Typora vs iA Writer
These two desktop writing apps disagree about what a Markdown editor is for. Typora shows a single pane where the formatted result replaces the syntax as you type, and it exports to PDF, docx, LaTeX and Epub. iA Writer removes buttons, popups and the title bar, adds Focus Mode, and marks which text was typed and which was pasted. On cost, iA Writer publishes one-time USD prices per platform on its buy page, while the Typora home page shows $14.99 per licence without saying whether that charge repeats. Typora's licence agreement names a Shanghai company as developer, while iA Writer's pages state no country.
Sebastiaan SmitsFounderVendors can pay for more visibility on this website, for example a higher place in a ranking or more room on a page. Commercial relationships can also affect which products we feature and how prominently. Every vendor link is marked the same, whatever the arrangement behind it. How that works.
Choose Typora ifyou want headings, tables, math and diagrams to look finished while you type, and you need output in LaTeX, Epub or docx with bookmarked PDFs. You also accept a 15-day trial on up to 3 devices before paying a licence whose billing basis the home page leaves unexplained.
Choose iA Writer ifyou want an empty screen, Focus Mode and a record of typed versus pasted text, and you prefer a published one-time price with no subscription on any platform. You also work on iPhone or iPad, or want a week of testing without handing over card details.
Typora and iA Writer side by side
| Typora | iA Writer | |
|---|---|---|
| Our markdown editors rank | #2 of 13 | #5 of 13 |
| Established in | Not stated by the vendor | Not stated by the vendor |
| List price, 7 November 2026 | $14.99 per licence without tax (currency code and one-time or recurring basis not stated), 15-day trial | One-time USD: Windows 29.99, Mac 49.99, iPhone and iPad 49.99; no subscriptions |
| Free tier | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Self-hostable | — | — |
| Built for | Solo writers who want the finished look while typing, with many export formats | Writers who want an empty screen and proof of what they typed themselves |
| Not for | Anyone needing a free tool after the trial ends | Buyers who need to see prices before starting |
Both are reviewed in full in our markdown editors ranking: Typora and iA Writer.
Where they differ
Typora 2 · iA Writer 2 · open 2- 01
One pane that formats as you go, or a bare screen
Typora has no source pane: the Markdown reader and editor renders live, and the site lists custom CSS styles, a table of contents, GFM task lists, diagrams and math. iA Writer goes the other way, with 'No buttons, no popups, no title bar' and a Markdown preview with styling. If you judge an editor by how much typesetting it shows while you write, Typora carries more of it; iA Writer carries less on purpose.
Edge: Typora
- 02
Where the finished document can go
Typora lists export to PDF with bookmarks, docx, LaTeX and Epub, and it uploads images to the cloud on macOS through the iPic integration while supporting relative paths for local images. iA Writer exports Markdown text, copies as HTML and writes PDF or Word, and the page we read does not describe a sync feature. For a book, a paper or a Word hand-off, Typora's list is longer and more varied.
Edge: Typora
- 03
Proof of authorship and on-device style checks
iA Writer's authorship tracking marks typed text against pasted text, and its Style Check runs on your device, a detail that matters when a draft touches sensitive material. The pages we read for Typora show nothing comparable: no typed-versus-pasted record and no style checker. Anyone who has to show a client or an editor that the words are their own gets something here that Typora does not offer.
Edge: iA Writer
- 04
Dollar figures you can read before buying
iA Writer's buy page shows 49.99 USD for Mac, 29.99 USD for Windows and 49.99 USD for iPhone and iPad, each a one-time payment, with a 20% educational discount on direct Mac and Windows purchases. Typora shows $14.99 per licence without tax, with no currency code, and does not say if it is one-time or recurring. Typora is cheaper on its face, yet iA Writer's terms are clearer.
Edge: iA Writer
- 05
Trial length, trial limits and which systems run it
Typora offers 15 days free on up to 3 devices and lists no free plan; it runs on macOS, Windows 10 or 11 and Linux. iA Writer gives 7 days with no credit card, lists no free plan, and needs macOS 10.15 or later, Windows 10 or later or iOS 15 or later. Typora gives the longer test and the only Linux build; iA Writer is the only one with a phone version.
Depends on the buyer
- 06
Who stands behind the software
Typora's licence agreement, dated 31 Oct 2026, names Qiyun (Shanghai) Technology Ltd as the developer and describes a proprietary paid licence; the home page footer links Team to appmakes.io without naming an owner. iA Writer appears as the brand iA at ia.net, credits Oliver Reichenstein as creator, and states neither a licence nor a country on the pages we read. Typora is more specific on paper, iA Writer on a named creator.
Depends on the buyer
When neither fits
If you want a free editor after any trial ends, look at Zettlr or MarkText instead of paying either of these. Neither Typora nor iA Writer is the right fit for you if you need a vendor that states its country and licence plainly on one page.
Typora or iA Writer: questions
3 answersCan I keep using Typora once the 15 days are over?
The home page lists a 15-day trial on up to 3 devices and no free plan. After that you need the $14.99 licence shown on the page. The licence agreement covers both trial and full versions.
Does iA Writer ever bill me again after the purchase?
Its buy page says subscriptions to Writer are not available on any platform, and each price is a one-time payment. Prices are in USD with regional adjustments. A 20% educational discount applies on direct Mac and Windows purchases.
Which of the two runs on Linux or on an iPhone?
Typora runs on macOS, Windows 10 or 11 and Linux, with no phone version in what we read.
iA Writer needs macOS 10.15 or later, Windows 10 or later or iOS 15 or later, with no Linux build listed. So Linux points to Typora and iPhone or iPad points to iA Writer.
Sources
Checked 7 November 2026- Typora home page: the $14.99 licence price, 15-day trial on 3 devices, live preview, CSS themes, export formats, iPic upload and platform list.
- Typora licence agreement: the proprietary licence, the 31 Oct 2026 date and the named developer Qiyun (Shanghai) Technology Ltd.
- iA Writer buy page: the per-platform one-time USD prices, no-subscription statement and the 20% educational discount.
- iA Writer product page: the 7-day no-card trial, system requirements, authorship tracking, Style Check, Focus Mode, export options and creator credit.