If you’re serious about writing, consider getting serious about your writing tools.

Best Writing Software for Bloggers: Google Docs

Changes save automatically.

View editing history and track changes.

Screenshot of woman looking at computer screen and writing in a notebook

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Collaborate in real time.

Mobile versions slower than desktop version.

Limited options for adding charts and other visuals.

Google Docs on desktop

Fewer formatting features than premium word processors.

One of the best things about Google Docs is how easy the program makes it to collaborate with others.

No more “version shuffle” as you send drafts and revisions back and forth in email.

Werdsmith on iPhone

Google Docs is a free online tool that’s also available as an app for Android and iOS devices.

Lots of helpful templates and formatting options.

Publish your writing to the web from the app.

Final Draft on desktop

Membership required to use novel and screenplay features.

Text formatting tools could be more intuitive.

Not worth price if you don’t regularly use all the features.

TextEdit on desktop

Werdsmith is a portable writing studio, complete with instant formatting for novels and screenplays.

you’ve got the option to even use it to publish your online writing portfolio.

The goals and stats function helps keep you motivated.

Lyric app on iPhone

Members receive four new themes, novel and screenplay writing tools, hundreds of writing prompts, and more.

Best Screenwriting app: Final Draft

Everything professional screenwriters need.

Powerful story mapping tools.

Scrivener novel creation template on desktop

Integrates with Storyboard Pro.

Expensive and steep learning curve.

You must sign in to the platform each time you use it.

Evernote on iPhone

No support for real-time collaboration.

Final Draft is used by 95 percent of film and television productions.

Final Draft offers a free 30-day trial.

Focus Writer on desktop

After that, the cost is $199.99.

The program works with both macOS and Windows.

Great for pared-down word processing.

Microsoft Word on desktop

HTML and JavaScript support.

Save files in various formats.

Only available for macOS devices.

Dictation app on iPhone

Formatting issues when you copy-and-paste.

Need to change a Rich Text Format (RTF) document to another format quickly?

TextEdit is the perfect app for that.

you might also easily create and edit HTML documents for the web.

TextEdit comes standard with macOS.

Best App for Song Writers: Lyric Notepad

Record performance and attach file to your song.

Counts syllables and tracks rhyme schemes.

The interface is a bit clunky.

No way to back up your lyrics to the cloud.

For poets, rappers, songwriters, and lyricists, inspiration can strike at any moment.

That’s why it’s important to have a tool available at your fingertips.

Best Tool for Long-Form Content: Scrivener

Keyboard shortcuts make writing a breeze.

Templates are ready-made to jumpstart your creativity.

Easy to rearrange pages and chapters.

Has a learning curve.

Spelling and grammar check are not enabled by default.

Intended for intermediate word processing users.

Do you write long-form works like novels or non-fiction books?

If so, you need a tool that performs some of the low-level tasks for you.

Scrivener offers ready-made templates that eliminate the need to spend time on tedious formatting tasks.

If you don’t like the flow, it’s possible for you to move chapters around.

When you’re ready to publish, Scrivener makes it simple to compile and export a completed manuscript.

you might try Scrivener for 30 days before purchasing.

Best Organizational Companion: Evernote

Add photos, audio snippets, and more.

Search for text in PDFs, images, and mores

Only 60MB of free monthly upload space.

More features than you need for simple note-taking.

Free version limits you to two devices.

To electronically capture ideas on the fly, use a text-based note app on your gadget.

For an enhanced organizational experience, we recommend Evernote.

you’re able to separate items into different notebooks for multiple projects.

Free with no catches.

Simple, intuitive interface.

There are no editing functions outside of cut and paste.

Need another word processor for editing purposes.

FocusWriter allows you to focus and get your work done.

Hidden timers and alarms alert you when it’s time to stop.

Best Word Processor for All Genres: Microsoft Word

Hundreds of templates for fast document creation.

Easily add charts, graphs, and images.

Full app is expensive.

Only one person can edit shared documents at a time.

No writing tool list is complete without Microsoft Word.

From a poem to an e-book to a novel, Word can help you do it all.

you’ve got the option to evencreate your own Word templates.

Word is available for macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android devices.

If the subscription prices are too high for you, you’re free to alsouse Word for free.

Best App for Journalists: Dictation

It’s designed for one thing: dictation.

Helps prevents strain on your joints and back.

This simplicity makes it an easy tool to use on the go.

Ads after each dictations in free version.

No integration with word processing apps.

For journalists who interview individuals for news stories and features, a good dictation tool is a must-have.

Dictation is a speech-to-text app that translates voice to text for mobile devices.

It can also be used to dictate any voice while on the go.

It’s perfect for capturing your brilliant ideas as well.

Dictation is free to download for iOS devices.

For a one-time fee, Dictation Pro removes ads and allows you unlimited app usage.