasional synchronization issues between devices, which can disrupt the writing workflow.

Analysis of iA Writer

Overall verdict

  • iA Writer is an excellent choice for those seeking a focused and efficient writing tool. Its simplicity does not detract from its effectiveness, offering just the right amount of features for streamlined writing and editing. With high praise from individuals who prioritize clean and distraction-free text processing, it's widely considered a top-tier writing application.

Why this product is good

  • iA Writer is highly regarded for its minimalist design and distraction-free writing environment. It offers features like Focus Mode, which helps writers concentrate on a specific section, and Markdown support for seamless formatting. It also provides robust cross-platform support, making it easy to sync documents across devices. The clean interface and intuitive layout make it a favorite among writers who prefer simplicity and functionality over cluttered interfaces with excessive features.

Recommended for

  • Writers who enjoy minimalist and focused writing environments
  • Users looking for seamless cross-platform document synchronization
  • Individuals who prefer Markdown integration for formatting
  • People who want a distraction-free interface to boost productivity

Typora videos

Building a File Structure in Typora

More videos:

  • Review - Best note-taking software for programmers - Typora

iA Writer videos

SCOM0863 - iA Writer - Preview

More videos:

  • Review - What's The Apps: iA Writer

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Typora and iA Writer)
Markdown Editor
76 76%
24% 24
Text Editors
71 71%
29% 29
Markdown Viewer
100 100%
0% 0
Writing Tools
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Typora and iA Writer

Typora Reviews

  1. Stan
    · Founder at SaaSHub ·
    Simplicity and elegance

    It is very well built with simplicity in mind. There are several themes and all of them look amazing. I love the "typewriter" and "focus" mode. In contrast with other apps that focus the current window and remove all visibility options, Typora goes one step ahead and fades down all other paragraphs as well.

    👍 Pros:    Beautiful themes|Typewriter mode|Focus mode

10 Best Note Taking Apps for Windows in 2020
If you are a visual person like me, you respond to titles, headings, and specific formatting of text. This is what landed Typora on this list. Typora is extremely customizable. You can make any note in any format you choose. The markdown editor formats text as you type, making note-taking quicker and more effective. You can even create a table of contents to look at specific...

iA Writer Reviews

7 minimalist alternatives to CherryTree
Get focused. iA Writer offers a unique writing experience that lets you concentrate and clarify your message. Used by half a million people worldwide, its powerful interface is crafted to cut out noise, let you focus on what you want to say, and help you structure and trim your text. Available for Mac, iOS, Windows, and Android.
Source: papereditor.app
11 Best Scrivener Alternatives
The interface is easy to use, minimalistic, and helps you keep your writing goals on track. If you’re not technically sound and want a simple tool without any distracting features based on your own skills, you can go with iA Writer over Scrivener.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Typora seems to be a lot more popular than iA Writer. While we know about 89 links to Typora, we've tracked only 6 mentions of iA Writer. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Typora mentions (89)

  • Markdown Syntax & Features: A Comprehensive 2025 Guide
    You can also explore tools like Dillinger or Typora to make the experience even smoother. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • Show HN: A free alternative to Typora –– IF
    I love https://typora.io/ and use it daily. - Source: Hacker News / 8 months ago
  • The Monospace Web
    Some Markdown editors defaults to using a proportional type face for body text. Quite nice! Typora is one of them, there are probably others. https://typora.io/. - Source: Hacker News / 9 months ago
  • Typora Marked 2 "Support"
    Despite the beautiful myriad of text editors available for macOS, I've still found myself using Typora on my old machine. When I recently (read: ridiculously late) discovered that Brett Terpstra's venerable Marked 2 can be schemed (sortof) with x-marked://, it immediately occurred to me that I could use a custom Typora Export preset to add "integration" between these two apps:. - Source: dev.to / 10 months ago
  • WordGrinder: A simple word processor that runs on the console
    Another option for distraction-free writing is https://typora.io/. It is GUI and quite small. - Source: Hacker News / 10 months ago
View more

iA Writer mentions (6)

  • Bear alternatives on PC
    You might check out iA Writer. https://ia.net/ If I didn't have a Mac with access to Bear, that's probably what I'd be using. Source: about 2 years ago
  • I didn't realize the community has grown so much..
    Obsidian ai (a forked version of this theme is my main, I haven't released it publicly because the ui is a clone of my favourite app iaWriter https://ia.net/, and I don't think that's ethically right to share). Source: over 2 years ago
  • Tools for structuring research notes and productivity/creativity
    Ia.net: looks good to build a personal wiki with hyperlinks (which is something I def want) but I fear this can get messy after a while and can loose overview easily. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • How to find and remove all finished tasks [x] at once in a single txt document?
    Thanks, it works! Could you share a link to learn more about patterns and how to use them. Unfortunately I couldn't find any info on ia.net. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • iA Writer's new site is up—where's the new update?
    I went to ia.net today to see if they had updated to a new site yet, and they had! Source: about 3 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Typora and iA Writer, you can also consider the following products

StackEdit - Full-featured, open-source Markdown editor based on PageDown, the Markdown library used by Stack Overflow and the other Stack Exchange sites.

Scrivener - Scrivener is a content-generation tool for composing and structuring documents.

Markdown by DaringFireball - Text-to-HTML conversion tool/syntax for web writers, by John Gruber

FocusWriter - FocusWriter is a fullscreen, distraction-free word processor designed to immerse you as much as...

Dillinger - joemccann has 95 repositories available. Follow their code on GitHub.

Byword - The easy way to write Markdown and rich text on your Mac and iDevices

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