Graphite

Graphite compared / iA Writer

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Graphite vs iA Writer

iA Writer is a native Markdown writing app for Mac, Windows, iPhone and iPad, bought once per platform, with Focus Mode, Style Check and Authorship. Graphite covers similar ground in the browser: it’s free to write, installs as an app, and keeps plain Markdown files in your browser, a folder or your own Google Drive. Pick iA Writer for a native app and direct publishing to blogs; pick Graphite to write anywhere a browser runs.

Checked 17 October 2026 on ia.net. Prices are in US dollars, as each app lists them.

At a glance

FeatureGraphiteiA Writer
PlatformsAny modern browser: Chrome, Edge, Arc, Safari and Firefox, on a computer, tablet or phone. Installs as an app (PWA). Native apps are coming soon.Mac (macOS 10.15 or later), Windows (10 or later), iPhone and iPad (iOS 15 or later).
PriceFree to write. Pro is $3.99 a month or $29 a year, or Pro Lifetime at $29 once (founding price until 13 November 2026, then $59) on up to 5 devices, with every 1.x update.One-time purchase per platform: $49.99 on Mac, $29.99 on Windows, $49.99 on iPhone and iPad. 7-day free trial on Mac and Windows. No subscription.
Files and where they livePlain Markdown files, in your browser, in a folder on your disk (Chrome, Edge and Arc) or in your own Google Drive.Plain text with Markdown, in a local folder on the device or a cloud folder: iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive or OneDrive.
OfflineYes, once it has loaded. With Google Drive, edits are kept on the device and sync shortly after.Native apps that can work in a local, on-device folder.
Account neededNo. A free account is optional, for Google Drive sync and Pro.Direct purchases, such as on Windows, unlock by signing in with an iA Account email. App Store purchases use your Apple ID.
Focus featuresFocus (sentence or paragraph), Typewriter and Zen. Syntax Highlight and Style Check with Pro.Focus Mode (sentence or paragraph) and Typewriter. Syntax Highlight, Style Check and Authorship.
Version historyA snapshot every ten minutes: the latest 5 free, up to 40 with Pro. Compare any two versions, word by word.On Mac, File › Revert To, including Browse All Versions from iCloud’s archived versions.
ExportMarkdown and web page free. PDF, Word and blog post with Pro.Word (.docx) export and import, PDF and custom templates. Publishing to Ghost, Medium, WordPress, Micropub and Micro.blog on Mac, iPhone and iPad.
Sync and collaborationThrough your own Google Drive, free. Read-only share links. No real-time co-editing.Through the cloud folder you choose. Collaboration is not covered on the pages we checked.

Choose iA Writer if…

  • You want a native app on Mac, Windows, iPhone or iPad rather than a browser app.
  • You publish straight to WordPress, Ghost, Medium or Micro.blog from the editor.
  • You need to turn Word documents (.doc and .docx) into Markdown.
  • You revise in German, French, Spanish, Italian or Russian: iA lists Syntax Highlight in more languages than English on Mac, iPhone and iPad, and Graphite’s tools understand English for now.
  • Your files already live in iCloud, Dropbox or OneDrive folders.

Choose Graphite if…

  • You write on more than one kind of computer, or on a Chromebook or Linux machine, and want the same app in every browser.
  • You’d like to start free, and pay once for Pro on up to 5 devices whatever they run.
  • You keep your writing in Google Drive: Graphite syncs through your own Drive, with no add-on.
  • You want version history built in: snapshots as you write, and Compare to see what changed between two drafts.
  • You’re working towards a length and a date: word targets with deadlines, and Manuscript to put chapters in order.

Switching from iA Writer

  1. iA Writer files are already Markdown, so nothing needs converting.
  2. In Chrome, Edge or Arc, choose Open Folder… in Graphite and pick the folder your iA Writer files are in. Graphite reads and writes the .md, .markdown and .txt files inside it.
  3. Prefer to keep them in the browser or in Google Drive? Choose Import Files or Backup… and select the files.
  4. Graphite saves authorship in the open Markdown Annotations format, at the end of the file, and reads it back. How authorship works.

Questions

Is Graphite an iA Writer alternative?

For many writers, yes. Both are distraction-free Markdown editors with Focus, Typewriter, Syntax Highlight, Style Check and Authorship. Graphite runs in the browser and is free to write, with Pro at $3.99 a month, $29 a year or $29 once at the founding price. iA Writer is a native app bought once per platform, and adds direct publishing to blogs and Word import.

Can Graphite open my iA Writer files?

Yes. They’re plain Markdown files. In Chrome, Edge or Arc, open the folder they’re in with Open Folder…, or bring copies in with Import Files or Backup… in any browser.

Do Graphite and iA Writer use the same authorship format?

Graphite saves who wrote what in the open Markdown Annotations format, published by iA on GitHub. If every word is yours, nothing is added and the file stays pure Markdown.

Does Graphite work offline like a native app?

Yes. Once Graphite has loaded, it keeps working without a connection, and installing it gives it its own window and icon.

Sources

Everything about iA Writer on this page comes from its own site, checked on 17 October 2026. If something has changed, write to us and we’ll fix it.

About Graphite: pricing and the guides. Other comparisons: Ulysses, Bear, Obsidian, Typora.

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