Writer Computer vs iA Writer
Writer Computer and iA Writer are separate apps from separate makers; the similar names are a coincidence. Both edit plain markdown files on your disk, support [[wikilinks]] on the Mac, and render LaTeX math with KaTeX. iA Writer is a paid writing app for Mac, Windows, iPhone and iPad, built around focused prose: Focus Mode, Style Check, authorship tracking, preview templates and export to PDF and Word. Writer Computer is a free, open-source macOS editor for folders of notes, with Mermaid diagrams, frontmatter properties and one window per workspace.
| Writer Computer | iA Writer | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Mac $49.99 one-time, Windows $29.99; iPhone and iPad sold separately; 7-day trial on Mac and Windows |
| Source code | Open source | Not open source |
| Platforms | macOS | macOS, Windows, iPhone, iPad |
| Your notes | Markdown files in any folder you choose | Plain text files in iCloud Drive or folders you add |
| Sync | None built in | Through iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive or OneDrive; no service of its own |
| Mermaid diagrams | Built in, every Mermaid diagram type | Not in iA Writer's docs |
| LaTeX math | Built in (KaTeX) | Built in (KaTeX) |
| [[Wikilinks]] | Yes, with autocomplete | Yes, on Mac, iPhone and iPad |
| Search across notes | File names only | Global search in the library |
| Export | None | PDF, Word, HTML, Markdown |
| Plugins and themes | No plugins; light and dark themes | Preview templates in HTML, CSS and JavaScript |
| Mobile apps | None | iPhone and iPad |
| macOS download | 6.1 MB (v0.8.0) | 17.6 MB on the Mac App Store (v8.1.1) |
| Account | Not needed | Apple ID on the App Store; iA Account for direct downloads |
| Usage data | Off unless you turn it on | Anonymous statistics and crash reports |
iA Writer details as of October 28, 2026, from pricing, features, support docs, privacy notice, Mac App Store. Writer Computer details are for v0.8.0.
Choose iA Writer if
- You write long-form prose and want Focus Mode, Syntax Highlight or Style Check.
- You need iPhone, iPad or Windows apps.
- You export to PDF, Word or HTML, or publish to WordPress, Ghost or Medium.
- You want AI-generated text marked as such (authorship tracking), or content blocks that include other files.
Choose Writer Computer if
- You want a free, open-source editor. iA Writer for Mac is $49.99 and its source isn't public.
- Your notes use Mermaid diagrams, which iA Writer's docs don't mention, or come from an Obsidian vault or a docs repository.
- You keep several folders open at once, each in its own window.
- A small download matters: about 6 MB for Writer Computer, 17.6 MB for iA Writer from the Mac App Store.
Moving between them
Both apps work on plain markdown files, so you can open your iA Writer folder in Writer Computer (how) and keep writing.
- Wikilinks and
$...$math carry over. - iA Writer saves authorship annotations at the end of a file. They are hidden in iA Writer and show as text at the end of the note in other apps, including Writer Computer.
- iA Writer's content blocks and its
{{TOC}}table of contents aren't supported, and show as plain text in Writer Computer.