Inkwell vs iA Writer
Inkwell and iA Writer are both focused markdown editors designed for writing, not note-taking or knowledge management. They share a belief that a writing tool should be quiet, fast, and stay out of your way. If you're choosing between them, here's what matters.
Quick comparison
| Inkwell | iA Writer | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free tier + $19 Pro | $30-50 per platform |
| License | Buy once, all platforms | Buy once, per platform (Mac, Windows, iOS, Android sold separately) |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
| Mobile | No | Yes |
| Preview mode | Split view (editor + preview) | Split view or preview-only |
| Mermaid diagrams | Yes, built-in | No |
| LaTeX math | Yes, KaTeX | Yes, KaTeX |
| Custom themes | Yes, built-in creator | No (light/dark/duo only) |
| PDF export | Yes (Pro) | Yes |
| HTML export | Yes, standalone offline files (Pro) | Yes |
| Word export | No | Yes |
| WordPress publish | No | Yes |
| File tree | Yes, workspace sidebar | Library (file-based with search) |
| Command palette | Yes (Ctrl+K) | No |
| Focus mode | Yes | Yes (sentence/paragraph) |
| Typewriter mode | Yes | Yes |
| Version history | Yes, with diffs | No (relies on OS versioning) |
| Templates | 10 built-in writing templates + custom | Export templates only |
| Content blocks | No | Yes (embed files in files) |
| Telemetry | None | None |
| Framework | Tauri + Rust | Native (Swift/Kotlin/.NET) |
Where Inkwell wins
Price. Inkwell's full editor is free forever. The $19 Pro license covers all platforms. iA Writer charges per platform: ~$50 on Mac and iOS, ~$30 on Windows and Android. You buy each separately. A full set runs over $100.
Mermaid diagrams. Inkwell renders flowcharts, sequence diagrams, Gantt charts, and more live in the preview pane. iA Writer has no built-in diagram rendering.
Custom themes. Inkwell ships four hand-tuned themes (Editorial, Midnight, Mono, Sepia) and a built-in theme creator with six color pickers. iA Writer offers only three modes: light, dark, and duo.
Command palette. Ctrl+K opens every Inkwell action with fuzzy search and shortcut hints. iA Writer has no command palette.
Version history. Inkwell tracks document versions with visual diffs. iA Writer relies on macOS/iOS system versioning, which is not available on Windows or Android.
Writing templates. Inkwell ships 10 built-in writing templates and supports custom templates for starting new documents. iA Writer has export templates for styling output, but no starter templates for writing.
Linux support. Inkwell runs on Linux. iA Writer does not.
Where iA Writer wins
Mobile apps. iA Writer has native iOS and Android apps with iCloud and file provider sync. Inkwell is desktop-only. If you write frequently on your phone or tablet, iA Writer is the stronger choice today.
Typography. iA Writer's custom typeface (iA Writer Mono, Duo, and Quattro) is legendary. The reading and writing experience is polished to an extreme. Inkwell's Crimson Pro and IBM Plex Mono are good, but iA Writer's typography is its identity.
Content blocks. iA Writer lets you embed one markdown file inside another using /path/to/file.md syntax. This is useful for assembling long documents from smaller pieces. Inkwell does not have this feature.
WordPress integration. iA Writer can publish directly to WordPress. Inkwell has no CMS integration.
Word export. iA Writer exports to .docx. Inkwell currently exports to PDF and HTML only.
Native apps. iA Writer is built natively on each platform (Swift on Mac/iOS, Kotlin on Android, .NET on Windows). This means tight OS integration and platform-native behavior. Inkwell uses Tauri with a webview, which is lightweight but not truly native.
Style Check. iA Writer highlights different parts of speech (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs) in your text, helping you spot weak writing patterns. Inkwell has no prose analysis tools.
Maturity. iA Writer has been around since 2010. It has a large, loyal user base and a proven track record. Inkwell is newer and still building its ecosystem.
Who should pick Inkwell
- You want a free markdown editor with no trial or purchase required
- You need Mermaid diagrams
- You want custom themes and a built-in theme creator
- You want version history and templates
- You use Linux
- You want one license that covers all your desktop machines
- You prefer a $19 one-time price over $50+ per platform
Who should pick iA Writer
- You write on mobile (iOS or Android)
- You publish directly to WordPress
- You need Word (.docx) export
- Typography and font design are important to you
- You want native platform integration on macOS/iOS
- You prefer content blocks for long-form document assembly
Pricing
Inkwell: Free forever (full editor). $19 one-time for Pro (adds PDF and HTML export). One license, all desktop platforms.
iA Writer: $30-50 per platform. Mac (~$50), Windows (~$30), iOS (~$50), Android (~$30). Each sold separately. No free tier.
Inkwell is significantly cheaper. Even the Pro license costs less than a single iA Writer platform purchase.
Try Inkwell
Download Inkwell for free on Windows, macOS, or Linux. No account required.