Best Writing Apps for Android (2018)

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In our previous article, we covered some of the best writing software for Novelists. But what if, you have to stick onto the small screen of your smartphone. You may be traveling or at an important meeting. Unlike what most people think, writing on Android isn’t tough. In fact, it can save you a lot of time, thanks to autocorrect and predictive text. The typing speed, however, is another thing to discuss. Nevertheless, to avail all these, you need the best writing app.

In case of Android, there is a wonderful collection of writing apps you can try. Each of them is packed with a bunch of features like multi-device sync, non-distractive interface and all. We spent some time with some of the popular writing apps for Android and chose the best of them. You may be looking for note-writing or some creative writing, you will find the best Android writing app here.

Read: Best Handwriting Apps for Android Note-Taking

#1 Writer — Most Minimal Writing App for Android

Writer is probably the best minimal writing app for Android. It does not come with many options, though. It lets you write almost anything on your device, thanks to the non-distractive UI. Even if you want to write an imaginative piece, Writer would be a great choice. That having said, Writer shows you the number of words and characters in your writing. What’s more, the app can also show you the estimated reading time.

Markup support is something else that I loved in Writer. Even when it comes to taking notes, Writer will not let you down. Using the traditional markdown language, you can add headings, italic text, bold text etc. into a writing. Once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty cool, you know. As the developers has said, the app has been kept as simple as possible.

Pros: Ultimately simple, Markdown Support

Cons: Lacks sharing support and Organization options

The Verdict: Writer for Android is the best minimal writing can take you. It’d be the perfect choice when you need more control over writing. Once you start writing, there is nothing to distract you — no toolbars, icons or anything. Once you are done, you can simply copy and paste the content. Even with this minimalism, they have included markup support, which is great. Altogether, Writer is the best choice for minimal lovers.

Check Out Writer (Free)

#2 Writer Plus — An Upgrade from Writer

Would you like Writer if it had better features? Then, you’d love Writer Plus for sure. It is packed with a lot of features, including but not restricted to markdown support. If you want to write something more detailed, you can count on this. According to the developers, Writer Plus has been optimized for writing poems and novels.

Better organization is the first thing you’d probably notice with Writer Plus. It lets you arrange your docs in different folders. Just like the basic version, Writer Plus shows you word count details and readability time. It also comes with a truly immersive UI, especially while reading stuff. There isn’t much room for customizing the design. You will have to stick onto grey or true black.

Furthermore, Writer Plus lets you share what you have written as text, text file, markdown file, image file or even HTML. As expected, it doesn’t consume much system resources either. Writer Plus not only supports Bluetooth keyboards but also offers some cool shortcuts. Writer Plus has included proper documentation for the features and you can get them from main screen.

Pros: Better organization, Markdown support

Cons: Lacks formatting options

The Verdict: Writer Plus may not be the biggest upgrade from Writer for Android. Even so, you have access to the better organization, sharing options and keyboard support. Don’t let the Plus in the name fool you. Writer Plus is completely free, and the developers offer full support. However, it would have been great if the app was offering some sync options.

Check Out Writer Plus (Free)

#3 Monospace — Minimal Writing with Better Control

Monospace is a real step-up from Writer. Just like the previous one, it offers a clean interface for writing the various stuff. However, you have better control over the process. Customization is one thing I loved about the app since you can change almost everything. For instance, you can alter the text size, title color and use the documents in Read-Only Mode.

The thing about Monospace is that your writings look way too better, thanks to the black background. Unlike the previous one, Monospace lets you format the text by selecting the area. You can add bold, italics and it even lets you insert quotations. The app also has quick shortcuts for Copying and Pasting. So, if you need a bunch of extra features than minimal writing, Monospace makes sense.

Compared to other writing apps, Monospace uses an innovative organization method. You can simply add a hashtag and all the documents will be stored under a folder. Even in the basic version, Monospace lets you pick fonts as per your needs. Once you are done, you can export your document as a Markdown document or as plain text.

Pros: Simple, Formatting Support, Easy Control

Cons: Some features are Pro-only

The Verdict: As we said earlier, Monospace is a real upgrade from Writer. You are already getting some sets of innovative features like native formatting and better control. There is also a Pro version that offers cross-device sync and customizable fonts. We also loved the hashtag-based organization of your writings. So, if you are looking for a viable upgrade, go for Monospace.

Check Out Monospace (Free)

#4 JotterPad — Multipurpose Writing App for Android

JotterPad has been designed to assist you in the writing process, instead of offering a space. Of course, it is coming with a minimal interface where you can write. But compared to any other app, JotterPad will arrange your files dynamically. It has one of the most customizable designs we’ve seen. From typography to locale and from theme to viewing mode, everything is flexible.

We should also talk about the Creative Upgrade, which packs more features like Dark Theme and Typewriter. Both these are helpful when you need better control. We also loved the feature named Reference. You can enter a word and it will show you the meaning, within the app itself. Coming to more features, JotterPad lets you choose a convenient file type from Text, Markdown, and Fountain.

It is clear that JotterPad has been designed for creative writers. But, being a non-creative writer, I still found it really useful. Another feature, still available in the free version, is named Extended Keyboard. If enabled, it lets you insert formatting commands in a single click. In addition to the basic version, JotterPad has three add-ons — Creative, Pro and Cloud+.

Pros: Multipurpose, Ultimately customizable

Cons: Some features are Pro-only, PDF Export has watermarking

The Verdict: JotterPad is indeed your assistant when it comes to writing creative stuff. It checks all the basic requirements you may have. In addition to that, there are many features like extended keyboard and various exporting methods. You can directly print the document or export it to DOC, HTML and TXT. Altogether, we think the features are worthy enough.

Check Out JotterPad (Free, Upgrades available)

#5 iA Writer — Overall Best Writing App for Android

iA Writer is the writing app for Android where usability meets advanced features. In the first look, iA Writer lets you write and store documents in your device. However, as we go deep into the program, you can have better features and control. For instance, the writing interface is quite intuitive. You have all the controls at the bottom part.

You can insert headings and other formatting options in a single tap. There are also options for Undo, Redo and in-text navigation. These are quite helpful when you want to edit things. Coming to file export, iA Writer lets you save it as plain text, HTML, PDF or Microsoft Word. There are a few different modes you can try — Night Mode, Focus Mode. As it goes without saying, iA Writer shows word count too.

But the real deal of iA Writer is in the sync department. You can directly save your documents into the cloud via Dropbox or Google Drive. You just have to set up the accounts only once. You can also arrange your docs in an easy-to-access manner. Despite all these features, iA Writer has been kept free. And, unlike JotterPad, it does not restrict features.

Pros: Simple UI, Advanced Options, Standard customization

Cons: None worth noting

The Verdict: As the developers say, iA Writer is a writer-focused app. It keeps away distractions by offering a simple user interface. Even then, you don’t have to compromise any feature. On the other hand, iA Writer packs a lot of features for customization and easy control over formatting. In spite of the features, it is free to use. What more do we want?

Check Out iA Writer (Free)

#6 Google Docs – Best writing app with powerful features

While Google Keep is my go-to notepad app; but when it comes to writing big documents on my Android, I prefer Google Docs (earlier known as Google Drive). The best thing about Google Docs is that it automatically saves everything you type in the cloud, so you have nothing to lose. Also, you can edit your documents on all your devices, including computer and iOS devices. The only downside is, you’ll need an active internet connection to edit your older documents on Google Docs.

Google Docs is not just a simple writing app, instead, it packs with some really powerful options that none of the above mention apps have. For instance, Google Docs support real-time collaboration, meaning you and your friend can work on the same document from different devices. It also has a hidden OCR option in the settings, so if you have documents that you would like to digitalize, you can do that with Google Docs.

Read: Take a Picture of Handwriting And Convert to Text – Android Apps

 

Pros: Automatic backup, Cross-Platform.

Cons:  Doesn’t have the best UI for writing, require an active internet connection to fully use the app

The Verdict: While Google Docs is not the best looking writing app on Android, it definitely has more features than other writing apps.

Check out Google Docs (Free)

Best Writing Apps for Android

These are your best choice when you need a writing app for Android. If you want something truly simple, it is good to go for Writer or Writer Plus. That said, there are times when you need control: Monospace should serve you at that time. On the other hand, JotterPad is for the fully-fledged creative writer, but you should be ready to pay. And, at any time, you can go for our top recommendation — iA Writer, which packs a ton of features without costing you a penny. We know there are many apps in town, but these are the ones we found to be the best.

Read: Best Writing App for Mac — The Ultimate Showdown