The Best Writing Apps for Modern Creators in 2024
Finding Your Ideal Focused Writing App in 2024
As a writer or content creator in today's fast-paced digital world, having the right tools can make all the difference.
A great writing app should do several key things: provide a distraction-free environment for focused creativity, support easy formatting like Markdown, help you organize your work, and offer seamless publishing or exporting capabilities.
With that criteria in mind, here are four standout apps that I believe every modern writer should consider in 2024.
#1 Notion
I'll start with Notion, my current go-to writing app of choice—with one important caveat.
While Notion may not be the purest, most streamlined writing tool out there, it utterly dominates when it comes to organizing and managing your content.
It's the most powerful all-in-one tool. Maybe only rivaled by popular note-talking app Obsidian, which I didn't include in this list as I see it more like a note-connecting tool. But it's great if you need such a thing.
Back to Notion:
The Upsides:
Effortlessly catalog and sort every piece of writing with robust tagging
Powerful filtering and sorting reveals patterns in your work
Analyze your best-performing pieces to spark new content ideas
Full Markdown support makes formatting a breeze
The core software is free, with optional premium upgrades
Notion is an all-around brilliant utility for writers of all kinds. I've even created free Notion templates specifically designed to help organize and manage content across Medium, blogs, and more. You can find those templates on my Gumroad storefront.
The Downsides:
With so many features, Notion's interface can feel overwhelming
The design is functional but not particularly inspiring
Exporting options are serviceable but limited
No direct publishing integration with platforms like Medium
Lacks an integrated grammar/spellchecking system
#2 Ulysses
For Mac and iOS users, Ulysses stands out as a beautifully designed, full-featured writing environment with standout integration for platforms like Medium.
It's a wonderful tool for writers. With integrated grammar and spell checking.
The Upsides:
Gorgeous distraction-free "focus mode" lets you immerse in pure writing
Insightful statistics like word count, progress tracking, and more
Built-in grammar and spell checking powered by LanguageTool
Markdown support makes formatting easy
Best-in-class! Direct publishing integration with Medium and more
The Downsides:
Content organization falls short compared to Notion's powers
Limited to Apple's ecosystem (no Windows, Android, or web)
Paid subscription ($5.99/month) after initial free trial
#3 iA Writer
This minimalist gem represents the quintessential distraction-free writing suite. In its clean, focused mode, you see nothing but your words—ideal for immersive drafting sessions.
The Upsides:
Delightfully simple interface with zero frills
Markdown formatting support
Highlights syntax and part of speech as you type
Built-in grammar/spellcheck
Like Ulysses, iA Writer publishes directly to Medium
Cross-platform for all devices (Mac, Windows, Android, iOS)
The Downsides:
Lacks advanced organization or content management capabilities
One-time $49 fee (no subscription, but no free version either)
#4 Google Docs
You can't discuss modern writing apps without mentioning Google's popular, free web-based word processor. While not optimized for distraction-free writing like the other options, Google Docs has emerged as a powerful, collaborative online writing solution.
The Upsides:
100% free with no limits on document count or length
Robust revision history and real-time collaborative editing
Access from any device with an internet connection
Broad range of sharing, exporting, and publishing options
Growing add-on ecosystem including grammar checkers
The Downsides:
Not really built for focused, distraction-free writing sessions
Formatting for blogs/websites requires manual cleanup
No direct publishing to platforms like Medium
Limited built-in organization tools beyond folders
Honorable mentions
Those 4 are my top choices 2024. But there are plenty of other great writing and note-taking tools that might fit your workflow.
I've already mentioned Obsidian.
There's also simple tools like:
Apple Notes
Google Keep
Complex alternatives like:
Rem Note
Evernote
And writing-focused tools like:
Scrivener
The Bottom Line
Those are the best all-around writing apps creators should consider in 2024.
For pure focus and distraction-free drafting, iA Writer and Ulysses are hard to beat.
If premium organization is crucial, Notion takes the crown.
And Google Docs remains incredibly powerful, especially for collaboration.
Personally, after years with Ulysses, I've shifted to using Notion as my content management, thanks to its unbeatable organization powers.
No matter which app you choose, the key is finding tools that accommodate your unique creative process instead of hindering it.
Try out a few different options—one may inevitably click as the ideal writing environment for you.