It’s no secret that I recommend Atticus is my top program for authors, but as I write this, Atticus doesn’t have a good way of integrating with mobile (I hear they’re working on it).
With that in mind, I thought I would run through a number of other programs that you can use on your phone or tablet, because we are on the move so much that we really need something to at least jot down thoughts, if not do a complete writing session using just our phones.
So with that in mind, let’s talk about the best writing apps for mobile devices, specifically for Android and iOS devices.
So far, I have broken these down into eight different apps:
- Scrivener
- Microsoft Word
- Google Docs
- Grammarly
- Final Draft
- Novlr
- Plottr
- Evernote
1. Scrivener (Best for Novelists)
- Pricing: $19.99 for iOS, $49 for Mac/Windows
- Platforms: iOS, Mac, Windows
- Best for: authors who like organized, distraction-free writing.
If you’re a novelist and haven’t heard of Scrivener yet, you totally need to check it out! It’s seriously the best mobile writing app out there, especially for all my fellow iPhone and iPad users. This app is super organized and has great ready-made templates for all sorts of genres and layouts.
Okay, so I know it has a bit of a steep learning curve, but don’t worry! There are tons of free tutorials online to help you out. Trust me, it’s sooo worth it. With Scrivener for iOS, you’ll be planning, organizing with drag-and-drop, highlighting words, and arranging everything on a virtual corkboard in no time.
The coolest thing? You can totally transfer your work between devices using Dropbox, or export it to all these fancy formats like DOCX, EPUB, MOBI, PDF, HTML, or even Multi-Markdown. I mean, come on, how awesome is that?
But, like, there’s this one tiny downside. The mobile app costs $19.99, which is a bit pricey, I know. And if you want it on your macOS or Windows devices, you’ll need to buy separate licenses. Ugh!
Now, to my Android peeps, don’t feel left out! You can still try Novlr, a browser-based app that’s super cool and works on any mobile device as long as you have internet access.
2. Microsoft Word (Best for General Writing)
- Pricing: $6.99/month for Microsoft 365
- Platforms: iOS, Android, Mac, Windows
- Best for: general writing, including business documents, journalism, student works, etc.
Let me tell you, Microsoft Word is like, THE industry standard text editor we all know and love! It’s super versatile and user-friendly. Plus, it runs super smooth on both iOS and Android devices, so you can whip up gorgeous, professional-looking documents in a bunch of different formats.
Now, Word is totes perfect for general writing, like those memos, email drafts, and print-ready docs we can’t escape from. But, just a little heads-up, it might not be the best choice for novel writing. I know, bummer!
Its organization game isn’t as strong as, say, Scrivener or Ulysses, but still, it’s got our backs for most writing tasks.
Oh, and if you’re all about spelling and grammar, you should know that Word’s checker isn’t as powerful as ProWritingAid or Grammarly. But hey, nobody’s perfect, right?
I feel you – MS Word can be a little pricey. But the good news is that lots of us have access to it at no extra cost through our work or school! So, we can still get our write on without breaking the bank.
3. Google Docs (Best Free Option)
- Pricing: Free
- Platforms: iOS, Android, Online
- Best for: General writing for those on a budget, as well as collaborative projects
Google Docs is your go-to option for both Android and iOS users. If you’re on a budget and don’t need proofreading, novel writing, or offline writing capabilities, Google Docs has got you covered.
You can tweak headers, spacing, and fonts—basically, everything you’d expect from a pro word processor. Plus, it autosaves your work and keeps track of your version history. What’s really cool is how it shines when it comes to real-time collaboration, making it perfect for co-authors, bloggers, and even ghostwriters.
4. Grammarly (Best for Editing)
- Pricing: $29.95/month
- Platforms: Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge
- Best for: Editing emails, memos, blog posts, social media posts
Grammarly is perfect for making your emails, memos, and those short-form projects look super profesh and error-free. No more embarrassing typos!
And let me tell you about the Grammarly keyboard for mobile devices – it’s everything! It checks your spelling and grammar while you’re typing, giving you fab suggestions to make your writing even better. Plus, did you know that you can download your text as a DOCX file right from Grammarly’s browser app?
But wait, it gets better! Grammarly’s browser extension is great, automatically checking your grammar and spelling on, like, every platform you can think of – Gmail, LinkedIn, Instagram, you name it!
And, trust me, its free version is waaay better at proofreading than Microsoft Word or MacOS’s built-in checkers.
Now, if you’re thinking about going premium, I’ve got some tea to spill. ProWritingAid’s premium version is actually recommended over Grammarly’s. It can export to DOCX too and is just, like, sooo much better overall.
Honestly, using Grammarly’s browser application and extension is a total game-changer. Your emails, posts, and memos will look so professional and accurate that everyone will be super impressed.
5. Final Draft (Best for Screenwriters)
- Pricing: One-time fee of $249.99
- Platforms: iOS, Mac, Windows
- Best for: Screenwriters
If you’re into screenwriting, you totally need to check out Final Draft! It’s an iOS-exclusive paid app made just for screenwriters like you!
Now, I hate to break it to Android users, but with less than 5% of users on Android, Final Draft isn’t planning on developing an app for y’all anytime soon. But for my fellow iPhone and iPad peeps, this app is loaded with fab features: professionally formatted templates, SmartType (it remembers your character names and scenes – how cool is that?), PDF export options, element-based script searching, and even color-coded ScriptNotes!
You know it’s the real deal when the Academy Award-winning author David Seidler loves it for its ability to change drafts quickly and on the go. And get this: Final Draft is the industry standard, used by 95% of film and television productions!
But hey, if you’re not an Apple device user, no worries! Celtx Script is a great alternative for screenwriting. So, go ahead and unleash your inner Tarantino, girl!
6. Novlr (Best for Productivity)
- Pricing: $10/month
- Platforms: Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Microsoft Edge
- Best for: Distraction-free writing
Novlr is a browser-based creative writing tool that saves everything to the cloud, like, automatically!
And guess what? It has this really useful distraction-free Focus Mode, which is super customizable and perfect for getting in the zone when writing. Say goodbye to writer’s block, am I right?
Novlr is the perfect BFF to help you get started on that masterpiece you’ve been dreaming of, with productivity vibes that give off Daily Prompt and FocusWriter energy.
This gem has so many fabulous features: a minimalist aesthetic (clean and chic), writing stats tracking (gotta keep an eye on that word count), motivational goals, organization tools, writing style suggestions, collaboration options (for when you and your bestie are co-writing the next bestseller), day-night color schemes (because we all need some mood lighting), and super easy exporting to various file formats!
7. Plottr (Best for Outlining)
- Pricing: $39/year or $139/lifetime
- Platforms: iOS, Android, Windows, Online
- Best for: Plotting and outlining
Plottr is a super innovative program for plotting and outlining that’s perfect for mobile and desktop.
The best part? It’s browser-based, so you can access it from, like, anywhere you have internet – phones, tablets, you name it! Talk about convenience!
Plottr is seriously a lifesaver when it comes to organizing all those pesky plot points, creating great characters, and building those super cool worlds we all love to get lost in. Plus, it comes with ready-made templates.
These intuitive outline templates are total game-changers: The Snowflake Method, The Three Story Method, The Story Circle, The Seven Point Plot Structure, and The Hero’s Journey – they’ve got you covered, girl!
And get this: the Plottr app is the definition of mobile-friendly, whether you’re Team iOS or Team Android. So, seriously, give it a try and watch your creativity soar!
8. Evernote (Best for Notes)
- Pricing: $69.99/year
- Platforms: iOS, Android, Mac, Windows
- Best for: Taking notes
Evernote is the most amazing note-taking app ever! It’s award-winning and everything, so you know it’s legit. The best part? It syncs your notes across devices – though with the free version, you can only use it on two devices. Still, pretty cool, right?
But wait, it gets even better! With a paid upgrade, you can save all sorts of stuff – web clippings, videos, PDFs, images, GIFs, you name it! Like, who wouldn’t want all of that?
Sharing notes with friends, co-authors, or ghostwriters is a breeze, too. All you have to do is grant the right permissions, and voila! Instant collaboration.
And Evernote is always getting better. They’re all about those free updates and working on improving things like their table function. So, if you’re not already using Evernote, you seriously need to check it out, girl!
Which App Do You Use?
Let’s get real here – if you’re writing on the go, you need the absolute best mobile writing apps, right? They’re going to take your notes from basic scribbles to super-organized, fabulously polished works of art.
Say buh-bye to traditional notepads – it’s time to embrace that modern technology life! With all these cool new apps, it’s so much easier to keep your notes organized and actually understand what you wrote later on. No more trying to decode those frantic, messy scribbles.
So here’s the deal: even if you’re not at your main workstation, you’ve still got to invest in the right tools for writing. The world of writing is always evolving, and there are new apps coming out all the time.
Now, I’ve gotta tell you – if you’re an Apple user, you’re totally winning in the writing app department. Sorry, Android users, but Apple’s just got so many more amazing options! But don’t worry, there are still some awesome apps for you Android babes out there, too!
And as I mentioned before, if you’re using a desktop, I would use Atticus over ALL of these options.
So get on out there and start exploring all those fantastic mobile writing apps – it’s time to level up your writing game, girl!