Quorly vs iA Writer
iA Writer is the benchmark for plain-text Markdown. A native app for Mac ($49.99), Windows ($29.99) and iPhone/iPad ($49.99) — bought separately for each platform, with a seven-day trial on desktop. It is famous for Focus Mode, its Mono/Duo/Quattro typefaces and its restraint: you write Markdown, the app stays out of the way, and files live in folders you choose.
Quorly is the browser answer to that. No download, no license key, no device limit, no platform to buy twice. You get a calm, distraction-free page, rich-text editing that looks finished while you type, a persistent local library with versions, and free PDF export — without an account or an upload.
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Why writers switch from iA Writer
- One price instead of one per platform. A Mac and an iPhone copy of iA Writer is about $100, and the Windows app is a separate $29.99 purchase. Quorly is free everywhere a browser runs — Mac, Windows, Linux, ChromeOS and Android.
- Rich text, not Markdown plus Preview. iA Writer is a plain-text Markdown editor: you type hashes and asterisks, then switch to Preview to see the result. Quorly edits the rendered page, so headings, lists, tables and images look finished while you write, with Markdown import and export when you want the source.
- Works where iA Writer doesn't. There is no iA Writer web version, and the Android app was retired in September 2024. Quorly runs in any modern browser, installs as an offline PWA, and survives a browser restart.
- A library, not a folder tree. iA Writer works on files inside iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive or any folder you point it at. Quorly keeps a persistent IndexedDB library with version snapshots and image storage, so there is nothing to sync before you can write.
- PDF export without a license, EPUB with Pro. PDF works in any browser; EPUB (Kindle) is part of Quorly Pro. Markdown, plain text and
.quorlybackups are one click away in Chromium-based browsers.
At a glance
| Feature | Quorly | iA Writer |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | Browser + installable PWA (any OS, including Android, Linux and ChromeOS) | Native apps: macOS 10.15+, Windows 10 (64-bit), iPhone/iPad (iOS 15+); no Android, no web version |
| Price | Free, no tiers | $49.99 Mac, $29.99 Windows, $49.99 iPhone/iPad — one-time, per platform; 7-day trial on desktop; major upgrades may be paid |
| Editing style | Direct rich text (WYSIWYG) | Plain-text Markdown with syntax styling; Preview for the finished page |
| Offline support | Full PWA — survives browser restarts | Yes (native desktop and mobile apps) |
| Document storage | IndexedDB library + snapshots + images | Plain-text files in folders you choose |
| Sync | Optional Quorly Pro sync to your own Google Drive; otherwise local only | Your own iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive or any folder |
| Privacy & tracking | No cookies/IDs; no uploads | Local files; crash reports and anonymous statistics; Style Check runs on device |
| Tables & images | Included free | Included (local images, CSV tables) |
| Export | PDF free (any browser); EPUB with Pro; Markdown, plain text and .quorly in Chromium browsers |
PDF, Word (.docx), HTML and Markdown; custom HTML/CSS templates |
| Word import/export | Not supported | Yes (.doc and .docx import and export) |
| Publishing | Not built in (export and publish anywhere) | Ghost, WordPress, Medium, Micropub and Micro.blog (Mac and iOS) |
| Focus mode & themes | Focus mode; light/dark; 5 typefaces; adjustable size/width | Focus Mode (sentence or paragraph); typewriter mode; syntax highlight; light/dark; 3 typefaces |
| WebMCP / agent tools | Yes (browsers that support WebMCP) | No |
Detailed comparison
What iA Writer does better
iA Writer wins on native fit, publishing and file ownership. Its Mac and iOS apps are polished native software with excellent typography, Apple Shortcuts and URL commands, and a Windows app with writing goals, snippets and folding. It imports and exports Word documents, and it can publish drafts straight to Ghost, WordPress, Medium, Micropub and Micro.blog. Because documents are ordinary .md files in folders you control, they drop into Git, Dropbox, iCloud or a static-site generator with no export step.
Its writing aids are genuinely distinctive: Style Check dims clichés, fillers and clutter on your device, and Authorship colour-codes text you typed, text another person wrote, and text pasted from an AI tool — so a document can show who wrote what. If those are the features you use daily, iA Writer is still the better tool, and its one-time price is fair for them.
How to move from iA Writer to Quorly
Your iA Writer documents are plain Markdown, which makes the move simple. In Chromium-based browsers, Quorly imports .md files through its Import button and keeps the result in its IndexedDB library:
- Use Import in Quorly and choose your
.mdfile; headings, lists, bold and italic are rendered. - Elsewhere (Safari, Firefox), open the file and paste the text into a new Quorly document.
- Images are not embedded in Markdown; paste or drop them into Quorly and they are saved with the document.
- Export back to Markdown (
.md) or plain text (.txt) from Chromium browsers at any time — your words stay portable.
The bottom line
| What you need | Best choice |
|---|---|
| Native Mac/iOS/Windows apps, Word import/export, Style Check, authorship tracking and one-click publishing to a blog | iA Writer ($49.99 Mac, $29.99 Windows, $49.99 iPhone/iPad) |
| A free, private, rich-text workspace that runs in any browser — including Android and Linux — with no install, no account and free PDF export | Quorly ($0) |
Frequently asked questions
Is Quorly a free alternative to iA Writer?
Yes. Quorly is 100% free and runs in any browser with no installation, license or device limit. iA Writer is a one-time purchase per platform: $49.99 on Mac, $29.99 on Windows and $49.99 on iPhone and iPad.
Does iA Writer have a web version or an Android app?
No. iA Writer is a native app for Mac, Windows and iPhone/iPad; it has no web version, and the Android app was retired in September 2024. Quorly runs in any modern browser, including on Android, Linux and ChromeOS.
Can Quorly open my iA Writer Markdown files?
Yes. In Chromium-based browsers, Quorly's Import button opens .md files and renders headings, lists, bold and italic into its library. Elsewhere you can paste the text. Images can be pasted or dropped in, and Quorly exports Markdown again from Chromium browsers.
Does iA Writer use AI?
iA Writer does not write for you. Its Authorship feature detects text pasted from ChatGPT, Claude and similar tools and colours it so your own words stay distinguishable, and Style Check runs on your device. Quorly instead registers local WebMCP tools, so an agent on your machine can read or edit only when you ask.
Does Quorly upload my writing?
No. Quorly requires no account, sets no cookies, and never sends document content. The only network requests are an anonymous cookie-free event name to /e and Cloudflare's aggregate visit count.