Best Writing Apps for Mac
Throughout history, writers have used many tools to capture their words for posterity: typewriters, pen and paper, even styluses on clay tablets. But in the digital age, computers and specialized writing applications open up new workflows and possibilities to make the writing process more efficient and productive.
Modern writing apps aim to provide an optimal writing experience with useful tools and features while minimizing friction and distractions. Whether you‘re drafting your first blog post, in the middle of your first novel, or working on your seventh book, the right app can help you stay focused and productive to finish your writing projects.
The 5 Stages of the Writing Process
While writing projects can vary widely in type, length and purpose, most follow a similar path with five key stages:
- Prewriting/Brainstorming – Choosing a topic, researching, outlining and planning what to write. The focus is on gathering and organizing your ideas and materials.
- Drafting – Writing the initial rough draft, which may look quite different from the final piece. The priority is getting words down without worrying about perfection.
- Revising – Adding, removing and rearranging content to improve the piece. Clarifying points, cutting unnecessary parts, and refining word choice.
- Editing – Fixing issues with grammar, spelling, punctuation, and language. Polishing the writing and preparing it for publication.
- Publishing – Formatting the final piece for print or digital release and sharing it with the world.
Some writing apps aim to support you through this entire process from start to finish, while others specialize in certain stages. You may prefer using different tools for different phases, or having one app that takes you seamlessly from first idea to final product.
Why You Shouldn‘t Write in a Word Processor
Many writers use general purpose word processors like Microsoft Word or Google Docs for their writing. While these are powerful tools, they aren‘t designed with the specific needs and workflow of writers in mind.
Word processors are made to produce nice-looking final documents with full control over formatting. But for the actual writing process, those formatting options are unnecessary distractions. Obsessing over fonts and page layout pulls you out of the flow of getting words on the page.
The principle of "separating content from presentation" is key for productive writing. A writer‘s job is to write – anything else is a detour. Dedicated writing apps understand this and provide a focused environment for the primary task of putting one word after another. Extra features are there when you need them but stay out of your way until then.
Who Should Use a Pro Writing App
If you‘re just starting out with writing, you likely don‘t need a full-fledged pro writing app right away. Stick with software you already know to focus your mental energy on the writing itself.
But if you‘re serious about your writing, whether professionally or for an important personal project, it‘s worth investing in a purpose-built writing tool. Apps made for writers provide a more pleasant, productive and focused writing experience to help you do your best work with less frustration.
Writing apps are ideal if you:
- Get paid for your writing
- Are working on a major writing project like a book, screenplay, or dissertation
- Write frequently and want to optimize your process
- Get easily distracted and need help staying focused
- Are seeking motivation and accountability to finish large projects
With the right app for your needs and style, you can stay in flow, hit your writing goals, and create your most impactful work. Think of it as a worthwhile investment in your craft and career.
Our Top Picks: Best Writing Apps for Mac
Best for Most Writers: Ulysses
Ulysses is a powerful yet streamlined writing app for Mac, iPad and iPhone. It provides a clean, uncluttered interface to keep you focused on your words. The app uses plain text Markdown formatting, which keeps your hands on the keyboard and your mind on your ideas.
All your writing stays synced across your devices via iCloud, so you can work anywhere inspiration strikes. An integrated library holds all your documents, notes and research materials, with the ability to organize using groups and filters.
Ulysses goes beyond word count with flexible writing goals for each document. Set a target and a green circle shows your progress. Goals automatically adjust from "at least" to "at most" mode if you overshoot. Separate statistics show your productivity over time.
The thoughtful design extends to a pleasant dark mode for evening writing sessions and a typewriter scrolling mode that keeps your current line centered. Little touches make it a joy to write in.
When you‘re done, comprehensive export options let you quickly publish to WordPress, Medium and Ghost or generate clean PDFs, ebooks and Word documents to share with editors and readers.
Ulysses is available for $4.99/month or $39.99/year, with a free 14-day trial. Students can get a 6-month free trial. Also included in the $9.99/month Setapp Mac app subscription.
Best for Long-Form and Research-Heavy Writing: Scrivener
For complex, lengthy writing projects, Scrivener is the heavyweight champion. It packs in a huge array of organizing, planning and research tools to handle the most intricate novels, screenplays and non-fiction works.
The core of Scrivener is a binder holding all the content for your project. Each section is a separate document that you can edit individually and rearrange via drag-and-drop. Higher-level folders let you organize chapters and sections.
Two unique views give you a bird‘s eye perspective on your manuscript. The Corkboard displays each document as an index card that you can move around to restructure your draft. The Outliner provides a more detailed overview, showing synopses and keywords for each section.
Where Scrivener really shines is its best-in-class tools for collecting and organizing research:
You get a dedicated place to store background material like character sketches, location descriptions, and inspirational images and web pages. Keeping this separate from your manuscript reduces clutter and distractions while still having it easily accessible.
Scrivener also offers granular writing targets, a distraction-free composition mode, and powerful export and compiling options to generate your finished manuscript in virtually any format.
A one-time purchase of $49 gets you the desktop app for Mac and Windows. iOS version sold separately. 30-day free trial available.
Other Great Writing Apps for Mac
While Ulysses and Scrivener are our top recommendations, they‘re not the only good options available. Here are some other excellent writing programs for Mac, including a few free and low-cost choices.
Ulysses Alternatives
These writing apps offer a similar clean, focused writing environment to Ulysses without the subscription pricing:
- iA Writer – Minimalist markdown writing app. Includes syntax highlighting, focus mode, and built-in previews. $29.99 from the Mac App Store.
- Byword – Simple, efficient markdown editor with publishing features. $10.99 from the Mac App Store.
- Bear – Flexible writing app for notes and prose. Supports markdown, images and file attachments. Free, with $1.49/month subscription for syncing and themes.
Scrivener Alternatives
For long-form and research-intensive writing, these apps provide Scrivener-like organization and planning tools:
- Storyist – Writing environment with a focus on novels and screenplays. Includes templates, index cards, outlining and storyboarding tools. $59 from the developer‘s site.
- Mellel – Powerful word processor popular with academics. Offers outlining, annotations, cross references and robust multilingual support. $59 from the developer‘s site.
Minimalist Writing Tools
If you want the absolute minimum of features beyond a blinking cursor, these distraction-free editors fit the bill:
- WriteRoom – The original full-screen writing app. Mimics a retro terminal with green text on black. $9.99 from the Mac App Store.
- Focused – Streamlined, customizable writing space. Includes markdown support, writing history and a dark mode. $19.99 from the Mac App Store.
- OmmWriter – Zen-like writing environment with soothing backgrounds and ambient soundtracks. $7.33 from the developer‘s site.
Free Writing Apps and Resources
Want to up your writing game without opening your wallet? These free apps and web tools are great options:
- Draft – Online writing space with version control, collaborative editing and a clean, minimal interface. Basic version free at draftin.com.
- yWriter – Full-featured desktop app for novels and screenplays. Offers scenes, characters, locations, storyboard and more. Free from spacejock.com.
- LibreOffice Writer – Capable open-source word processor. Not glamorous but gets the job done. Free from libreoffice.org.
- Hemingway App – Web and desktop tool to analyze and refine your writing. Highlights complex sentences, passive voice, and unnecessary adverbs. Free online, $19.99 for desktop version.
- Literautas – Online app for writing projects and tracking submissions. Includes prompts, writing challenges and community features. Free at literautas.com.
The Bottom Line
With so many great writing apps available for Mac, there‘s sure to be one that fits your needs and budget. The right tool can revolutionize your writing process and help you be more productive and creative.
Our top overall pick is Ulysses for its excellent balance of power and simplicity. For major projects, you can‘t beat Scrivener‘s unrivaled organizational features.
But don‘t be afraid to try several options to see what works best for you. Most premium apps offer free trials, and you may be surprised by how much you can do with low-cost or free tools. The most important thing is to find an app that removes obstacles between you and the page, so you can focus on the hard but rewarding work of writing.
