When comparing iA Writer vs Write!, the Slant community recommends Write! for most people. In the question“What are the best open source Markdown editors for UNIX-like systems?” Write! is ranked 10th while iA Writer is ranked 31st. The most important reason people chose Write! is:
Write! has tabs at the top and a tree view on the left that allows quickly switching between different files.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Noise Free Writing Experience removes even the program bar
The Noise Free Writing Experience is one of the first approaches to create a first class distraction-free environment. The feature hides the Mac program bar when you start writing.
Pro A mode that brings focus to the sentence you're working on
Enabling Focus Mode will dim the whole text except the sentence you are currently writing on.
Pro Can tell how long it would take to read through what you've written
Pro Markdown support
Pro Syncs using iCloud and Dropbox
iA Writer can sync documents using iCloud or Dropbox from within the editor for use across multiple devices.
Pro Create whole document by including separate images/markdown docs
This is new and very awesome feature in iA Writer 4.0.
Pro Can export a Word document
Pro Available for all Apple devices
iA Writer is available for Mac, iPhone and iPad.
Pro Allows easily switching between working on multiple files
Write! has tabs at the top and a tree view on the left that allows quickly switching between different files.
Pro Interface doesn't get in the way of work
The interface is minimal, when it's windowed there are no buttons or toolbars, so it doesn't distract from work. When it's in fullscreen, there's just text, no interface at all.
Pro Endless undo/redo
Write! uses a file format that saves all versions of a document. Meaning even if the app is closed and then opened up again, Write! can restore any previous version of the document.
Pro Can double as a to-do list app
Write! has a to-do list mode that allows creating lists of items in groups (tabs) that can be ticked off when completed.
Pro Picks up where you left off next time you start the app
Write! saves the state that it's in when closed and restores that state when opened. You can pick up working on documents in the exact same place you left off - same documents open, same cursor placement, etc.
Cons
Con No Linux support
Con You need to login to the App, and it reconnects to their server
There is no offline use.
Con Not free
There are free markdown editors for windows, this is not one of them.
Con Needs better folder document management like Ulysses
Con Needs nested folders
Con Bad MarkDown features
Not worth $20, the markdown editor sucks.
Con In beta
The app is not yet complete. A lot of the promised functionality is not yet implemented.
