Mac list

Best Writing Apps for Mac

Writing apps you can download and run on a Mac, compared on price, features and how each is built for Apple devices.

All apps Novel writing Essays and long-form non-fiction Markdown and minimal Editing and proofreading Blogging and articles Mac list
Disclosure.

I built Writing Desk because I was frustrated with apps that were too complicated, too busy, or without the features I needed entirely. I built it for novels, but now use it for everything.

That said, some writing apps are better at certain jobs than others, and whilst I obviously think Writing Desk is the best of the best, I have tried to be impartial in my assessments.

Last updated 11 October 2026. Prices and verdicts reviewed quarterly.

My pick

Writing Desk

Writing Desk is built for the Mac and also runs on iPhone and iPad. I built it, so I am biased, but this list is wide on purpose. Mac-first means built for Apple platforms, and the cards show where an app also runs elsewhere.

  • A native Mac app for macOS 13 Ventura or later, with an iPhone and iPad app
  • Planning, a Resource Hub and editing tools for a whole novel
  • Markdown and Word files that open and save as they are
  • Proofreader and Prose Analysis that run locally

Pick something else if you want…

  • Apple-first Markdown: Ulysses or Bear
  • The minimal option: iA Writer
  • A Mac-only book formatter: Vellum
  • An app that also runs on Windows: Scrivener or Atticus
  • Free and cross-platform: Obsidian or Zettlr
  • What comes with the machine: Pages

Each app is checked against its own pages for platforms, price and AI stance, and prices carry the date I checked them. I have used Google Docs, Word, Scrivener, Ulysses and Obsidian for my own writing; the rest are assessed from vendor pages and published reviews.

Writing apps for Mac

Writers on a Mac who want a downloadable app built for Apple devices.

Writing DeskMade by us

Novel writing · Documents · Markdown · Editing and analysis · Formatting and publishing

A native Mac app, with a mobile app for iPhone and iPad, for writing a novel from first idea to finished book, with planning, editing and book formatting in one project. Markdown and Word files open and save as they are.

Best for: Novelists on Mac, iPhone and iPad who want planning, editing and formatting in one app

Native Mac app, macOS 13 Ventura or later, with a mobile app for iPhone and iPad.

Mac-firstMaciOSAI: assistive
Pricing Free plan; Premium from £8/mo billed annually (£10 monthly) or $10/mo USD billed annually ($12 monthly) Checked 6 Oct 2026 · Free plan, plus a 30-day Premium trial
Model Freemium + subscription (credit-metered AI)
  • Plotting and outlining
  • Worldbuilding
  • Markdown
  • Export to EPUB, PDF or DOCX
  • Grammar and style checks
  • Collaboration (partial)
  • Works offline

Choose it if

you write on a Mac, want your book on your iPhone and iPad as well, and want the plan, the draft and the editing tools in one project with AI that gives feedback and leaves the prose to you

Skip it if

you need Windows, Linux or a browser version, want real-time co-authoring, or want AI to draft prose for you

Download Writing Desk free Explore every Writing Desk feature →

Free plan, with 30 days of Premium included. Mac, iPhone and iPad.

Bear

General writing

A fast Markdown notes app for Mac, iPhone and iPad.

Best for: Notes and short pieces on Apple devices

Mac, iPhone and iPad; iCloud sync is a Pro feature.

Mac-firstMaciOSNo AI
Pricing From $2.99/mo (USD) Checked 10 Oct 2026 · Yes (free core app; Pro 7-day trial)
Model Freemium + subscription
  • Markdown
  • Export to EPUB, PDF or DOCX

Choose it if

you want quick Markdown notes that sync through iCloud on your Apple devices

Skip it if

you need Windows or Android, or structure tools for a long manuscript

DEVONthink

Research companion · Mac-only

A document and information manager for Mac and iOS that holds PDFs, web pages, notes and Office files.

Best for: Researchers who manage large source libraries

Mac and iOS; requires macOS Ventura or later.

Mac-firstMaciOSAI: general assistant
Pricing From $99 one-time (USD) Checked 10 Oct 2026 · Trial (30 days or 150 hours of runtime)
Model One-time licence + optional paid updates
  • Markdown
  • Collaboration

Choose it if

you keep a large library of sources on a Mac and want powerful search and AI-assisted organisation

Skip it if

you want somewhere to write, because it organises research rather than editing manuscripts

Plotten

Native app (under-marketed)

A native Apple app for novels, screenplays and other manuscripts, with a cover designer and ebook preview.

Best for: Apple users who want one app from plot to export

Universal Apple app (iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision).

Mac-firstMaciOSNo AI
Pricing From $1.99/mo (USD) or $17.99/yr Checked 10 Oct 2026 · Free download (50 words a day until subscribed)
Model Free + in-app purchase
  • Plotting and outlining (partial)
  • Export to EPUB, PDF or DOCX
  • Works offline

Choose it if

you want broad export, including Final Draft (FDX), on iPhone, iPad and Mac

Skip it if

you want a large community and track record, because it has little marketing and few ratings

Ulysses

General writing

A Markdown writing app for Apple devices with a library, iCloud sync and writing goals.

Best for: Bloggers and article writers on Apple devices

Mac, iPad and iPhone with iCloud sync; subscription only.

Mac-firstMaciOSAI: assistive
Pricing From $5.99/mo (USD) or $39.99/yr Checked 6 Oct 2026 · Trial (14 days)
Model Subscription
  • Markdown
  • Export to EPUB, PDF or DOCX
  • Grammar and style checks
  • Works offline (partial)

Choose it if

you write on iPad and iPhone as well as Mac, keep a large library of articles, or want the simplest writing surface

Skip it if

you want a one-off purchase or story structure tools, because it is subscription-only

Read the full comparison with Writing Desk →

Vellum

Formatting and publishing

A Mac app that formats ebooks and print books with polished book styles.

Best for: Mac-based self-publishers

Mac only, macOS 13 or newer.

Mac-firstMacNo AI
Pricing From $199.99 one-time (USD) Checked 10 Oct 2026 · Free to download and preview; pay when ready to publish
Model One-time licence
  • Export to EPUB, PDF or DOCX

Choose it if

you want polished ebook and print interiors from a finished manuscript

Skip it if

you need Windows or an app to write in, because it formats rather than drafts

Atticus

Formatting and publishing

A writing and formatting app for self-publishers, with print and EPUB templates and a lighter writing toolkit.

Best for: Self-publishers who want writing and formatting in one tool

Mac, Windows, Linux, Chromebook and browser.

MacBrowserWindowsLinuxNo AI
Pricing From $147 one-time (USD) Checked 6 Oct 2026 · No (30-day money-back guarantee)
Model One-time licence
  • Export to EPUB, PDF or DOCX

Choose it if

you write on Windows, Mac or Linux, want a one-off lifetime purchase, or need layout options beyond a single trim size

Skip it if

you want built-in planning, editorial feedback or AI, because the formatting is stronger than the writing tools

Read the full comparison with Writing Desk →

Dabble

Novel writing

A cloud writing app for novelists with a Plot Grid, goals and a friendly interface.

Best for: Beginners and plotters who want a simple, finish-the-draft tool

MacBrowserWindowsiOSAndroidNo AI
Pricing From $19/mo (USD); up to $49/mo Checked 6 Oct 2026 · Trial (14 days)
Model Subscription
  • Plotting and outlining
  • Worldbuilding (partial)
  • Export to EPUB, PDF or DOCX (partial)
  • Grammar and style checks
  • Collaboration

Choose it if

you write on Windows as well as Mac, prefer a grid view of plot threads, or want to co-author in the same project

Skip it if

you want a one-off purchase, a free plan or local storage, because Dabble is subscription-only and cloud-based

Read the full comparison with Writing Desk →

iA Writer

General writing

A minimal Markdown writing app for Mac, iPhone, iPad and Windows with a focus mode and strong typography.

Best for: Plain-text and Markdown writers who want few features

Mac, iPhone, iPad and Windows.

MacWindowsiOSAI: assistive
Pricing From £34.99 one-time Checked 6 Oct 2026 · Trial (7 days)
Model One-time per platform
  • Markdown
  • Export to EPUB, PDF or DOCX

Choose it if

you write on Windows as well as Mac, want the leanest possible app, or keep plain-text files across tools

Skip it if

you want planning tools, built-in editorial feedback or book formatting

Read the full comparison with Writing Desk →

Obsidian

General writing

A free, local-first Markdown knowledge base with backlinks and a large plugin ecosystem.

Best for: Researchers and writers who like building their own system

MacWindowsLinuxiOSAndroidNo AI
Pricing Free; paid plans up to $8/mo (USD) Checked 6 Oct 2026 · Yes (free)
Model Free + paid services
  • Plotting and outlining (partial)
  • Worldbuilding (partial)
  • Markdown
  • Export to EPUB, PDF or DOCX
  • Works offline

Choose it if

you enjoy assembling plugins, keep research across many projects, or write on Windows, Linux or mobile

Skip it if

you want a ready-made novel environment, because planning and manuscripts come from plugins you add

Read the full comparison with Writing Desk →

Scrivener

Novel writing

The long-standing manuscript tool with a binder, corkboard, outliner and a powerful Compile export.

Best for: Long, research-heavy manuscripts

Mac, Windows and iOS; one-time purchase per platform.

MacWindowsiOSNo AI
Pricing £55 one-time per desktop platform; £88 multi-device bundle; iOS $23.99 (USD) Checked 6 Oct 2026 · Trial (30 days)
Model One-time licence
  • Plotting and outlining
  • Worldbuilding (partial)
  • Export to EPUB, PDF or DOCX
  • Works offline

Choose it if

you write on Windows as well as Mac, want a one-off purchase, or enjoy tuning every compile setting

Skip it if

you want to start writing straight away, because setup takes time and deeper prose feedback means another tool

Read the full comparison with Writing Desk →

Also worth a look

bibisco

Free / open source

MacWindowsLinuxiOS(limited)Android(limited)No AI

Planners who like to build characters and structure first

Free; paid plans up to $69 one-time (USD)Checked 10 Oct 2026

Microsoft Word

General writing

MacBrowserWindowsiOSAndroidAI: general assistant

Submissions and working with editors

From £8.49/mo; up to £18.99/moChecked 10 Oct 2026

Noveling

AI-assisted

MacWindowsLinuxiOSAndroid(limited)AI: generative

Novelists who want a free editor with optional AI

FreeChecked 10 Oct 2026

Plottr

Plotting

MacBrowserWindowsiOS(limited)Android(limited)No AI

Plotters and series planners

From $60/yr (USD) or $649 one-timeChecked 10 Oct 2026

Typora

General writing

MacWindowsLinuxNo AI

Markdown writers who want a clean, live-rendered editor
Mac, Windows and Linux.

From $14.99 one-time (USD)Checked 10 Oct 2026