When You Write

Best Essay Writing Software: 16 Apps That Can Help You Write Perfect Essays

Nowadays, we have apps for almost anything. Writing apps though, are really unique and serve several practical purposes, such as essay writing for example.

Writing an essay isn’t as simple as typing a bunch of words and arranging them as paragraphs. Writing a perfect essay entails planning, maintaining structure, writing clear and impactful sentences, and using good grammar.

That’s why we have writing apps. So in this post, I’m going to cover all the best essay writing software tools that are available now.

Okay, let’s get into it!

Our Top 3 Essay Writing Software at a Glance

Prowritingaid, the 16 best essay writing apps.

Best Book Writing Software.

Scrivener is a book-writing software program developed—13 years ago—by an aspiring writer Keith Blount.

Scrivener is what you get when you combine a typewriter, ring binder, and a scrapbook and make a book writing software tool.

It has so many useful features that take your book or any other writing project from the outline to a finished draft. We’re talking of features like corkboards, pre-set formatting, templates, file importing, metatags, automated document listing, and a bunch of other important capabilities.

Scrivener can be used by novelists, scriptwriters, academics, lawyers, translators, journalists, and students.

Pricing: Scrivener for macOS costs $49, iOS is $19.99 , and Scrivener for Windows costs $45.

Best Grammar Checker.

As far as grammar checkers go, there’s no app better than this.

It’s perfect for checking your text for typos, punctuation, and spelling mistakes. 

But it goes further than that; it has several editing features that tackle issues such as passive voice, lengthy or complex sentences, offers broader vocabulary options, et cetera. It also has a plagiarism checker and furnishes you with writing stats and readability scores.

Grammarly has a free version but reserves the best features for its premium plans.

Pricing: Free and Paid. Grammarly Premium starts at $11.66, and Grammarly Business starts at $12.50.

Excellent Tool for Self-editing

ProWritingAid is one of Grammarly’s fiercest competitors and pretty much gives you what Grammarly gives you.

Just itty-bitty shallower, BUT way more affordable.

If you want a proofreading and grammar checker writing app that has the potential of helping you improve the overall quality of your writing, this is it!

ProWritingAid refines your writing by checking important elements of your writing such as ambiguous sentences, grammar, transitions, abstract words, overused words, etc.

Over time, you start to notice improvements in your writing, especially the way it flows.

Pricing: Free and Paid.

  • Monthly – $20
  • Yearly – $79
  • Lifetime – $399 

Best note-taking tool for Students

Evernote is a simple but excellent writing app that uses the idea of virtual notes. The virtual notes can be used in several ways: making book shopping lists, writing down essay ideas, and making notes on researched information.

The notes are backed up on Evernote’s servers, and you get about 60MB of storage space per account.

Pricing :  Free and Paid. The Premium plan costs $7.99 / month, and the Business costs $14.99/person/month.

Focus Writer

Free Alternative to MS Word.

I haven’t used this free word-processing app yet, but I’d seriously consider replacing my beloved MS Word with it.

It’s a very good alternative to MS Word; in fact, not only is it free and sufficient, it is available on almost all major platforms— Windows, Mac, and Android.

If you’re a student, I’d recommend this software, and you won’t have problems using the documents from this app because they’re saved in Rich Text Format so that most word processors can read them.

Pricing: Free.

Excellent for the Creative Stage of Writing

Before you write a good essay, you need to build the idea behind the essay first.

You need to add fresh to the bones before bringing the beast (of an essay) to life.

This tool helps you expand your original ideas into sub-ideas and construct full-fledged essays by using expressive, powerful flowcharts, process maps, and other diagrams.

Pricing: Free and Paid. The Awesome Plan costs $5/month, and the Organisation Plan is at $8/member/month.

Top-Notch Open-Source Tool

Manuskript is a tool perfect for organizing and planning stages of writing. It’s an open-source tool—for writers including novelists, journos, and academicians—that uses the snowflake method of writing to help you build your idea into a finished book; by helping you create the story step by step.

It has features for helping you keep track of notes on characters, plot, event,  and place in your story. Manuskript’s features include:

  • The Outliner, which lets you organize your ideas and little pieces of your story hierarchically; 
  • The Distraction-free mode gets rid of all distractions; 
  • Personal goal-setting features;
  • The Novel assistant utilizes the snowflake method to help you develop your basic ideas into a coherent plotline or a full-fledged story.

Pricing: Free

LivingWriter

Fast Developing Tool

This is a different writing app altogether. It has a lot of features that are excellent for both fiction nonfiction writers. It has features that help with story elements, general notes, goals and targets, doc sharing, and stats.

Plus, you can also switch LivingWriter in and out of Dark Mode and focus mode.

One thing I like about LivingWriter is that it started with a single platform (web) but is now expanding rapidly.

It has iOS and Android applications, Full integration with Grammarly, Canva integration, and its desktop apps are 90% complete (according to the Living Writer Roadmap )

Yearly Plan – $96 billed once a year

Monthly Plan – $9.99 per month

Best Writing Tool for Apple Products

I don’t know about now, but Ulysses was big back then (like a dozen years ago or so).

The app is rich with features similar to the other word processing software. It comes with a Markup-Based Text Editor, a library for organizing notes and documents, features for setting writing goals, publishing capabilities, and many others.

Ulysses is perfect for both small essays and large academic ones.

Pricing : Ulysses has different pricing options for different regions but using the US plan, it costs $5.99 per month and $49.99 per year.

Hemingway Editor

An App Most Impactful Writing

The Hemingway Editor AKA Hemingway App is a simple tool for writers who want to write content that is easier to read but bold.

Hemingway does this by looking at elements of your writing such as adverbs, passive voice, phrases and words with simpler alternatives, hard-to-read sentences, very-hard-to-read sentences, and other “lexical atrocities.”

The web-based version is free, but the downloadable version (for Mac and Windows) is a paid tool.

Pricing: $19.99

Excellent Mind Mapping Tool

They used to call this app IMindMap. Ayoa is an essential tool in the planning stages of your essay writing.

You can create mind maps for your essays which help give direction when you start fleshing out your essay.

This mapping tool helps increase productivity because everything you need to write is already outlined. The fact every step is already planned and you know exactly what to write can also increase your daily word count.

Pricing : The Ayoa PRO plan costs $10/month and is billed annually. The Ultimate Plan costs $13/month and is also billed annually.

Best App for Multi-Lingual Essays

This is another incredible alternative to Grammarly.

For non-native English speakers, this is a pot of gold right here. It can check your text for grammar errors and translate Spanish, French, German. And many other languages.

As a grammar checker, the tool mainly looks at aspects such as verbs, adverbs, confused words, commonly misspelled words, etc.

Here’s a funny story about Ginger (Just happened today.) As I was using the web-based editor, I copied some texts on Ginger’s website and pasted them into the editor and the tool found one misspelled word. Their content writers must not have used Ginger.

I felt like Ginger’s content writers were like Drug dealers, you know, they followed rule number one of drug dealing. “ never get high on your own product.”   

  • Monthly Plan – $9.99
  • Yearly Plan – $74.88
  • Two-Year Plan: $119.76

Write Or Die

Best for Productivity Purposes.

This app has a name that sums up life for some of us.

Write or Die!

Write Or Die gives rewards, stimuli, and punishments if users set goals. This is what you need if you are a sloth like myself.

It gives you that needed push because the punishments—which include erasing current texts—can really scare the hell out of you and make you put an extra gear.

Pricing : Free and paid. $10 for macOS and Windows, and $1 for iOS.

Simplest Writing App

IA Writer is a distraction-free writing app that is more than perfect for writing short essays.

It has a very basic interface and uses plain text. As I said, there are no distractions because the IA writer also has a full-screen mode that fades out everything else but the line you are currently typing.

This minimalist writing app is available on Windows, Android, iOS, iPadOS, and macOS.

Pricing : Paid (offers free trials).

macOS- $29.99. has a 14-day trial

iOS &iPadOS – $29.99. No Free Trial.

Android – $4.99 /year or $29.99 once. Has a 30-day trial.

Windows – $29.99. Has a 14-day trial.

Hubspot Topic Generator

Best for Generating Topic Ideas.

This is a whole different menu right here.

It’s very different from the tools that I’ve listed in this post. This is why… you’re not going to use it to write. Instead, you use it to automatically generate writing ideas.

It’s a very simple tool; you input three words, and it provides you with nouns to generate a topic idea that you can use on your next writing project.

If you’re going to use this tool, it’s going to be during the very first stages of your writing project.

Manuscripts

Best App for Academic Assignments

Manuscript (not to be confused with Manuskript from above) is an app for students and academics. This is a convenient tool that works with popular word processing apps, including Microsoft Word.

The reason why it’s perfect for academic writing is it excels at the referencing aspect of writing—citations, abbreviations, etc.

So, for class writing assignments and larger tasks like dissertations, this is the tool I’d recommend.

Pricing : Free

Simplenote is a note-taking tool that helps you keep all your notes in one place but accessible everywhere.

You can back up your notes, add tags, share the notes with collaborators, and publish your notes in Markdown format.

Supported Systems: Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux.

Guide to the Best Essay Writing Apps in 2021

Things to consider when choosing essay writing software.

A good essay writing software has to do things that make your essay look delectable and sound convincing.

Here are some of the things that an essay writing software need to be able to help you with:

Organization

I already talked about organization at the beginning, so you already know how important it is. The essay writing app has to help you arrange your essay and ensure that it flows nicely. It needs to clear the chaos that would have existed had you not used that specific tool.

Grammatical correctness

This is crucial in any writing project. The essay writing software has to help you correct your grammatical and spelling errors.

Proofreading

The proofreading capabilities of a good essay writing app go beyond checking for grammar and spelling mistakes. It also has to excel at checking other aspects like overuse of adverbs, passive voice, run-on sentences, weak writing , and readability.

Writing software doesn’t have to cost an arm. Most of these apps have similar features and pretty much do the same things. A higher price doesn’t necessarily mean the app is good but in some circumstances, apps are pricey for a good reason.

What Features Should an Essay Writing App Have

So, to achieve the above requirements, what features does a writing software need to have?

Below are the most important features that a good essay writing software program MUST have.

Grammar and Spelling checker

To achieve the overall grammatical correctness of your essay, a writing app needs to have a grammar checking feature. If it doesn’t, being integrable with an efficient grammar checking tool is also convenient.

Sentence structure and flow reports

Again, I cannot overemphasize the importance of structure in essay writing. The structure should start from your sentences to your paragraphs and the whole essay. A good essay writing app needs to have features that check aspects of structure and flow.

Punctuation checker

We can’t have an essay littered with semicolons, commas, and hyphens looking like they’re lost. Punctuation might be one of the most underrated features but make no mistake, it’s essential for professional writing.

Plagiarism checker

A good essay has to be unique and original. Therefore, essay writing software has to make sure that the body of the essay does not contain any plagiarized content.

Writing Metrics

Stats like word count, words per minute, or the number of pages are important for tracking progress. School essays usually have a word or page count requirements, and writing software must be equipped with writing metrics so that the user is kept abreast of the distance covered.

Sentence quality checker

In the writing profession, Quality matters.  It doesn’t matter if you have reached the minimum word count but the essay is of poor quality.

Writing apps must be able to pick out sentences that need improving or deleting due to poor quality writing.

Why Should You Use Writing Software to Write Essays?

Writing software won’t write your essay for you, but the writing process is hard to manage and that’s what these tools do.

Here are the benefits of using writing software:

1. Planning and Outlining

Planning is an important element of a good essay writing process. Writing software tools come with features that help you plan before you start writing.

For example, Scrivener has a feature called corkboard, which is a good planning tool. It’s like a set of digital index cards, and each represents a section of writing.

With writing software, you can plan and outline before the actual writing starts, and you can go back to the outlines and notes while writing.

2. Productivity

Productivity is a big problem for most writers. Writers like myself just write without setting a lot of writing goals, so when we feel like writing, we need to be at our most productive levels.

For those that set daily goals, maintaining a daily word count is not easy.

For both kinds of writers, writing software can help increase productivity.

The software tools come with writing stats to help you keep track of your progress. They also have features for distraction-free writing.

Templates also help increase productivity. The templates make things easier and save you a lot of time (which would have been used setting things up).

3. Editing and Formatting

Writing software tools come with features that can flag spelling & grammar mistakes and other errors. They also offer solutions to these errors.

This is very important for your editing process—it makes the editing stage easier and faster.

This also helps in increasing productivity since editing is less laborious and speedy.

Usually when we write essays (especially academic ones), some formatting requirements come with them. Writing apps are furnished with most of the formatting rules and styles that essays (academic or otherwise) may require.

4. Organizing

Writing can be a messy process.

Most often than not, essays also require a lot of research. And again, we’re not saying that writing software will help you research.

But when you get all the bits of info needed for your essay, the apps will help you keep the researched content organized.

With these writing apps, you can have all of your research organized and easily accessible.

The thing about a disorganized writing process is that it is reflected in the flow and structure of the essay.

How to Effectively Use Essay Writing Software

Let me reiterate, essay writing apps won’t write your essays for you, neither will they be correct all the time.

To get the best out of them, you need to treat them as writing tutors or co-writers. If they suggest something useful, take it on board, and if you feel like the suggestion is a bit off point, disregard it.

What Is a Perfect Essay?

A perfect essay convincingly speaks to the reader. An essay is like an argument or a speech, and it has to have a readable flow or show direction.

Perfect essays must contain arguments, supporting ideas, and most importantly, evidence.  

To write a perfect essay, you need to:

  • Thoroughly plan the whole essay before you start writing.
  • Start writing your arguments using a clear structure.
  • Back up your points and refer to relevant sources if necessary.
  • Make sure that you infuse the information with creativity. There’s nothing exciting about a bunch of truths thrown into an essay using bland sentences.
  • Before you finish your draft, ensure that you’ve answered the question in your introduction and conclusion.

How can I write an essay on my phone?

Well, most of the apps listed here are available as mobile apps. If you feel it’d be okay to write on your phone, try out a couple of the apps on this list and see which one works better on mobile platforms.

I’d recommend using tablet computers as they have bigger screens than regular smartphones.

Final Words

There are just so many essay writing software tools nowadays that even though Scrivener and Grammarly top the list, stumbling on the best one for you is almost 1/1000 probable.

You have to try out these tools before purchasing them.

Just to say it for the one-thousandth time, essay writing apps won’t write your essays for you; YOU WILL.

Recommended Reading...

Best dictation software in 2024, scrivener vs word: which is the better book writing software, vellum vs scrivener: which is better for writing and formatting your book, write app review 2024: the best distraction-free writing app.

Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We try our best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice for you.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

© 2024 When You Write

CDU logo

Essay Mapping Tool

Instructions.

Effective writing at university is a process:

Analyse the task → Gather content → Plan → Draft → Edit

This tool may help you to bridge from planning to drafting by helping you arrange your sentences in a logical order. It also provides tips for each component of an essay – the introduction, body, and conclusion. It can be used to improve your understanding of essay writing in general or as a planning tool for one of your university assignments.

Because this tool is for your personal use only, you may decide to write in bullet points, but we recommend full sentences. Once you have filled in each section, a complete essay overview will be generated which can be printed.

1. Introduction

Three paragraphs planning spaces have been provided for you. You can add or delete as necessary.

The purpose of the body is to logically develop the points made in your thesis and outline statements. There are no rules about the number of paragraphs required in assignment, but in general, you are advised to develop one idea per paragraph. This is done with a clear and coherent structure which introduces the topic in a topic sentence, defines or clarifies which aspect of the topic you are going to discuss, develops and supports your discussion and (optionally) concludes your discussion.

A topic sentence generally has two parts. You may refer to the overall essay topic and also introduce the specific aspect you plan to discuss in this paragraph. This is referred to as topic + controlling idea . You can also use a topic sentence to link to or contrast with the previous paragraph. This is an effective strategy to use with the second body paragraph onwards. You may choose to conclude the paragraph with a summary sentence; however, you are advised not to overuse this type of sentence as it may seem repetitious.

Cohesion and coherence refer to how effectively sentences are connected and how smoothly the writing flows. This is not simply achieved by following a logical paragraph structure, but also by using linking words (e.g. however/furthermore/consequently ) and referring words (e.g. this/that/these/those )

When you develop your argument, remember to use a range of support. You can use examples, logical reasoning, speculation, statistics and citations

Paragraph 1

Write the topic and controlling idea (one sentence).

Support your controlling idea using evidence, examples, elaboration or explanations. Do not go off topic. Do use in-text references.

Sum up the paragraph and link to your thesis OR link to the next paragraph (one sentence).

Paragraph 2

Paragraph 3, 3. conclusion.

The purpose of the conclusion is to summarize the key points you have discussed; however, it often contains a paraphrase of the thesis statement. This helps link the whole essay together. A conclusion may also contain a statement which links the essay to the broader topic or suggests a future action.

You can begin with the phrase ' In conclusion, ' but there are other phrases you could consider: In summary/This assignment has…/In this essay, I have… . Avoid Finally/Briefly/

Remember to reference any sources you have used. Refer to CDU Library for more information on referencing.

Introduction

To save as a PDF, click the Print button and then change your printer destination to "Save As PDF".

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University of Newcastle

How to plan an essay: Essay Planning

  • What's in this guide
  • Essay Planning
  • Additional resources

How to plan an essay

Essay planning is an important step in academic essay writing.

Proper planning helps you write your essay faster, and focus more on the exact question.  As you draft and write your essay, record any changes on the plan as well as in the essay itself, so they develop side by side.

One way to start planning an essay is with a ‘box plan’.

First, decide how many stages you want in your argument – how many important points do you want to make? Then, divide a box into an introduction + one paragraph for each stage + a conclusion.

Next, figure out how many words per paragraph you'll need.

Usually, the introduction and conclusion are each about 10% of the word count. This leaves about 80% of the word count for the body - for your real argument. Find how many words that is, and divide it by the number of body paragraphs you want. That tells you about how many words each paragraph can have.

Remember, each body paragraph discusses one main point, so make sure each paragraph's long enough to discuss the point properly (flexible, but usually at least 150 words).

For example, say the assignment is

Fill in the table as follows:

Next, record each paragraph's main argument, as either a heading or  topic sentence (a sentence to start that paragraph, to immediately make its point clear).

Finally, use dot points to list useful information or ideas from your research notes for each paragraph. Remember to include references so you can connect each point to your reading.

The other useful document for essay planning is the marking rubric .

This indicates what the lecturer is looking for, and helps you make sure all the necessary elements are there.

Pathways and Academic Learning Support

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  • << Previous: What's in this guide
  • Next: Additional resources >>
  • Last Updated: Feb 15, 2024 1:23 PM
  • URL: https://libguides.newcastle.edu.au/essay_planning

Become a Writer Today

7 Best Essay Writing Apps For Students And Academics

In a rush? One of the best essay writing apps is Grammarly . Learn how these apps can help you with research paper writing!

To write a strong essay, you must follow a logical order when you organize your writing . If you omit this feature, your reader will become confused. Fortunately, there are numerous essay writing applications that can help you stay focused and organized. The best essay writing app for students should help you with grammar, proofreading, and writing style.

As you try to ease your writing load, you need to find applications that can help you with analytics, argumentative, narrative, expository, and critical writing. Whether you are looking for an essay writing app for PC, Mac, iPhone, or iPad, there are plenty of options out there. Take a look at the best essay writing apps, and find the right one to meet your needs.

1. ProWritingAid

2. grammarly, 3. hemingway, 4. ulysses, 5. evernote, 6. focus writer , 7. freemind, how we evaluated the applications, why trust our opinions, final word on the best essay writing apps, how does a writer app or writing software compare to a professional essay writing service, is there an automated tool that writes essays for you, can a brainstorming tool really help your writing process, essay writing resources.

Pricing: $79.00 per year or $20.00 per month. 

Best essay writing apps for students and academics

ProWritingAid  is a cloud-based editing tool for essay writing, copywriting, and blogging. This software can help you identify proofreading issues, eliminate mistakes, and correct punctuation in essays.

You have access to both a free version and a paid version. You can try the premium version for 14 days to decide whether you want access to the premium features. Premium features include optimizing word choice, avoiding cliches, and fixing sentence length issues.

ProWritingAid helps you improve your readability and writing style while also picking up grammar issues You can use ProWritingAid in Microsoft Word, Scrivener, Google Docs, and Chrome. Free users can only run 500 words at a time through the program.

  • The interface is easy to use.
  • There are numerous integrations available.
  • You can access more than two dozen writing analysis reports.
  • The free version is limited to only a few hundred words at a time.
  • It can also take a long time to get used to the myriad features available.

ProWritingAid is a powerful, accurate grammar checker and style editor. It's suitable for non-fiction and fiction writers and doesn't require a monthly subscription. Save 20% per month or year.

ProWritingAid

Pricing: $139.95 billed annually or $25 per member per month. You may be able to negotiate a lower rate if you need multiple users for your business.

Grammarly is one of the strongest essay-writing apps available today. Grammarly helps you correct spelling mistakes, fix stylistic issues, and catches punctuation.

Grammarly has a free version and a premium version available. The free version can help you correct basic grammar , spelling, and punctuation issues. It can also help you optimize long sentences. 

The premium version gives you access to word choice issues, stylistic corrections, and even a plagiarism checker. The premium version can also automatically fix many of these mistakes, helping you save time during the editing process. There is no premium trial available. Grammarly is available as a browser extension and as a separate window into which you can upload documents. 

  • Free version relatively powerful
  • Contains built-in plagiarism checker
  • Works everywhere
  • Less suitable for longer essays
  • Plagiarism checker is premium only

We tested dozens of grammar checkers, and Grammarly is the best tool on the market today. It'll help you write and edit your work much faster. Grammarly provides a powerful AI writing assistant and plagiarism checker.

Grammarly

Pricing: The web application is free, but the desktop version is $20.

Hemingway is known as a tool that can help you improve your readability score, but it is also a comprehensive proofreading tool.

Hemingway can point out sentences that are too complex for readers, helping you streamline your thoughts. As a virtual proofreader, it can make your sentences clear, concise, and bold.

As you write your essay , the editor will mark sentences that are deemed too complex. Then, you can let Hemingway go to work, picking up passive voice , comma splices, and even run-on sentences. By keeping your sentences short, you hold the attention of the reader. 

  • Easy to use
  • Ideal for copyediting
  • No plagiarism checker
  • No specific tools or checks for essays

Pricing: $4.99 per month of $39.99 for the year, following a 14-day free trial.

Ulysses  has been dubbed as the top writing app for Apple products such as Mac, iPad, and iPhone; however, the program is not compatible outside of Apple products. What sets Ulysses apart is that it can sync your files directly to the iCloud. Even if the original file is destroyed, you will not lose your work.

Ulysses uses something called markdown language. This helps you apply styles to your writing without having to worry about a formatting menu.

You can also take advantage of “focus mode,” which helps you streamline your writing to a single line and reduces on-screen distractions. Then, when you finish, you can export your files in a variety of formats to make it easier to finalize your work.

  • You will store all of your writing in one place, eliminating the annoying back and forth between multiple folders and files.
  • You can store older images of your files, reverting to them if you do not like your work.
  • You can use the distraction-free interface to improve your productivity.
  • The customer support team is exceptional.
  • Ulysses is not available for Windows or Android.
  • You do not have access to any pre-designed templates.

Pricing:  Evernote has a free tier, a plus tier at $34.99 per year, and a premium tier at $69.99 per year.

Evernote  is another application that can help with essay writing. The program is a cross-platform, note-taking application that is ideal for processing hand-written notes, such as the outline of a potential essay, or articles from the web, which can be helpful for a research paper. 

Evernote can store just about everything you would ever need, ranging from a simple typed note to an article you came across. That way, you never have to worry about losing your essay ideas. 

While Evernote is most popular among Mac users, it works on multiple devices. Evernote is available for Windows and Mac users, giving people offline access. Evernote also has a convenient Android and iPhone app. 

  • Great for research
  • Powerful note-taking features
  • Fast, reliable sync
  • Less enjoyable to write with
  • Large libraries get clunky
  • Not purpose-built for essays

Pricing: Free, but donations to the maker are encouraged.

Focus Writer  is a free word processor that is available across all major operating systems. This word processor is largely seen as an alternative to Microsoft Word.

Because Microsoft products can be expensive, a lot of students cannot afford them. Therefore, Focus Writer is growing in popularity. 

This tool will give you access to a wide variety of statistics including word count and character count. Furthermore, the program stores its files in an RTF format. This is read by most other word processors, so you can open your essays on other platforms when required.

  • The tool is compatible with Mac, Windows, and Android products.
  • It gives you access to important text statistics as you write.
  • It is a strong word processor for students and writers on a tight budget.
  • The program does not give you access to advanced proofreading or editing features.

Pricing: Free

FreeMind is a mind-mapping program that helps users create structured diagrams. If you have recently finished conducting your research and need to organize it before you start biting, this is the perfect program to help you.

You can also use this program to keep track of projects, tasks, and time. It is possible for you to brainstorm an essay, using different colors to show which parts of the essay you are referring to. Then, you can use these color-coding features to keep track of your essay as you write. 

Furthermore, the program comes with advanced DES encryption to help you protect your work. You can protect your work from accidental loss as you finish your project.

  • The program is completely free to use.
  • The diagram process is versatile for those writing essays in a variety of fields.
  • There is DES encryption that protects your work from being lost.
  • The diagram process can be challenging for people to use for the first time.
  • It does not have a very flashy visual appearance, lacking numerous advanced features.

Because there are so many essay writing applications available, we used a variety of criteria to evaluate each program. Our testing criteria include: 

  • The availability of each application across multiple platforms
  • The ease of use of each individual application
  • The variety of features available
  • The price of the program in comparison to the features offered
  • The security of each program

After testing the individual features of each program, we developed a ranking system designed for students, essayists, and research paper writers. 

There are several reasons why you should trust our opinions regarding essay writing applications. These include:

  • We have written essays for a variety of reasons across multiple platforms.
  • We have thoroughly tested all of these applications.
  • We have paid close attention to the reviews, ratings, criticisms, and features of each individual application.

Even though everyone has slightly different needs when it comes to essay writing applications for academic papers, we are confident that one or more of these applications will meet your needs. 

Whether you are in high school, college, or working on your Ph.D., there are essay writing apps that can help you along the way. If you compare the benefits and drawbacks of each tool, you can find the right application to help you with your essays and research papers.

FAQs About The Best Essay Writing Apps

A professional service could be a stronger option than an automatic writing tool, but professional services will be more expensive.

Yes, there are tools that can write custom essays and short stories for you, but these programs often produce incoherent babble that will not improve your writing skills or make a good impression on your reader.

Yes. If you want to write a quality paper, you need to use a high-quality brainstorming process to get all of your ideas on the page. A strong writing software program can help you with that.

What is a Personal Essay?

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Transition Words For Essays

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Bryan Collins is the owner of Become a Writer Today. He's an author from Ireland who helps writers build authority and earn a living from their creative work. He's also a former Forbes columnist and his work has appeared in publications like Lifehacker and Fast Company.

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Best Essay Writing Apps: Exploring the Top Choices

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Did you know that the average person spends about 23 days per year on their phones? With the prevalence of mobile devices, integrating essay-writing apps into your routine allows you to make the most of your time and boost productivity. So, if you're a student seeking to enhance your composition skills, search no more! This article serves as your ultimate resource for exploring exceptional apps for essay writing that will simplify your academic life.

Our essay service experts will present a curated assortment of user-friendly apps that can assist you with grammar, spelling, plagiarism detection, and even citation generation. You will encounter well-known examples such as Grammarly, Hemingway Editor, and EssayPro and discover how mobile apps enable you to work on your essays from anywhere.

Criteria for Assessing Essay Apps

Here are the criteria we used to evaluate the best essay writing apps:

  • User-Friendly: Is the app easy to navigate and use with different tools?
  • Writing Metrics: Does the app have essential features like spell-check, proofreading tools, and word count?
  • Features: Can you write and edit in Cloud systems like Dropbox? Is there an offline mode? Or can you place ‘ write my essay ’ orders quickly?
  • User Interface: Does the app offer customizable UI, language settings, themes, styles, and formatting?
  • Compatibility: Can you easily export your work and share it on platforms like WordPress?
  • Ratings: What are the app's ratings on Google Play and the App Store? What's our own rating?
  • Price Structure: Is the app download worth the fee it charges for writing?

Top Essay Writing Apps

With a plethora of essay apps to choose from, catering to various needs like note-taking, planning, and grammar checking, selecting the perfect app can be overwhelming. To simplify your decision-making process, we have curated a comprehensive list of the best essay apps for you.

EssayPro App

Available on Android and iOS , Essaypro an app that writes essays for you, stands out as one of the best apps for essay writing. It simplifies essay creation, organization, and formatting. With access to a vast collection of essay samples, students can easily tackle any assignment, from argumentative to persuasive essays.

Users can save time with this pocket-sized software. Orders can be placed quickly, generating pricing offers in no time. On average, customers spend 22 minutes using the app.

To cater to user requests, Essaypro introduced a dark theme as a new feature. Additionally, users can respond to writer inquiries via the chat tool, ensuring they don't have to pause their activities, even while taking care of their children. For a comprehensive mobile solution to excel in academic tasks, you can confidently choose the EssayPro App.

essaypro app

  • The app offers advice on improving current writing and using better editing techniques. It even features a plagiarism detection tool, guiding you on how to avoid plagiarism .
  • Users get access to an author's biography, his areas of expertise, and - most crucially - reviews of the writer.
  • ‍Users can top up their own accounts, making it easy to subsequently order fresh works.
  • ‍100% plagiarism-free papers - Each task is unique.
  • ‍Timely delivery - Get your paper as soon as you need it.
  • ‍Unlimited revisions - In case you need to add any info or you want us to rewrite some paragraphs - you are free to ask us!‍
  • Top quality - We have a team of top-notch writers who will definitely deliver exceptional tasks for you.‍
  • 100% money-back guarantee - You can get your money back if you don't like the paper.

Grammarly is an ideal app for catching grammar mistakes in essays. It even detects errors in complex sentences. It works on all systems and devices - PC, Mac, iOS, and Android. While the interface can be crowded, and it may not be as effective for long-form writing, Grammarly remains one of the top options.

grammarly

  • Enables you to work in your preferred writing style, including academic papers.
  • Helps you avoid automatic writing mistakes, including misspellings, improper punctuation, and other issues.
  • Enhances your writing skills
  • Congested user interface and a lack of effectiveness for long-form composing

Streamlining the writing process, this essay helper app simplifies the crucial task of editing. Utilizing a range of colors and accents assists in eliminating unnecessary words and achieving sentence conciseness. Available for download on both Mac and Windows desktop platforms, it offers convenient accessibility for users.

hemingway

  • Automatically catches errors like misused words or awkward sentences so you can spend more time perfecting your essay
  • Develops pieces that are compelling and simple to read
  • Serves as a digital editor and suggests suitable types of tone in writing .
  • Pricey desktop and distracting colors for visitors

ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid may assist you in identifying formatting errors, fixing bugs, and correcting punctuation in writing. With the premium edition of this paper writing app, you can improve sentence length and choice of words and eliminate clichés.

Meanwhile, if you're searching for an excellent essay topic for students , make sure to explore our comprehensive list!

prowriting

  • Simple to use UI
  • There are several integrations offered
  • There are almost twenty writing analysis reports available
  • Just a few hundred words may be read at once in the free plan
  • Adjusting to the number of functions might take a while

Focus Writer

Focus Writer is among the few free word processors that are compatible with all the leading operating systems. With the help of this paper writing app, you may obtain a wide range of data, such as the number of words and characters. Moreover, the application uses RTF to save its information. Most other word processors can accept this, so you may edit your writing on different platforms as needed.

In the meantime, you might be intrigued to explore an excellent AI detection tool that assists in creating content free from Artificial Intelligence.

  • Provides you with key text analytics while you type
  • Powerful word processor for those on a budget
  • No advanced features are offered

Cold Turkey Writer

Cold Turkey Writer is one of the ideal essay apps since it prevents interruptions. It also provides several layouts, structuring, and flow choices. This essay-writing tool effectively transforms your desktop into a typewriter, leaving you with no option other than to write your essay topics .

cold

  • You can track time and word count by using the progression indicator at the top
  • Provides an environment without interruptions
  • Encourages the usage of other programs once more
  • Not available in offline mode

Ulysses is an excellent distraction-free writing app available for iOS users only. It's a perfect choice for both short articles and long research papers. In addition, it allows sharing your work instantly on WordPress and Medium and quickly converts words into PDFs.

  • It has a text editor with markup support and a library for arranging notes, writing goals, and publishing choices
  • It's among the best user-friendly essay writing applications
  • Ulysses can transform your texts into beautiful PDFs, Word documents, ebooks, and even blog posts
  • Not as good for outlining as other programs

Being one of the best essay writing apps, Scribus is a free, accessible digital production tool that aids in creating aesthetically pleasing structures. It includes a lot of capabilities, like the ability to modify an item at several levels of a document, excellent painting options, node editing techniques, and more.

  • Best suited for papers with innovative visuals
  • Strong sketching tools 
  • Doesn't come as a mobile app

Trello is a versatile and intuitive project management application that allows individuals and teams to effectively organize and collaborate on tasks and projects. It offers a visual and customizable interface that utilizes boards, lists, and cards to streamline project workflows and track progress.

Even if you're on the hunt for summer jobs for college student , Trello can streamline project workflows, making it easier for you to track your progress and manage your summer job applications efficiently.

  • The User-friendly interface makes it simple for individuals of all technical abilities to start using the app immediately.
  • Trello excels in fostering collaboration within teams. Real-time updates ensure everyone stays informed and aligned on project progress.
  • It may not fulfill the needs of more complex projects
  • The steep learning curve for larger projects

LivingWriter

LivingWriter is a versatile writing application designed to streamline the writing process for authors and content creators. With a user-friendly interface and a host of features, it aims to enhance the overall writing experience.

livingwriter

  • Collaborative writing capabilities.
  • Innovative story planning tools.
  • Cloud-based accessibility for flexibility.
  • Subscription-based model.
  • The learning curve for advanced features.

Novlr is a dedicated writing application designed to meet the needs of novelists and long-form writers. It provides a distraction-free environment with features tailored to enhance the novel-writing process.

novlr

  • Offers a distraction-free writing space.
  • Enables seamless work synchronization across devices.
  • Provides diverse export formats for easy file transfer.
  • Operates on a subscription model.
  • Some users may find features limited compared to other platforms.

Readable is among the top essay writing apps designed to enhance the readability and clarity of written content. It incorporates features aimed at improving the overall quality and comprehension of text.

be readable

  • Enhances content clarity.
  • Provides guidance on writing style.
  • Easy navigation and use.
  • Requires subscription for full access.
  • Functionality affected without a stable connection.

Is Writing Not Your Best Quality?

Then Essaypro’s professional writers are the best choice who are available for assistance 24/7

Writer Plus

Writer Plus is a mobile writing app designed for simplicity and convenience, providing essential features for on-the-go writing and note-taking.

writer plus

  • Offers a straightforward and easy-to-use interface.
  • Ideal for quick writing and note-taking on mobile devices.
  • Allows writing even without an internet connection.
  • May lack advanced features compared to more comprehensive writing applications.
  • Primarily designed for mobile use, with limited desktop functionality.

ByWord is an AI-powered article-generation tool. It focuses on efficiently generating large volumes of high-quality, SEO-ready content. Users can input a few words, click a button, and within minutes, have a fully formed article with an accompanying image ready for publication on their site. This tool adapts to the changing world of SEO with the help of artificial intelligence and offers a feature to stay unnoticed by any AI detection tool .

byword

  • ByWord swiftly creates SEO-ready content.
  • A comprehensive tool for efficient long-form content creation.
  • Enables rapid publication of fully-formed articles and images.
  • May have fewer customization options for a streamlined process.

Coggle is a web-based mind-mapping tool that allows users to create visually engaging diagrams to organize and represent their ideas.

coggle

  • Facilitates the creation of visually appealing mind maps and diagrams.
  • Supports real-time collaboration for team brainstorming and planning.
  • Features an intuitive design for easy navigation and diagram creation.
  • Some advanced features may be restricted in the free version.
  • Requires a stable internet connection for seamless collaboration and saving.

Wrapping Up

Whether you're just starting with academic writing service or already have advanced skills, these college student applications are here to make the process easier and better. From Essaypro's free writing software, where you can even buy an essay , to Grammarly's essay editing apps, there's a tool for everyone. By adding these platforms to your toolkit, you can create high-quality papers more efficiently and with confidence. So, try them out and see which ones work best for you!

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What Are Some Good Essay Writing Apps for Students?

How can i choose the right essay writing app for my needs and academic level, what are the benefits of using an essay-writing app, is there an app that can create essays for students.

Daniel Parker

Daniel Parker

is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.

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is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

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Choose citation style, add references, write & cite.

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I've been using Essayist for years as for a while I only had an iPad as my main driver yet had to write papers for school and this was the only applicaiton that allowed me to do so on the iPad while not only maintaining all APA formatting requirements but making it even easier to cite articles with it's Google Scholar search function. I've also had a couple of times where i'd reach out to their customer support and they were prompt in responding with answers or even potential updates and timing. I highly recommend this app to every student at every level as I used it through my MBA and i'm now using it to complete a doctorate.

AMAZING tool for college students!

I am so glad I found this app because it has come in very handy in writing my essays for college. Essayist is very easy to use and supports many citation styles for all my essay writing needs. Has not let me down yet, thank you!!

It's worth it's weight in gold at least 10X over. I really don't know what I would do without this app. I use it for every single assignment and it's such a time saver and helps make sure everything is correct. I absolutely love it and recommend it to every single person I know in school.

Marvelous, Superb, and a Joy to Use

Essayist is an app designed with simplicity in mind. The team behind this application has eliminated the burden of the “essay criteria.” In its stead, we have a clear and perfectly structured canvas on which to begin writing without distractions. Upon purchase - which is worth every penny, you're prompted to choose your citation of choice. Your paper format and structure are based on this selection. Adding a works cited or bibliography is as simple as pressing a button. The app allows for chapters of books/magazines/ journals, websites, films, etc., and the user-friendly OS will enable you to seamlessly integrate those references as in-text citations, all with the press of a button. This app is a flagship creation of a solution to a long-standing problem. A problem that can perhaps be phrased as, “How can I have all the formatting and citations already done for me so that I can focus on just writing”? Essayist does just that.

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Still have questions, what is essayist, who is essayist for, how does essayist work, how much does essayist cost, can i use essayist on all my devices, which operating system do i need, is essayist available for android/windows, what citation styles does essayist support, can i generate references in essayist, does essayist have a user guide, subscribe to our newsletter, information.

Best Essay Writing Software

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| Candace Osmond

| Writing Tools

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Candace Osmond

Candace Osmond studied Advanced Writing & Editing Essentials at MHC. She’s been an International and USA TODAY Bestselling Author for over a decade. And she’s worked as an Editor for several mid-sized publications. Candace has a keen eye for content editing and a high degree of expertise in Fiction.

Getting a passing grade on an essay assignment is difficult if students don’t know how to organize their ideas. Bloggers can also not get high SEO rankings when they plagiarize their writing. 

If you’re looking for applications that help you write better essays, I compiled a list of the best essay writing software. These apps include both free and paid programs. I included tools to help you improve your grammar and an app that writes essays for you.

10 Best Essay Writing Apps

2022 05 19 12

Grammarly is one of the best writing apps you can try for your essays. It helps you perfect your essay or any writing project by giving detailed explanations for its corrections. 

For instance, if you mistakenly use “see” instead of “sea” in your sentence, Grammarly will tell you why it’s wrong. This editing software is the most popular writing tool because it focuses on correctness, clarity, engagement, and delivery.

While it doesn’t help you summarize or format your essays, it can fix issues like your spelling, grammar, writing style, and punctuation. Grammarly lets you set your writing goals so it can tailor its corrections according to your essay’s intent, audience, and emotion.

Grammarly Premium gives you access to a plagiarism checker. It examines your document against billions of websites and articles while providing links to any duplicate content. 

The editing tool has a more straightforward interface than ProWritingAid. Or you can download the free extension for Chrome and Safari if you want to receive real-time suggestions on Google Docs. 

Grammarly is also available as a desktop or mobile application, Grammarly Keyboard. The keyboard app quickly spots spelling mistakes and other issues on your text messages, email, and social media.

  • Built-in spelling and grammar checker.
  • Produces more grammar reports than other apps.
  • Guarantees original content through a plagiarism checker.
  • Multiple platform availability.
  • Not ideal for long-form writing.
  • Free version is very basic.

Pro Writing Aid

ProWritingAid Checker

ProWritingAid is a cloud-based tool that enhances your writing in different ways. It’s not a word processor or rewriter for essay writers but an editor for users who want to improve their grammar and spelling.

The premium version can spot over 20 errors in your essay, including repeated sentence starts and over-reliance on adverbs. The writer can also take advantage of readability reports, sticky sentences, and subject-verb disagreement. 

The online editor not only corrects your grammatical mistakes. It also helps you become a better writer. For example, using adverbs and the passive voice are not necessarily “errors.” But avoiding these elements can help your essay readers engage with your content better.

Aside from checking grammar, ProWritingAid also scans your essay for plagiarism. It ensures your document is original and free from duplications. The essay writing software provides a link to the source so you can correctly cite it.

ProWritingAid has browser extensions and a desktop version. The powerful tool also features a 14-day trial for writers who want to test it first. You can also use it in Google Docs, Scrivener, and Chrome.

This advanced grammar checker is available for $20 per month or $79 per year. 

  • Simple interface.
  • Wide platform availability.
  • Twenty-five types of writing reports.
  • Free trial.
  • Lifetime plan.
  • Unnecessary features like sticky sentences.
  • Slow loading time.

Writing essays becomes more motivating when you use FreeMind. This software isn’t your typical editing tool that performs grammar checking. It helps you achieve daily goals in writing through structure diagrams and project tracking.

essay planning software

This app for writing essays improves your writing habit by letting you add subtasks for each activity. It will allow you to organize your essay ideas on any topic to produce impactful writing.

Another extra feature of Free Mind is its time recording element. Brainstorm your work, use colors, and take advantage of DES encryption to produce and protect your mind maps.

  • Helps users make flowcharts and mind maps for essays.
  • Perfect for other types of project planning.
  • Protects your work from being lost.
  • Completely free.
  • No grammar-checking tool.
  • Difficult to use for first-timers.
  • Not specifically designed for essay writing.

Edusson

Among the numerous writing applications, Edusson is the most interesting for its wide variety of features. The essay writing app writes essays for you, ensuring they are free from grammar mistakes and have a proper sentence structure .

Content writers will save more time coming up with a topic idea for their next post. An additional feature of Edusson is its self-help resources. The website also includes essay samples its writers produce to let everyone know they make high-quality papers.

Edusson does not offer offline mode because it’s not an AI writer. The app lets you order assignments for a real writer to write. These writers also ensure that your work is free from grammatical mistakes.

Whether you write blog content, academic papers, or magazine articles, this assignment writer is for you. Use it on your desktop or download the mobile application for more writing ideas.

  • Real writers help you with your essay.
  • Ideal for other types of writing.
  • Easy to use for beginners.
  • May take time before you get your assignment.

SimpleNote

If you’re looking for an essay writing app with a basic interface made for note-taking only, Simplenote is your best choice. Like other writing tools, it lets you jot down ideas and concepts for your document. But it doesn’t have advanced features.

You can organize your text through Markdown, a standard syntax like HTML but more straightforward. If you’re a web developer or a programmer, you know how fantastic markdown is for readability. 

Long-form writers benefit the least from Simplenote because the app is developed for hand-written notes and ideas. It also doesn’t feature a virtual proofreader, file importing, and comprehensive formatting.

  • Best app for writing notes.
  • Markdown support.
  • No grammar and spell check. 
  • No automatic writing tool.
  • No file imports and lists.

Libre Office Writer

Libra Office Writer

Writer is LibreOffice’s app for essay writers that is available for free. Its free yet advanced writing abilities are inspired by Microsoft Word. It has basic features like font styles, sizes, insert pictures, layout settings, and referencing. It also displays your character count.

The desktop app is ideal for academic writing that requires strict formats and layouts. It’s an excellent alternative to Google Docs and Word, the most popular word processors on the market.

One downside to Libre Office Writer is its lack of a built-in grammar and spelling checker. You need to edit your work on third-party tools like Grammarly for corrections.

  • Free alternative to MS Word.
  • Comprehensive formatting and layout options.
  • Reputable word processor.
  • No grammar checker.

Scribus

Scribus is a fantastic choice among writers who want to produce aesthetically pleasing projects. Millions of writers use this software for reports, magazines, academic writing, or even your personal journal.

The open-source tool doesn’t help you organize your ideas or correct grammar. Instead, it focuses on one aspect of your writing: your book layout. You can use the Layers, Outline, Styles, and Properties to style every page of your book.

Many believe actual writing starts with the look of your document. Scribus is like a basic version of Adobe InDesign and Affinity Publisher. Use it for your essays, academic texts, and self-published books.

  • Improves the layout of your written work.
  • Free. 
  • No option for checking your spelling and grammar.
  • Dated design.

Focus Writer

Focus Writer is a free word processing app you can use as an alternative to MS Word and Google Docs. The distraction-free writing app has a focus mode that blocks other windows and menus. All you have to do is write on the blank page.

But the essay writing services also offer several formatting options for different aspects of writing. Move your cursor upwards to reveal the menu. Focus Writer lets you set goals for your daily word count with a percentage bar displayed below to show your improvement.

You can use Focus Writer for simple essays, personal thoughts, and critiques. 

But I don’t recommend it for academic writing. It also doesn’t have a built-in file editor for spelling errors.

  • Straightforward interface.
  • Runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
  • Limited export formats.
  • No collaboration options.
  • No writing templates.

Evernote

Evernote is a note-taking application for hand-written notes. You can create checklists, to-do lists, and other organizational elements in individual files. As an academic writing software tool, Evernote uses thematic Notebooks to help you group your writing projects into subjects.

One of the most valuable features of this app is its template gallery. The dozens of templates make Evernote a common choice of essay writers in work and school. It also has a clipper tool where you can take clippings and snippets from any site. 

Evernote is also the only application with features for optical character recognition technology. That means this app for writing papers also searches scanned images of hand-writing. 

  • It helps users write to-do lists, notes, etc.
  • Web clipping.
  • Clean interface.
  • Collaboration features.
  • Basic free version.
  • It keeps changing the layout and startup screen.

Jasper

Jarvis or Jasper AI is not a proofreading software or a note-taking tool. It’s an app that writes essays for you without the user having to do anything. It works using Natural Language Processing to write paragraphs of blog articles for you.

The main focus of Jarvis is SEO. All the pieces of content it automatically writes ensure they will rank high on search engine result pages. It can also finish your first draft two to five times faster than a human.

This artificial intelligence software is perfect for content writers who must produce dozens of essays weekly. Use this tool for social media posts, ad copies, and blog posts. 

  • Automatic rewriter.
  • SEO integration. 
  • Doesn’t include a plagiarism checker.
  • The final piece of writing still requires human editing.

Is There a Software That Will Write Essays for You?

Many desktop and mobile software can automatically write essays for you. These “bots” are powered by artificial intelligence to make the writing sound human-like.

Some essay writers only require you to insert keywords or a specific topic. Then, it will create everything else for you. Jarvis or Jasper AI lets you pick a template, narrow the subject, and click “Generate AI content.”

Other AI writers need you to copy and paste a piece of text from other sources. Then, it will rewrite the entire content for you. Quillbot is a paraphrasing tool that produces plagiarism-free content for you. It can also summarize, shorten, or expand your writing.

Best Free Essay Writing Software

The best free essay writing tools you should have are ProWritingAid and FreeMind. The former is editing software that offers spelling, grammar, and style correction, while the latter helps you brainstorm your next essay. These two software programs are completely free.

Use FreeMind to plan your next essay. Different mind maps, time recording, and project tracking features will help you brainstorm your topic. 

Once you’re done writing your essay, run it on ProWritingAid to check for issues. It provides over 20 writing reports to make your written document error-free and readable.

Research Paper Writing App

Some essay writing apps are specially developed for writing research papers, theses, and dissertations. For example, Libre Office Writer has all the formatting settings you need to write your research, including page numbers, text alignment, and a bibliography.

Another research paper writing app you can consider is Evernote. Although I wouldn’t recommend writing your research on this app, you can use this tool to make notes. Use it to organize your review of related literature, analyze your findings, or structure your intro. 

There’s a Tool for Every Writing Goal

So many tools exist to help you plan, write, and edit your essays differently. I hope the list of best essay writing software stated above saves you more time and makes you a better writer. 

My top choices are ProWritingAid and Grammarly because writers in all fields need them for proofreading purposes. Which essay writing tool are you trying first? 

Grammarist is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. When you buy via the links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you.

2024 © Grammarist, a Found First Marketing company. All rights reserved.

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The 23 Best Writing Tools of 2024: A Guide for Writers

Before the computer there was the typewriter, and before the typewriter there was pen and paper, and before pen and paper there were plenty of other lost tools of writing — like clay, papyrus, wood, slate, parchment, and, of course, pens made out of reeds. (Fun fact: the name “Reedsy” is inspired by the “reed pen,” which was used as early as 800 B.C. for documentation).

As you can tell by now, the act of writing has been a part of human culture from the days of chiseling stories onto the walls of caves — and as we have evolved, so have our writing tools . In fact, today’s writers and storytellers are spoiled for choice when it comes to deciding which tools to use.

The following list details our favorite writing tools and resources for taking any idea through to its written conclusion. If you want to cut straight to the chase and find out which is the right writing app for you, we recommend taking this quick 30-second quiz.

Which writing app is right for you?

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Otherwise, let's dive in!

Writing tools

We all know Google Docs and Microsoft Word, so we’re not going to waste your time giving those two a run-down in our list. Below are four other word processors you might not know about, and that are worth checking out.

1. Reedsy Book Editor

Cost: Free Does “fake it ‘til you make it” ring true to you? Well, the Reedsy Book Editor is a free, online word processor that formats your book as you write. See your drafts automatically turn into a professional-looking, ready-to-publish manuscript — and allow this glimpse of your work as the final product spur your motivation to write.

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It comes with an automatic spell-checker — and a built-in goal reminder system to get you back into shape if you find that you're falling behind on your writing schedule! Another one of the Reedsy Book Editor’s best functions is that it lets you instantly typeset your manuscript to EPUB and print-ready PDF files.

Check it out if: if you want a writing tool that takes care of formatting and conversion for you.

FREE WRITING APP

FREE WRITING APP

The Reedsy Book Editor

Set goals, track progress, and establish your writing routine in our free app.

Cost: Free Do you like a helpful tap on the shoulder, reminding you about something you need to do? Well, you’ll likely enjoy Draft then, because the book writing software not only keeps track of how many words you write per day, it can also email you daily reminders about your daily word count goals. (Of course, if this sounds a little too “hands-on” for you, you can always turn the reminder function off).

Other than that, Draft functions a lot like Google Docs: allowing you to track changes, collaborate via suggested edits, and make comments on the doc.

Check it out if: you like Google Docs, but want an even simpler interface. 

3. LibreOffice

Cost: Free Yes, we did say that we wouldn’t mention Microsoft Word, because by now everyone knows that it’s a useful writing tool. But we didn’t say we wouldn’t mention its free counterpart: LibreOffice .

LibreOffice is the open source answer for people who want to try Microsoft without paying the price tag. (Open source means that the software is built on code that anyone can inspect and enhance). Plus it’s compatible with all of the regular file types people are used to, such as  .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, and .pptx files.

Check it out if: you like a classic word processor — and moreover, a free one.

Cost: $50 (or try a 30-day free trial) The people behind Mellel don’t just know word processing — they also know catchy, memorable marketing. Their description of why writers should choose Mellel starts like this: “Mellel is a writer's dream come true. To start, it is exceedingly boring: it just works, day in and day out, reliably. An enormous number of people used Mellel to write and they all report that their journey with Mellel was boring and uneventful. As well it should. In other words, it does all the mundane bits, and leaves the creative stuff to you.”

Mellel is not free (and note that it’s only for Mac). In return for the price tag, you’ll get more book-specific tools than other, perhaps more traditional word processors — such as outlining and bibliography-making functions. And, judging by the witty, funny copy on Mellel’s website, Mellel makes the process of writing much more fun than they let on.

Check it out if: you’re a Mac user who wants more than the Pages app offers.

Organization tools

Plotters tend to finish their writing projects quicker than pantsers — simply because when they hit a wall, they have their notes or outlines to reference, allowing them to jump straight over that hurdle and hit the ground running. P.S. You can grab a free template for your book outline here in this comprehensive guide to outlining .

The following resources will help you keep your thoughts organized so that any bouts of writer’s block don’t slow you down.

5. Milanote

Cost: Free for basic plan or $12.50/month for premium. Milanote is an easy-to-use creative writing app to organize your research, ideas, characters and outline in one place.

The vast majority of novelist-oriented writing software is organized around the idea of a linear document. But for most people, writing isn’t linear — because thinking isn’t linear. Writing is about gradually getting a jumble of ideas into shape, and Milanote's writing app matches the way writers think.

milanote platform a writing tool for organizing your writing

Check it out if: you're a plotter who likes a flexible workspace to organize ideas and see a birds-eye view of how your story outline is coming together.

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6. Evernote

Cost: free for basic plan or $9.99/month for premium. Its cute, little green elephant logo aside, Evernote is a great and easy-to-use option for writers who could do with a little more organization in their lives.

everyone knows the writing tool evernote but here is a screenshot

The app lets you quickly jot down thoughts, record audio notes, save online articles you’re hoping to reference, and it will sync all of this information across all of your Evernote-installed devices. What’s also handy about the app is the collaborative aspect of it: you can create shared accounts, so that multiple people can access saved documents at once.

Check it out if: you’re prone to getting great ideas while on the go, and need somewhere to make sure you don’t forget them by the time you’re home.

Cost: $5/month or $40/year (or try a 14-day free trial) While it’s ultimately a writing tool, one of the best assets of comprehensive programs like Ulysses or Scrivener are their organizational features. At the end of the day, whether you’re writing a blog post or a full-length novel, the seed of an idea doesn’t get too far without the ability to organize that idea into a cohesive piece of writing.

And that’s exactly what Ulysses allows you to do: organize your thoughts into a well-written work. This is accomplished through features like customizable writing goals and deadlines, plain text enhancements, a distraction-free typewriter mode, bookmarks, outlining functions, and more.

Check it out if: you’re working on a lengthy piece of non-fiction, like a blog post or essay. (For a comparison of Scrivener vs. Ulysses, keep reading!)

8. Scrivener

Cost: $45 (or a 30-use free trial) Literature and Latte ’s word processor is a popular writing tool — also, in large part, thanks to its organizational capabilities that seamlessly allow writers to turn fragmented ideas into a fully realized book/script/research paper/or whatever else you’re writing.

Scrivener vs Ulysses Apart from the price (Scrivener charges a one-time licensing fee while Ulysses charges yearly), the two platforms offer many of the same features. So we’ll focus on what makes the two programs different.

  • Scrivener’s corkboard function is an absolute favorite for writers who rely on visual aid to help with outlining. The function looks like an actual corkboard, and lets writers pin notes to the board in chronological order.
  • Scrivener offers templates for works such as fiction, essays, recipe collections, screenplays, comic books — which gives Scrivener another point for versatility.
  • Ulysses boasts an interface that is slightly more clean and simple — so if ease-of-use is high on your priority list, it might be the better option for you.
  • Ulysses offers a very helpful WordPress and Medium integration, which bloggers who publish on either of these platforms will love.

Check it out if: you’re working on a longer piece of content (like a book or screenplay) and want one comprehensive place to manage all your work. (And don’t forget to check out our equally as comprehensive review of Scrivener’s newest update : Scrivener 3!)

9. Hubspot's AI Content Writer

Cost: Free, with premium upgrade available

HubSpot’s Free AI Content Writer is designed to help bloggers streamline their content creation process. This tool can generate drafts of blog posts, website copy, emails, and more with ease and without additional resources, by relying on prompts or topics provided by users. For those suffering from writer's block, the AI content writer can also create outlines to help spur writing along. 

For those already using HubSpot's marketing and sales tools, the AI content writer's integration will be extra handy. 

Check it out if: you're a blogger short on time or inspiration.

Productivity tools

Alright, let’s kick things into high gear now. You know what you want to use to write, and your thoughts and ideas are concisely organized. If you’re finding it difficult to buckle down and get the job done (or struggle to write quickly or consistently), these resources will help you realize that Nike manta: just do it.

10. Ommwriter

Cost: free web version or $7 for the full program Do you find the clacking sound of old typewriters satisfying? Do you find soft, neutral colours calming? Does nothing really get you focused quite like a purposeful, long, deep breath? If so, Ommwriter might be the tool to help you reach your goal. As the site’s tagline reads, Ommwriter is “a perfect place to think and write.”

Omm writer is a zen writing tool that lets you write with no distractions

With soothing background noises, customizable keyboard noises, and peaceful backgrounds to choose from, Ommwriter could just be the “break” from everything else going on around you that you need to write.

Check it out if: your very best writing ideas come to you while in “savasana.”

11. To Doist

Cost: free or $4/month for premium plan Have you ever woken up in a cold sweat, panicking about something important you forgot to do? Or, god forbid, gripped in dread about how far behind you are on your word-count goals?

Well, To Doist might be able to help. It’s the ultimate app for creating to-do lists — but these aren’t your grandma’s pen-and-paper lists with little check marks beside them (though we mean no offense to your grandma). It lets you get a daily or weekly overview of your tasks, prioritize the tasks that are most important, and even lets you assign tasks to other people if you’re working on a specific goal with other collaborators.

Check it out if: you have never been able to find an agenda that’s souped up enough to keep you on track.

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12. Marinara Timer

Cost: Free The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method meant to promote productivity. In a nutshell, it stipulates that you should work for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute  break, then work for 25 minutes, take another 5-minute break, etc., etc.

The free-to-use Marinara Timer makes this easy for you by alerting you each time your work sessions and breaks are up. It also offers customizable timers in case the 25/5 isn’t quite right for keeping you on track. Fun fact: taking a break to stand up or walk (or do anything but sit!) every hour is also a good way to protect your back if you sit hunched at a computer working for long stretches at a time.

Check it out if: consistent breaks from work help actually keep you focused on the task at hand.

13. Cold Turkey

Cost: Free for basic plan or $20 for premium plan “Meet your match, Zuckerberg,” says Cold Turkey ’s tagline. In case that, paired with the writing tool’s name, doesn’t make it clear enough, Cold Turkey is a program that allows you to completely rid yourself of distraction. And when we say “completely,” we mean completely.

With Cold Turkey, you can block yourself from accessing certain websites — or even your entire computer — for periods at a time, only allowing you to use the current document you’re working on.

Check it out if: “willpower” is not a characteristic you’d ascribe yourself, and the only way for you to get something done is in a totally distraction-free state.

14. Freedom

Cost: $7/month or $29/year (or a 7-use free trial) Apart from pleasantly getting the “freedom” refrain from Aretha Franklin’s “Think” stuck in your head, the Freedom app is another resource that can turn your devices into tools of productivity once more.

It functions like Cold Turkey; however, a unique function of Freedom is the ability to sync your distraction-free periods across all your devices. So if you know that on Tuesdays, you want your computer, phone, and tablet to all block access to Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook — you can!

Check it out if: letting other people know not to bother you during your non-negotiable writing time isn’t enough, you need to let yourself know not to interrupt, well, yourself.

Cost: Free If total silence encourages your mind to wander, whereas light sensory action keeps your thoughts on the task at hand, Noisli will be a friend to you. The tool lets you choose from a range of soundtracks, such as rain, coffee shop, wind, lake, and more. You can mix several sounds at once, and choose the volume for each one. So let’s say you want to create the atmosphere of writing by a babbling brook, with a fire crackling next to you, and the moon shining brightly overhead. Noisli will make this happen for you!

Check it out if: you get the most work done with white noise.

Editing tools

If you’re planning to publish a book — or any kind of writing you’re hoping to make a profit from, it’s crucial that your work is thoroughly edited. To that end, working with a professional editor is an investment you should give serious thought to.

In the meantime, here are a few editing tools that can help you out along the way. Hopefully, they’ll either ensure a typo-free draft, so by the time you do work with an editor, they can spend less time fixing small typos and more time on big-picture work, or, if you decide to forego a professional edit, you’ll have the tools to do the best editing job you can.

16. Hemingway

Cost: Free The Hemingway app claims to make your writing “bold and clear.” It has a number of handy features like a word-counter and an automatic readability score. But its real use lies in the features that make suggestions to your prose. For instance, it might highlight a complex sentence that’s hard to read. It also highlights instances of passive voice , qualifiers, and adverbs. Let’s take a look at how this passage from Ernest Hemingway’s very own To Have and Have Not fares:

essay planning software

“Just” is highlighted because it’s a qualifier, and Hemingway suggests, instead: “Be bold. Don’t hedge.” The sentence in red is highlighted as being hard to read. And “probably” is pointed out as an adverb — the app suggests using a forceful verb instead.

Check it out if: you want to bring out your inner Ernie. (Curious what else Hemingway offers? Check out our full review of the app right here .)

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17. Fictionary

Cost: $19/month or $169 per year 

The Fictionary Story Editing software creates intelligent visuals that help you improve your story's structure, characters, plot, and settings. Using Natural Language Processing, Fictionary identifies your key story arc scenes and gives you actionable insights to improve the structure of your book.  Annual subscribers get access to year-round live classes on writing and editing. Think of it like Peloton for writers. Check it out if:  You want to get your story structure in the best possible shape before submitting to agents and/or editors.

18. Marlowe Pro

Cost: $29.95/mth or $199/year; $45 for single reports

This manuscript assessment tool will provide in-depth feedback on your novel within minutes. Using artificial intelligence, Marlowe can analyze your plot, pacing, story beats, and readability — then provide actionable insights (as well as comp titles ) based on its database of bestsellers across a number of genres.

authors AI — a screenshot of Marlowe Pro's report

To try out this AI editor, claim a free report by entering REEDSYFREE at checkout. And for a 15% discount on a Marlowe Pro subscription , enter REEDSY15OFF when prompted at checkout.

Check it out: to take a scientific and methodical approach to your developmental edits.

19. Cliché Finder

Cost: Free Cliché Finder is exactly what it says on the tin: it combs through your writing in search of clichés, and then highlights them for you. It’s not always necessarily bad to use clichés in your writing, but when you do, you want to be purposeful about it (and not to mention aware of it!).

Check it out if: you want to avoid clichés like the plague, and for your book to sell like hotcakes — and the rest is history.

20. Grammarly

Cost: Free Have you ever sent an email, only to realize that you'd made a glaring typo just as you hit “Send”? Well, no more!

Grammarly essentially functions like the spell checker tool from Microsoft Word or Google Docs, but here’s the great part: it’s a plug-in that will work wherever you happen to writing. That means Twitter, Gmail, Google Docs, Facebook — anywhere. Plus it offers vocabulary or alternate word suggestions — for instance, it might suggest you replace “walking aimlessly,” with the word “wandering.” For a more in-dept analysis, check our full Grammarly review . 

Check it out if: you’re typo-prone! (Read below for a comparison of Grammarly vs. ProWritingAid.)

21. ProWritingAid

Cost: Free browser extension or $79/year for the full software ProWritingAid is a tool you can install that will proofread and spell check your material for you , no matter where you’re writing. It will also offer suggestions to improve your overall language — outside of just grammatical technicalities. (You can even get 20% off via this special offer !) 

ProWritingAid vs Grammarly The two programs offer a lot of the same services, so you might be wondering which one to pick. We have a review of ProWritingAid  that dives deep into this comparison, but the main differences are:

  • Grammarly is free to use, and while ProWritingAid offers a free Google Chrome plug-in, this free option only offers spell checking services, it won’t make editorial suggestions.
  • ProWritingAid is slightly more tailored towards authors, while Grammarly is a slightly better fit for articles and essays. Ultimately, both tools lend a very helpful editing hand, so deciding between the two mostly boils down to the one you enjoy using more.

Check it out if: you want to make sure your writing is as polished as possible.

Workspace tools

At the end of the day, all you really need to write is a pen and paper. All the fancy tools and apps in the world won’t get the words out for you. That being said, creating an environment that’s appealing — and conducive! — to write in can make the whole process more enjoyable, and encourage you to get the job done.

Here are few physical tools to look over if you’re thinking of sprucing up your workspace.

22. Livescribe Pen

Cost: starts at $100 If you prefer writing on paper, but dread the process of transferring your words to a computer, Livescribe will likely be right up your alley. Through Bluetooth technology, the pen can actually transcribe your pen and paper words to your device. What’s more, it can also transcribe voice notes into digital documents for you.

writing tools

Check it out if: you’ve ever felt envy at Rita Skeeter’s Quick-Quotes Quill in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire .

23. Ergonomic desk setups

Cost: Varies As more and more of the workforce moves to sedentary jobs where the majority of 9am to 5pm is spent sitting — usually hunching — at a computer, a growing number of sitting-related health injuries have been occurring. That’s why looking into more ergonomically friendly desk setups is a good idea for writers who spend long hours at the computer — or even writing in a notebook. This could be a standing desk, or even just a number of textbooks piled under your desktop so that your screen is eye level, resulting in less stress on your shoulders.

Check it out if: you don’t want writing gains to come at the cost of growing back pains.

24. Computer Glasses

Cost: Varies Writers are all familiar with computer-caused eyestrains. Because you blink far less when looking at a screen than you do otherwise, computer vision syndrome (CVS) is a condition people have been developing due to long stretches of staring at a computer.

One way to help alleviate this — other than just making sure to take time looking away from your computer — is to invest in some computer glasses. They typically come in blue or amber shades, and are coated with a protective coating.

There are several brands you can check out, such as Pixel Eyewear or Felix Gray .

Check it out if: you notice itchy or tired eyes after long writing sessions.

Have you tried any of the above writing tools — and if so, which were your favorites? Or maybe you feel there are some great resources missing from this list? Let us know in the comments below!

Mystic says:

24/10/2019 – 03:38

I tried Cliche Finder several times and it found a couple of items in my text, but it didn't highlight where it was at. The rest of the tools here, that I can use since I'm on a strict income, are amazing!

Comments are currently closed.

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Best free writing app of 2024

Bring your words to life with the best free writing apps

Person writing on a laptop

Best overall

Best for markup, best word alternative, best word processor, best for mac, best online.

  • How we test

The best free writing apps serve up more than just text tools - they also offer betters ways to manage and organize all your ideas, outlines, and projects. 

1. Best overall 2. Best for markup 3. Best Word alternative 4. Best word processor 5. Best for Mac 6. Best online 7. FAQs 8. How we test

Like the best free word processors , writing apps help you get your thoughts on the page without breaking the bank (or your train of thought). But we’ve also made sure they’ll make it easier to save, share, and sync all your documents and keep them safe, whether you need a desktop writing app for work, school, or play. 

If you struggle to stay focused, we’ve tested some of the best free writing apps come with distraction-free layouts or gamification challenges to keep you in the zone. We’ve also reviewed those built for professional document creation, with advanced business features such as speech-to-text transcription and online collaboration tools. 

Our picks cover the best apps for writing on the web, Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS - so you’re always ready whenever and wherever creativity strikes. 

literature and latte Scrivener 3

Scrivener: best writing software for authors Scrivener is packed with all the features a novelist needs, helping you track plot threads, store notes on characters and locations, structure your work and (most importantly) get some serious work done. It's not a free writing app like the tools below, but it's well worth the investment if your budget will allow it.

The best free writing app of 2024 in full:

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Website screenshot for FocusWriter

1. FocusWriter

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

FocusWriter helps writers combat one of their biggest challenges: distractions. One of the best free writing software tools out there, it's specifically designed to let you just concentrate on your writing. 

The stripped-back interface is deliciously sparse - ideal for when you just need to get your head down and write - and not dissimilar to a moderately powerful version of Notepad, featuring support for TXT, basic, RTF, and ODT files. 

Even the toolbar is hidden until you actually need it. Just swoop your cursor to the top on the screen to reveal a barren menu, from basic formatting to themes and timers.

Features are light within the software, but FocusWriter isn’t made for heavy editing sessions. It’s designed to make the act of writing flow seamlessly onto the page. 

Elsewhere, the writing app boasts the ability to add themes and your own background images, which can help you stay motivated. 

The Daily Progress tool is a sweet extra, adding Duolingo-style gamification that lets you track your daily writing streak. For when it’s oh-so-easy to slip onto social media when you can’t find the perfect word, it’s a nice way to keep you within the app. 

Available for Windows, Linux, and macOS, the writing software also comes as a portable download, no installation required. So, you can pop it on a USB stick and plug it into any computer you’re working on. 

Read our full FocusWriter review .

  • ^ Back to the top

WriteMonkey website screenshot

2. WriteMonkey

WriteMonkey is another piece of free writing software that cuts down on the clutter to deliver uninterrupted writing sessions. 

The free word processor, cleverly described as zenware, is unbelievably pared back compared to more traditional writing apps. 

There’s very little in the way of distracting ‘screen furniture’, which means you’re better positioned to concentrate on the writing process. And absolutely nothing else. 

But don’t let that stripped-back approach fool you. As one of the best free writing apps, WriteMonkey is still rich with the sort of core features that matter to writers. 

However, most options are hidden in a context menu (so you’ll need to right-click to view it). It also only supports TXT files, which may limit those looking to read, write, or edit across multiple formats. It is, at least, a portable download, letting you take it wherever you need.

If you’ve enjoyed Markdown, the simplified text-editing language that lets you format, annotate, classify, and link as you type, then great. WriteMonkey’s inner workings will instantly chime. 

First-timers should spend a little time with this free writing software, to uncover that intuitive simplicity. 

Read our full WriteMonkey review .

LibreOffice Writer

3. LibreOffice Writer

Writer, the open-source, free writing software, serves almost all general writing needs.

LibreOffice is a near-perfect example of free office software - a familiar, feature-rich take on the office suite. What the veteran software package lacks in Microsoft polish (its interface is undeniably old-fashioned, for starters), it makes up for in its price-point: free. For that, you get access to six tools: Calc, Impress, Draw, Base, Math, and Writer. 

Earning it a slot on our list of best free writing apps is the fact that LibreOffice Writer packs the full editing toolbox. 

This isn’t just a note-taking app for staving off distractions when you’re deep in the zone; it’s for when you’re in pure writer-mode. 

If you’re at all proficient with Microsoft Word, you won’t have any problems using the Writer software. Layouts and functions are almost identical, and there’s support for DOC and DOCX file types, making it efficient to switch out of the Microsoft garden.

This free writing app is ideal if you’re hunting for a tool that almost perfectly replicates the Word experience without the cost. 

Read our full LibreOffice review .

Microsoft Word website screenshot

4. Microsoft Word

When it comes to word processors, Microsoft Word is probably the baseline against which all others are compared. It’s the one most of us use at school, home, and work. It’s familiar, comfortable - and it’s available free on the web and mobile devices. 

That may not be the best way to write your masterpiece (unless you’ve hooked up a Bluetooth keyboard). But it’s a great way to jot down ideas on-the-go. When we tested the browser-based version we found it could be a bit slow at first, and we were typing faster than the words appeared on screen. This settles down (mostly) after a minute or so. 

Microsoft’s free writing apps on Android and iPhone had no such issues. Using these was velvety smooth. We especially appreciated the option to switch between mobile view and desktop view, so we could gauge how the document would appear in full-screen. 

As with Google Docs, you’ll need to sign up with a Microsoft account. And, like Google, that also lets you use free versions of PowerPoint, Excel, and the like. While Word offers one of the best free writing app experiences, there’s no denying that the paid-for upgrade is superior, offering more tools, and a true desktop app. 

Read our full Microsoft Word review .

Author website screenshot

Author promises to make it easier to ‘think, write, and cite’. It’s a promise capably delivered, with a clean interface and bags of writing features designed to make it easy to go from first draft to final copy. 

If you're an Apple user in search of the best free writing apps on macOS, this one demands your attention. 

Concept Maps is one of the best features. It’s a great mind-mapping tool to visualize and lay down all your thoughts while they’re fresh in your head without constraint. You can worry about whipping them into shape later. 

Students and report writers will appreciate Author’s ‘fast citing’ tools - speeding up assignment-writing by correctly adding and formatting citations, references, and contents. 

A paid-for upgrade of the writing software that offers exporting options is available. However, unless you need automatic formatting on export, you can stick with the free version. 

Google Docs for G Suite

6. Google Docs

Google Docs is a great free writing platform for any writer. It’s an extremely clean, quick word processor available in the browser, on desktop, and phone and tablet apps. So, you can take notes wherever inspiration strikes. 

Docs is more or less Google’s spin on Microsoft Word. The interface is a bit more simple than the professional office software - although it’s no less powerful. 

You’ll find heaps of writing tools, including a pretty accurate speech-to-text transcription tool (just enunciate and don’t talk too fast). Keyboard shortcuts are very well-supported. 

For best results, you’ll need an internet connection, though documents can be used offline. They’ll be synced, and in our experience, that happens swiftly behind the scenes. 

To take advantage of the free writing app, you’ll need a Google account, which may be a deal-breaker for some - but that also opens up the rest of the Google-stuff in the Google-sphere, such as Sheets, Slides, and . With a free account, you get 15GB of storage, which should be more than enough for word documents. A Google One subscription upgrades your storage space, amongst other things. 

Additionally, Google Docs is great if you want to collaborate with one or more other writers. Just be warned to stay in Google Docs for that, because exporting the data into Word or other writing applications can result formatting errors.

Read our full Google Docs review .

Best free writing app: FAQs

What's the difference between a writing app and an ai writer.

AI writers vs writing apps - what's the real difference?

Artificial intelligence is growing in a big way - and when it comes to writing, it's ChatGPT that's been snatching all the headlines of late, with its ability to generate short- and long-form content based on user prompts.

Generally, an AI writer will write your content for you, based on its current learning (although often without 'understanding' the context). A writing app simply lets you write your way, in your own voice. 

Some platforms, such as Canva , have even integrated AI into its Canva Docs and Canva PDF Editor services. However. its Magic Write tool acts as a writing assistant, serving up suggestions and ideas, leaving real writers to work their magic on the content. Though usually hiding in the back-end, you can also find AI integrated in other ways across other the best PDF editor apps (and even the best free PDF editor apps, too).

As always with AI-generated content, whether it's the written word or an artwork masterpiece, human involvement is usually necessary and always desirable. Even if you're using the best AI writers out there, editing and proofreading is essential to give the content accuracy and emotional resonance.

How to choose the best free writing app for you

When deciding which free writing app is best, start by figuring out what sort of writing you want to do. 

Do you need a handy tool for quick scribbles and jotting down ideas here and there, or are you using the writing software to write and edit an epic novel? Tools like FocusWriter and Write Monkey are great for getting thoughts on the page without friction.

It’s also worth considering if you need a writing app with a distraction-free design, so you can concentrate on what really matters to you. Again, FocusWriter performs admirably here, but as a result, you lose core typography and editing functions. Unlike LibreOffice, this isn’t the best Microsoft Office alternative if you need those tools. In that scenario, it may be worth considering looking at some of the best free office software , which includes MS Word-style apps, alongside other tools similar to Excel, PowerPoint, and so on. 

Access is an important factor when using your writing software. A tool like Scribus needs to be downloaded to your machine. Lightweight apps like FocusWriter, however, offer a portable download that can be downloaded to a USB and carried with you. 

Check what file formats your chosen writing app supports, too. While some let you create and edit the common DOC and DOCX files, others only allow TXT or RTF documents.

But most of all, it’s important to choose the best free writing app for your unique creative flow. 

How we test the best free writing apps

Testing the best free writing apps and software, we assess how easy it is to get your words down on the page with the least amount of friction. Portable writing apps rank high, because they let you use the program on whatever computer or laptop you’re using. 

We also look at performance for its intended audience. For distraction-free writing apps, do they really foster focus? For word processor-style software, does it offer good formatting and editing options? 

Most importantly, we expect to see free writing apps that are genuinely cost-free - no-one wants to stumble across hidden fees and charges in the contracts. 

We've listed the best laptops for writers .

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Steve Clark

Steve is TechRadar Pro’s B2B Editor for Creative & Hardware. He explores the apps and devices for individuals and organizations that thrive on design and innovation. A former journalist at Web User magazine, he's covered software and hardware news, reviews, features, and guides. He's previously worked on content for Microsoft, Sony, and countless SaaS & product design firms. Once upon a time, he wrote commercials and movie trailers. Relentless champion of the Oxford comma.

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essay planning software

Free writing software: 24 tools to help you create better content, faster

Find the best brainstorming, researching, writing, and editing tools.

writing-editing-apps primary img

As a freelance writer, I try to keep my app costs lean, so I'm a sucker for free writing tools. But with so many writing apps on the market, it's hard to tell which free options are actually valuable.

I've done some of the legwork for you by bringing together some of the best free writing apps on the internet. All of the options listed here are tools the Zapier team or I have used and enjoyed.

For this roundup, I prioritized completely free tools and freemium apps with a forever free plan that was sufficient for actual regular use. Many of the options have paid plans, but those plans are generally geared toward power users.

The best free writing software at a glance

Free writing tools for brainstorming and organizing your thoughts, best free writing software for expanding your ideas.

MindMeister, our pick for the best free writing software for brainstorming with a mind map

Best free writing software for creating content outlines

WorkFlowy, our pick for the best free writing software for creating content outlines

Best free writing software for brainstorming together

Miro, our pick for the best free writing software for brainstorming together

You can even use Miro with Zapier (also free), so you can automate your brainstorming workflows. Here are a couple of ideas to get you started.

Create Miro widgets with new Trello cards

Trello logo

Add Miro cards from new rows on Google Sheets

Google Sheets logo

Best free writing software for brainstorming topics

Ryan Robinson's Keyword Research Tool, our pick for the best free writing software for brainstorming topics

Keyword Research Tool pricing: Free

Best free writing software for brainstorming ideas with AI

Example of ChatGPT, powered by the GPT-3.5 model, writing marketing copy for a newsletter: headlines, taglines, and call-to-actions.

ChatGPT pricing: Free; ChatGPT Plus is $20/month

Best free writing software for brainstorming out loud

Your computer's dictation software (MacOS, Windows)

Windows dictation software

If you process your thoughts best through speaking, there's a brainstorming app already on your computer. Boot up Windows 10 Speech Recognition on Windows or Apple Dictation on Mac to record your thoughts as you brainstorm out loud.

Windows 10 Speech Recognition and Apple Dictation pricing: Free

Free writing tools for research and note-taking

Best free writing software for keeping everything in one place.

Notion, our pick for the best free writing software for keeping everything in one place

Save new tasks in Google Tasks in Notion databases

Google Tasks logo

Add new Microsoft Outlook calendar events to Notion databases

Microsoft Outlook logo

Notion pricing: Free plan available; from $8/user/month for team plans

Best free writing software for finding free copies of paywalled research

Unpaywall, our pick for the best free writing software for finding free copies of paywalled research

Unpaywall pricing: Free

Best free writing software for transcribing interview and video content

oTranscribe, our pick for the best free writing software for transcribing interview and video content

oTranscribe pricing: Free

Best free writing software for collecting research from other people

Google Forms, our pick for the best free writing software for collecting research from other people

Create Trello cards from new Google Forms responses

Google Forms logo

Share Google Forms responses in a Slack channel

Slack logo

Google Forms pricing: Free

Free writing tools for solo and collaborative writing

Best free writing software for collaborative writing.

Google Docs, our pick for the best free writing software for collaborative writing

Create new Google Docs from text with new rows in Google Sheets

Google Docs logo

Create new Google Docs when Trint transcripts are ready

Trint logo

Google Docs pricing: Free

Best free writing software for messages and blurbs

WordCounter, our pick for the best free writing software for messages and blurbs

WordCounter pricing: Free

Free writing tools for editing

Best free writing software for finding the perfect word.

OneLook Reverse Dictionary and Thesaurus, our pick for the best free writing software for finding the perfect word

OneLook Reverse Dictionary and Thesaurus offers all the synonyms you could dream of like a regular thesaurus, but it stands out in its reverse dictionary capabilities. Enter a phrase—or even a full sentence—to get words that match that meaning. This feature comes in handy when you want to write more concisely or find that word that's on the tip of your tongue.

OneLook Reverse Dictionary and Thesaurus pricing: Free

Best free writing software for finding the right word—anywhere

Power Thesaurus, our pick for the best free writing software for finding the right word—anywhere

As a freelance writer, I find myself needing to switch up words when I write on various platforms across the internet. Power Thesaurus gives me synonyms, antonyms, definitions, and other forms of word assistance wherever I like to write. It can do the same for you—put it to use on its website, in your browser, on your phone, in Google Docs, in Word, and in Gmail.

Best free writing software for rewording what you write

Wordtune, our pick for the best free writing software for rewording what you write

Best free writing software for clear and concise writing

Hemingway, our pick for the best free writing software for clear and concise writing

Best free writing software for creating compelling headlines

CoSchedule, our pick for the best free writing software for creating compelling headlines

CoSchedule Headline Studio pricing: Free for basic features; from $8/month to buy "Premium Headline" credits that give you access to an SEO score, AI writing features, headline suggestions, and word banks for a certain number of headlines

Best free writing software for finding and removing cliches

Cliche Finder, our pick for the best free writing software for finding and removing cliches

Cliche Finder pricing: Free

Best free writing software for finding jargon in your text

De-Jargonizer, our pick for the best free writing software for finding jargon in your text

De-Jargonizer pricing: Free

Best free writing software for varying your wording and sentence length

Expresso, our pick for the best free writing software for varying your wording and sentence length

Expresso pricing: Free

Best free writing software for comparing your writing to AI content

GPTZero, our pick for the best free writing software for comparing your writing to AI content

Free writing tools for proofreading

Best free writing software for catching spelling and grammar mistakes.

Grammarly, our pick for the best free writing software for catching spelling and grammar mistakes

Best free writing tool for proofreading short-form content

ProWritingAid, our pick for the best free writing tool for proofreading short-form content

Best free writing tool for making MLA citations

EasyBib, our pick for the Best free writing tool for making MLA citations

EasyBib pricing: Free

Free writing software FAQ

Here are some questions lots of people have about writing apps and how to choose the right one.

What's a good free writing tool?

Tools like Google Docs and WordCounter are free forever and very functional. Other apps, like Grammarly or ProWritingAid, have free plans that offer basic features, with more advanced features available via a paid plan.

But there are a lot of free writing tools available that perform a wide variety of functions—everything from brainstorming to research and note-taking to writing to editing to proofreading.

What writing tool do most writers use?

There's a wide variety of writing tools out there, and which one a writer uses really comes down to preference. A lot of writers use Google Docs to write because they already use Google for so many other things—but some may prefer a tool like Notion, where they can combine writing with project management.

What makes a good writing tool?

In short, whatever helps you write! If a blank page and no distraction is what helps you actually get words down, then open a new Google Doc and go at it. If you need to organize your thoughts before you even think about writing, consider adding a brainstorming tool to the mix. Each writer's process is different, and it's all about finding tools that enable your writing, not add another roadblock to your process.

Sharpen your craft with your new toolkit

Related reading:

This article was originally published in June 2015 by Jane Callahan and has also had contributions from Jessica Greene. The most recent update was in August 2023.

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Melissa King

Melissa King is a freelance writer who helps B2B SaaS companies spread the word about their products through engaging content. Outside of the content marketing world, she sometimes writes about video games. Check out her work at melissakingfreelance.com.

  • Content marketing
  • Google Docs
  • Google Forms

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7 Steps for Writing an Essay Plan

Have you ever started writing an essay then realized you have run out of ideas to talk about?

This can make you feel deflated and you start to hate your essay!

How to write an Essay Plan

The best way to avoid this mid-essay disaster is to plan ahead: you need to write an Essay Plan!

Essay planning is one of the most important skills I teach my students. When I have one-to-one tutorials with my students, I always send them off with an essay plan and clear goals about what to write.

Essay Planning isn’t as dull as you think. In fact, it really does only take a short amount of time and can make you feel oh so relieved that you know what you’re doing!

Here’s my 7-Step method that I encourage you to use for your next essay:

The 7-Step Guide on How to write an Essay Plan

  • Figure out your Essay Topic (5 minutes)
  • Gather your Sources and take Quick Notes (20 minutes)
  • Brainstorm using a Mind-Map (10 minutes)
  • Arrange your Topics (2 minutes)
  • Write your topic Sentences (5 minutes)
  • Write a No-Pressure Draft in 3 Hours (3 hours)
  • Edit your Draft Once every Few Days until Submission (30 minutes)

I’ve been using this 7-Step essay planning strategy since I was in my undergraduate degree. Now, I’ve completed a PhD and written over 20 academic journal articles and dozens of blog posts using this method – and it still works!

Let’s go through my 7 steps for how to write an essay plan.

Prefer to Watch than Read? Here’s our video on writing an Essay Plan.

how to write an essay plan

1. figure out your essay topic. here’s how..

Where did your teacher provide you with your assessment details?

Find it. This is where you begin.

Now, far, far, far too many students end up writing essays that aren’t relevant to the essay question given to you by your teacher. So print out your essay question and any other advice or guidelines provided by your teacher.

Here’s some things that your assessment details page might include:

  • The essay question;
  • The marking criteria;
  • Suggested sources to read;
  • Some background information on the topic

The essay question is really important. Once you’ve printed it I want you to do one thing:

Highlight the key phrases in the essay question.

Here’s some essay questions and the key phrases you’d want to highlight:

This strategy helps you to hone in on exactly what you want to talk about. These are the key phrases you’re going to use frequently in your writing and use when you look for sources to cite in your essay!

The other top thing to look at is the marking criteria. Some teachers don’t provide this, but if they do then make sure you pay attention to the marking criteria !

Here’s an example of a marking criteria sheet:

Sample Essay Topic: Is Climate Change the Greatest Moral Challenge of our Generation?

Now, if you have a marking criteria you really need to pay attention to this. You have to make sure you’ve ticked off all the key criteria that you will be marked on. For the example above, your essay is going to have to make sure it:

  • Takes a position about whether climate change is a serious challenge for human kind;
  • Discusses multiple different people’s views on the topic;
  • Explores examples and case studies (‘practical situations’);
  • Uses referencing to back up your points.

The reason you need to be really careful to pay attention to this marking criteria is because it is your cheat sheet: it tells you what to talk about!

Step 1 only takes you five minutes and helps you to clearly clarify what you’re going to be talking about! Now your mind is tuned in and you can start doing some preliminary research.

2. Gather your Sources and take Quick Notes. Here’s how.

Now that you know what your focus is, you can start finding some information to discuss. You don’t want to just write things from the top of your head. If you want top marks, you want some deep, detailed and specific pieces of information.

Fortunately, your teacher has probably made this easy for you.

The top source for finding information will be the resources your teacher provided. These resources were hand picked by your teacher because they believed these were the best sources available our there on the topic. Here are the most common resources teachers provide:

  • Lecture Slides;
  • Assigned Readings.

The lecture slides are one of the best resources for you to access. Lecture slides are usually provided online for you. Download them, save them on your computer, and dig them up when it’s time to write the essay plan.

Find the lecture slides most relevant to your topic. To take the example of our climate change essay, maybe climate change is only discussed in three of the weeks in your course. Those are the three weeks’ lecture slides you want to hone-in on.

Flick through those lecture slides and take quick notes on a piece of paper – what are the most important topics and statistics that are relevant to your essay question?

Now, move on to the assigned readings . Your teacher will have selected some readings for you to do for homework through the semester. They may be eBooks, Textbooks or Journal Articles.

These assigned readings were assigned for a reason: because they have very important information to read ! Scan through them and see if there’s any more points you can add to your list of statistics and key ideas to discuss.

Next, try to find a few more sources using Google Scholar. This is a great resource for finding more academic articles that you can read to find even more details and ideas to add to your essay.

Here’s my notes that I researched for the essay question “Is Climate Change the Greatest Moral Challenge of our Generation?” As you can see, it doesn’t have to be beautiful #Studygram notes! It’s just rough notes to get all the important information down:

sample of rough notes scrawled on paper

Once you’ve read the assigned lecture slides and readings, you should have a good preliminary list of ideas, topics, statistics and even quotes that you can use in step 3.

3. Brainstorm using a Mind-Map. Here’s how.

Do your initial notes look a little disorganized?

That’s okay. The point of Step 2 was to gather information. Now it’s time to start sorting these ideas in your mind.

The best way to organize thoughts is to create a Mind-Map. Here’s how Mind-Maps often look:

sample blank mind-map

For your essay plan Mind-Map, write the essay question in the middle of the page and draw a circle around it.

mind-map with essay question written in center

Then, select the biggest and most important key ideas that you think are worth discussing in the essay. To decide on these, you might want to look back at the notes you took in Step 2.

Each key idea will take up around about 200 – 350 words (1 to 2 sentences).

Here’s a rough guide for how many key ideas you’ll want depending on your essay length:

  • 1000-word essay: 3 to 4 key ideas
  • 1500-word essay: 5 to 7 key ideas
  • 2000-word essay: 6 to 8 key ideas
  • 3000-word essay: 9 to 12 key ideas

Once you’ve selected your key ideas you can list them in a circle around the essay question, just like this:

mind map with essay question and key ideas filled-in

Last, we need to add detail and depth to each key idea. So, draw more lines out from each key ideas and list:

  • Two sources that you will cite for each key idea;
  • A statistic or example that you will provide for each key idea;
  • Any additional interesting facts for each key idea

Here’s how it might look once you’re done:

completed mind-map

4. Arrange your Topics. Here’s how.

You’re well and truly on your way to getting your essay down on paper now.

There’s one last thing to do before you start getting words down on the manuscript that you will submit. You need to arrange your topics to decide which to write first, second, third, fourth, and last!

Here are some things to keep in mind:

  • Start and end with your strongest points;
  • Ensure the points logically flow.

To ensure your points logically flow, think about how you’re going to transition from one idea to the next . Does one key point need to be made first so that the other ones make sense?

Do two key points seem to fit next to one another? If so, make sure you list them side-by-side.

Have a play around with the order you want to discuss the ideas until you’re comfortable. Then, list them in order. Here’s my order for my Climate Change essay:

Each of these key ideas is going to turn into a paragraph or two (probably two) in the essay.

5. Write your topic Sentences in just 5 minutes. Here’s how.

All good essays have clear paragraphs that start with a topic sentence . To turn these brainstormed key points into an essay, you need to get that list you wrote in Step 5 and turn each point into a topic sentence for a paragraph.

It’s important that the first sentence of each paragraph clearly states the paragraph’s topic. Your marker is going to want to know exactly what your paragraph is about immediately. You don’t want your marker to wait until the 3 rd , 4 th or 5 th line of a paragraph before they figure out what you’re talking about in the paragraph.

So, you need to state what your key idea is in the first sentence of the paragraph.

Let’s have a go at turning each of our key ideas into a topic sentence:

6. Write a No-Pressure Essay Draft in just 3 Hours. Here’s how.

Okay, now the rubber hits the road. Let’s get writing!

When you write your first draft, don’t put pressure on yourself. Remind yourself that this is the first of several attempts at creating a great essay, so it doesn’t need to be perfect right away. The important thing is that you get words down on paper.

To write the draft, have a go at adding to each of your topic sentences to turn them into full paragraphs. Follow the information you wrote down in your notes and Mind-Map to get some great details down on paper.

Forget about the introduction and conclusion for now. You can write them last.

Let’s have a go at one together. I’m going to choose the paragraph on my key idea “Is climate change caused by humans?”

I’ve already got my first sentence and my brainstormed ideas. Let’s build on them to write a draft paragraph:

screenshot of a section of a mind map displaying key ideas for the essay

  • “Most scientists believe climate change is caused by humans. In fact, according to the IPCC, over 98% of climate change scientists accept the scientific data that climate change is caused by humans (IPCC, 2018). This figure is very high, signalling overwhelming expert consensus. This consensus holds that the emission of carbon from burning of fossil fuels in the 20 th Century is trapping heat into the atmosphere. However, a minority of dissenting scientists continue to claim that this carbon build-up is mostly the fault of natural forces such as volcanoes which emit enormous amounts of carbon into the atmosphere (Bier, 2013).”

Your turn – have a go at your own draft paragraphs based on your Mind-Map for your essay topic! If you hit a rut or have some trouble, don’t forget to check out our article on how to write perfect paragraphs .

Once you’ve written all your paragraphs, make sure you write an introduction and conclusion .

Gone over the word count? Check out our article on how to reduce your word count.

7. Edit your Draft Once every Few Days until Submission. Check out this simple approach:

Okay, hopefully after your three hour essay drafting session you’ve got all your words down on paper. Congratulations!

However, we’re not done yet.

The best students finish their drafts early on so they have a good three or four weeks to come back and re-read their draft and edit it every few days.

When coming back to edit your draft , here’s a few things to look out for:

  • Make sure all the paragraph and sentence structure makes sense. Feel free to change words around until things sound right. You might find that the first time you edit something it sounds great, but next time you realize it’s not as good as you thought. That’s why we do multiple rounds of edits over the course of a few weeks;
  • Check for spelling, grammar and punctuation errors;
  • Print out your draft and read it on paper. You notice more mistakes when you read a printed-out version;
  • Work on adding any more details and academic sources from online sources like Google Scholar to increase your chance of getting a top grade. Here’s our ultimate guide on finding scholarly sources online – it might be helpful for this step!

Before you go – Here’s the Actionable Essay Plan Tips Summed up for you

Phew! That essay was tough. But with this essay plan, you can get through any essay and do a stellar job! Essay planning is a great way to ensure your essays make sense, have a clear and compelling argument, and don’t go off-topic.

I never write an essay without one.

To sum up, here are the 7 steps to essay planning one more time:

The 7-Step Guide for How to Write an Essay Plan

Chris

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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Oxford Brookes University

Essay plans

An essay plan is a way to identify, select, and order the points you want to make in your essay. It helps you to work out your argument and your structure before writing, which should make the writing process more efficient and focussed. Sometimes essay plans are set as formative assignments so tutors can provide feedback before you write your full essay. 

Scroll down for our recommended strategies and resources. 

Enough detail for feedback

If you have an essay plan as an assignment, the main purpose is to give your lecturer enough information about your structure and main points so they can give you useful feedback. Follow any guidance you have been given, but usually an essay plan doesn’t have to be in full sentences; an outline structure of main points in a bullet point list, maybe with some further details of the evidence you will use or explanation under each point, is often enough. See these guides on how to do simple outline plans for an essay:

How to plan an essay (University of Newcastle)

Structuring the essay (Monash University)

Different ways of planning

Group similar ideas.

The aim of planning is to put down all your ideas and then to sort through them and order them. Look at where the ideas group together to see if any common themes start emerging, as these might form the paragraphs in your essay. See the video below for an example of how to group and order ideas in a plan.

Planning: General structure [video] (University of York)

Changes are normal - reverse outline

We rarely follow our essay plans exactly because our ideas develop as we write. If you don’t keep to your plan, it isn’t a sign of failure or a sign that planning doesn’t work. However, you may need to reflect on your planning process - are you over-planning and it takes too much time, or are your plans too vague and more detail would help? If you have strayed from your plan, a good strategy is to check the structure of your essay afterwards to make sure it all matches up. See the guide below on how to do a reverse outline as a useful part of your redrafting process.

Reverse outlines (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

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26 Terrific Essay Tools for Fast and Simple Writing

Our parents wrote essays with a pen on a sheet of paper. Our grandparents used dip pens. Today we print our writing pieces on laptops and computers and submit them via emails or cloud storage services. The world of college studies has turned upside down since everyone has got a personal computer. Could we imagine some ten years ago that we would type our homework on the cellphone?

But many students are not aware of how easy their life could be with essay writing tools. This article by Custom-Writing.org experts explores the best essay helper tools and resources for all stages of preparing an essay. Take your time to study these apps and instruments, and save sleepless hours later!

  • Thesis Generator
  • Essay Topic Generator
  • Compare to a Famous Writer
  • 🔧 Other Essay Tools 

1. ✍️ Essay Writing Tools by Custom-Writing.org

1.1. online summary generator.

This tool analyzes the patterns of any text, from a short story to a Ph.D. thesis . You can also summarize your own works to get perfect thesis statements and abstracts. The following benefits will win your heart!

  • This online summary generator does not just leave the most critical information. It provides you with a structured outline of your document.
  • If you summarize a long text, it will be divided into meaningful parts.
  • The summary contains a visible transition from general to specific information.
  • All the unnecessary information is deleted, saving your reading time.

1.2. Thesis Statement Generator

A thesis statement is the most challenging part of any essay. It is hard to condense 500 words into a single sentence. If it is an academic or research paper for several thousand words, the task becomes even more daunting. Complete the following steps and receive a perfect thesis statement in a second.

  • Enter the topic of your paper. Just as the statement, it bears the principal idea, but in a generalized form. The subject shall be concise and brief so as not to confuse the generator.
  • Enter your key findings . If they are yet to be discovered, provide the idea you expect to reach in conclusion.
  • Enter the counterargument . It is a statement that contradicts your main argument.

1.3. Essay Topic Generator

Sometimes instructors avoid giving an exact topic . They provide you with a subject matter or a problematic issue. An intriguing title is a part of such an assignment. If it is your case, an essay topic generator is there to accelerate your preparation work.

  • Enter your keyword. It works similarly to the Google search engine.
  • Press “Search topics.”
  • Look through the proposed ideas
  • If you need more topic ideas, press the button again. A new list will be shown.

1.4. Compare to a Famous Writer

If writing is your vocation and you are proud of your works, this tool will compare them to famous personalities’ writing style. It is an excellent tool for self-development. If you read the books by the author, you will find your strong and weak points.

  • Copy your text into the empty field.
  • Press “Compare my writing style.”
  • Read about the writer whose way of expressing their thoughts was similar to yours. The tool gives the names of their most notable works and a brief biography.

2. 🔧 Useful Online Essay Tools & Resources

2.1. essay tools to generate a topic.

Mindmapping tools and apps are designed for creative brainstorming. They help structure your thoughts and derive new ideas that are unlikely to cross your mind without the software. You can use them to generate topics for your essay assignments. Besides, if you struggle with the correct formulation, these tools will also be helpful.

2.2. Essay Tools to Organize Your Work

If you do not start an academic paper with a clear structure, you will have to struggle with it the night before the deadline. Believe us, it takes less time and effort before the work is written, and the result is many times better! Multiple sources require a concise arrangement of your arguments, statements, and evidence. These tools can make this work engaging and painless.

2.3. Essay Tools for Research

There is no need to spend days and nights at the local library since the Internet age provides access to almost any library worldwide. Besides, modern science is developing so rapidly that traditional libraries merely have no chance to beat the World Wide Web. Review the following tools that can accelerate any research.

2.4. Essay Tools for Checking Grammar

If you’re like many students, you have probably thought, “I wonder how to make my sentences better.” And the answer is grammar! In fact, the main reason why students get low grades is poor grammar.

Although you can find a lot of materials on the most common mistakes in academic writing, another way to improve the quality of your text is to use a grammar-checking service. Such help with essay writing will allow you to make huge progress in proofreading .

2.5. Plagiarism Checkers

If you hand in a paper with poor grammar, you’ll get a low grade. But what if your paper isn’t original? The worst—you could be expelled.

It’s important to know how to rewrite a sentence to make it original. That’s why you should use synonyms more often and find some paraphrasing word generators. But, first of all—use a plagiarism detection tool.

2.6. Essay Tools for Editing Your Paper

When the writing part is over, you still have a lot of important things to do. Most of them can be united in a category called “Editing.”

Every publishing company has its own editors. Why? Because proofreading is difficult and time-consuming, and when writing a thesis , essay, or report , you have to do it all on your own. That’s why you may need an essay writing tool.

2.7. Essay Tools for Making References

References are the last thing you need to complete a paper. But for thousands of students, this last step turns out to be a challenging, time-consuming, and frustrating task.

Why? Because every college or university insists on a specific citation style , such as MLA, APA, Chicago, and so on. Citing text online is easier than formatting it on your own. That’s why we found some useful tools to help you with this final to-do.

Now you’re ready to create an essay that your readers will adore. With the help of these essay tools, writing will become a pleasant and interesting hobby.

Which of these tools do you like the most? Leave a comment below!

🔗 References

  • 21 Online Tools and Resources For Academic Essay Writing: Livehack
  • Top 5 Best Plagiarism Checking Tools In 2019: Tech Times
  • What is the best plagiarism checker tool? Quora
  • 13 Best Text Editors to Speed up Your Workflow: Kinsta
  • Outlining: Harvard College Writing Center
  • Writing a Paper: Outlining (Walden University)
  • 10 Simple Productivity Tips for Organizing Your Work Life: Entrepreneur
  • Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper: Academic Writing Style (USC Libraries)
  • Academic Writing: Purdue OWL
  • Fiction v nonfiction – English literature’s made-up divide (The Guardian)
  • Revising & Editing a Research Paper: Excelsior OWL
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These are some amazing tools, I am gonna use some of them and one more app on my list is Paraphraser: Reword your text, it is also a great android tool for students

Useful article!

Great article!!

Awesome article.

Hi Daisy, Such an enormous and completely great article! Much appreciate!

What are you writing about today?

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Here you will find research, news and articles on studying, neurodiversity and essay writing .

Overcoming Writer’s Block: Using Essay Writer to Jumpstart Your Creativity

Overcoming Writer’s Block: Using Essay Writer to Jumpstart Your Creativity

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Mind Mapping: Your Secret Weapon for Essay Writing Preparation

Mind Mapping: Your Secret Weapon for Essay Writing Preparation

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Essay Writer Champions… Volunteers Week

Essay Writer Champions… Volunteers Week

Every year Volunteers Week takes place in the first week of June and they follow a theme to promote awareness towards a...

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COMMENTS

  1. Best Essay Writing Software: 16 Apps That Can Help You Write Perfect Essays

    ProWritingAid refines your writing by checking important elements of your writing such as ambiguous sentences, grammar, transitions, abstract words, overused words, etc. Over time, you start to notice improvements in your writing, especially the way it flows. Pricing: Free and Paid. Monthly - $20. Yearly - $79.

  2. Essay Mapping Tool

    Analyse the task → Gather content → Plan → Draft → Edit. This tool may help you to bridge from planning to drafting by helping you arrange your sentences in a logical order. It also provides tips for each component of an essay - the introduction, body, and conclusion. It can be used to improve your understanding of essay writing in ...

  3. Scribbr

    Whether we're proofreading and editing, checking for plagiarism or AI content, generating citations, or writing useful Knowledge Base articles, our aim is to support students on their journey to become better academic writers. We believe that every student should have the right tools for academic success.

  4. How to plan an essay: Essay Planning

    Essay planning is an important step in academic essay writing. Proper planning helps you write your essay faster, and focus more on the exact question. As you draft and write your essay, record any changes on the plan as well as in the essay itself, so they develop side by side. One way to start planning an essay is with a 'box plan'.

  5. 7 Best Essay Writing Apps For Students And Academics

    3. Hemingway. Pricing: The web application is free, but the desktop version is $20. Hemingway is known as a tool that can help you improve your readability score, but it is also a comprehensive proofreading tool. Hemingway can point out sentences that are too complex for readers, helping you streamline your thoughts.

  6. Best Essay Writing Apps for Students

    Top Essay Writing Apps. With a plethora of essay apps to choose from, catering to various needs like note-taking, planning, and grammar checking, selecting the perfect app can be overwhelming. To simplify your decision-making process, we have curated a comprehensive list of the best essay apps for you. EssayPro App

  7. Essayist

    Essayist is an app designed with simplicity in mind. The team behind this application has eliminated the burden of the "essay criteria." In its stead, we have a clear and perfectly structured canvas on which to begin writing without distractions. Upon purchase - which is worth every penny, you're prompted to choose your citation of choice.

  8. Best Essay Writing Software

    The best free essay writing tools you should have are ProWritingAid and FreeMind. The former is editing software that offers spelling, grammar, and style correction, while the latter helps you brainstorm your next essay. These two software programs are completely free. Use FreeMind to plan your next essay.

  9. 62 Essay Writing Apps in 2024

    Writer Plus. Writer Plus is a writing application without the fuss and distraction of a traditional word processor, perfect for writing notes, novel, lyrics, poems, essay, draft on your phone or tablet. Platforms: Android. Best for: Note-taking, Poetry, Story, Essay, and Free.

  10. Top 10 Essay Writing Tools in 2023

    5. Grammarly. Grammarly is one of the best essay editing tools, offering users a choice between American and British English. Its A.I. helps you find problems with spelling, punctuation, grammar, and style to help you write better essays.

  11. The 23 Best Writing Tools of 2024: A Guide for Writers

    5. Milanote. Cost: Free for basic plan or $12.50/month for premium. Milanote is an easy-to-use creative writing app to organize your research, ideas, characters and outline in one place. The vast majority of novelist-oriented writing software is organized around the idea of a linear document.

  12. Best free writing app of 2024

    Best with internet connection. Google Docs is a great free writing platform for any writer. It's an extremely clean, quick word processor available in the browser, on desktop, and phone and ...

  13. 20 Best Academic Writing Software in 2024

    1. Microsoft Word: Write Like a Pro. Microsoft Word is a popular word-processing program used for writing an essay, a dissertation, or other written academic requirements. It's a 1983 Microsoft Office application and is a widely-used office program. Its integration with Office 365 and Microsoft OneDrive makes it versatile and allows for collaboration among students and professors.

  14. Novlr: the creative writing workspace designed with your writing goals

    Built by writers, for writers, Novlr is the world's only writer-owned creative writing platform. Join a community with writers and their goals at the heart of everything we do. Write for free. At Sea. There we saw them. In the clouds, as the clouds, as if the sky were a mirror for the ocean we sailed through.

  15. Essay

    Essay helps you move beyond the fear of the blank page so you can finally put your ideas down on paper. Then, it helps you move them around and change them, word by word, sentence by sentence, and paragraph by paragraph, rejecting what doesn't work and keeping what's great. In the end, what you're left with is your incredible ideas, powerfully ...

  16. Free writing software: 24 tools to help you create content

    ChatGPT is the best free option—and the one you know and love—or you can check out even more GPT-powered writing apps in Zapier's list of the best AI writing generators . You can also combine GPT with Zapier to send ideas to your favorite project management tool. ChatGPT pricing: Free; ChatGPT Plus is $20/month.

  17. 7 Steps for Writing an Essay Plan (2024)

    The 7-Step Guide on How to write an Essay Plan. Figure out your Essay Topic (5 minutes) Gather your Sources and take Quick Notes (20 minutes) Brainstorm using a Mind-Map (10 minutes) Arrange your Topics (2 minutes) Write your topic Sentences (5 minutes) Write a No-Pressure Draft in 3 Hours (3 hours)

  18. Essay plans

    Essay plans. An essay plan is a way to identify, select, and order the points you want to make in your essay. It helps you to work out your argument and your structure before writing, which should make the writing process more efficient and focussed. Sometimes essay plans are set as formative assignments so tutors can provide feedback before ...

  19. Free AI Writing Resources

    Generate three possible research questions for an argumentative high school essay on the following topic: "The long-term impact of the Covid-19 pandemic." Brainstorm topic ideas. Generate 10 questions to help me brainstorm topics for my college admission essay. Quiz yourself. I'm learning about [insert topic here]. Please create a ...

  20. 26 Terrific Essay Writing Tools: Fast, Simple, and Free

    2. 🔧 Useful Online Essay Tools & Resources 2.1. Essay Tools to Generate a Topic. Mindmapping tools and apps are designed for creative brainstorming. They help structure your thoughts and derive new ideas that are unlikely to cross your mind without the software. You can use them to generate topics for your essay assignments. Besides, if you ...

  21. EssayGenius

    EssayGenius uses cutting-edge AI to help you write your essays like never before. Generate ideas, rephrase sentences, and have your essay structure built for you. EssayGenius lets you write better essays, in less time. Our AI tools help you generate new paragraphs, complete sentences, and rephrase your work to avoid plagiarism.

  22. Essay Writer

    Essay Writer is a writing tool for students, which is designed to improve organising and writing skills; ... The split screen view allows students to visualise how their essays will look and use maps to plan and structure simultaneously whilst developing their writing skills. h.