iA Writer alternatives

Quorly — the browser one

Rich text rather than Markdown syntax, no account, and the draft lives in the browser on the device. Free, with PDF and Markdown export included; Pro adds EPUB and sync to your own Google Drive. The trade-off is real: no native iOS or Android app, no library of projects, and sync is something you set up rather than something that happens.

Ulysses — the Apple long-form one

A subscription buys a managed library, goals and publishing to WordPress and Medium. It is Apple-only, so it is not an answer if the Windows or Linux part of iA Writer's pricing is what pushed you away.

Typora — the Markdown one

A one-time licence and a desktop app that renders Markdown as you type. If you liked iA Writer's plain-text files and just wanted a different price or platform, this is the closest swap. There is a full comparison with Quorly if you are deciding between the two.

Obsidian — the linked-notes one

Markdown files in a folder you own, plus a plugin ecosystem. Excellent when the writing is connected to research; heavier than a drafting surface when it is not.

Bear — the Apple notes one

A pleasant Markdown-ish editor for notes and short pieces, with sync as the paid feature. Apple-only, and not built around long manuscripts.

Honesty beats a sales page here. A browser editor is not a native app: it lives in a tab, it can be closed by accident, and its storage belongs to the browser profile — clear site data and the local library is gone. Offline works after the first load, but there is no iCloud-style sync, and no iOS app. If those are hard requirements, Ulysses or Typora is the better answer.

What you gain is a writing surface that exists on every machine you sign into, needs no account, and does not upload the draft. The privacy page explains the storage model; the no-AI page explains the other half.