If you’re looking for the best writing apps for Android, we’ve hunted far and wide to find the top ones so you can capture your ideas on the go.
As most writers are aware, you never know when inspiration is going to strike. And you need to have something by your side to capture those ideas before they leave your mind.
That’s where writing apps for Android can come in handy. With apps, you’re able to open up your device and get to writing immediately.
With Android writing apps in particular, you’re able to use them on either a tablet or a phone, depending on what kind of device you choose to carry with you. This article outlined writing apps for Android that should work on both Android tablets and phones so you have plenty of writing options on the go.
We’ll go through some of the best writing apps for Android we have found out there so you can pick the one (or multiple ones) that are right for you.
Note: If you’re looking for book formatting software in particular, we have a separate guide for you.
The 14 Best Writing Apps for Android
Keep in mind, as we go through these different apps, you’ll need to think about where you are in your writing career.
Some questions you should take the time to answer:
- Do you need collaborators?
- Is there an editor who needs to look at your work next?
- Do you need professional writing software?
- Do you mainly just need to write ideas and have simple tools on the go?
- Do you need something that can handle bookmarks and images?
- Do you need it to be accessible offline?
Answering these questions can save you a lot of time ahead by picking the better fit for you right off the bat.
The last thing you want is to download a writing app, start writing in it all the time, and then realize you need to move all of your work to another app because it doesn’t have what you need.
Let’s go through each of the available options and the best Android apps for writers.
1. Google Docs
Google Docs is one of the best writing apps for Android. It’s also one of the most popular tools of all time for writers.
As a product from Google, it is stable and has an offline mode if needed. That way, you can write on the go without losing your hard work.
If you haven’t used Google Docs before, you can know it’s similar to Microsoft Word except with the power and speed of Google and behind it.
One of the top reasons to use this as one of your writing apps for Android is its ability to collaborate. If you’re a solo writer, this might not matter. However, if you work with an editor or team, it’s the easiest way to give people access.
Another great feature of Google Docs is its ability to auto-save (if you’re connected to the internet). Most of us know the feeling of accidentally closing something and losing all of our work. With Google Docs, you don’t need to worry about that.
Features:
- Free to use
- Compatible on almost any device
- Different ways to format your writing
- Export in a wide variety of formats
- Templates to use
- Easy to use for collaborating
2. Grammarly
While Grammarly won’t help you write, it will help keep your writing sharp and error-free.
Grammarly helps spot errors in your writing from typos to word suggestions to make your writing stronger. It might be a good idea to have it check your work for any obvious errors, especially if you’re nearing the time of a final draft or sending a pitch to a publisher.
This app is a keyboard that you install into your device that allows you to write anywhere but still get writing tips.
Features:
- Grammar checking
- Word suggestions
- Free option but paid plans for more extensive features
3. Evernote
Evernote is one of the most well-known writing apps for Android. It offers a wide variety of writing and embedding options. The folder system inside Evernote can help you keep similar notes together. You can also use their tags for a similar reason.
Evernote is an app that has been around for quite some time, so you don’t need to worry about the app crashing or glitching.
Evernote gives you the ability to create multiple notes, do simple formatting tweaks, and write quickly on the go. You can also embed and insert various forms of media into notes so you can pull in all of the research, pictures, videos, and so on that you could possibly need.
Features:
- Writing on the go
- The ability to capture not just notes but videos, pictures, web clippings, etc
- Easy organization for all of your ideas
- The ability to tag notes
4. LivingWriter
LivingWriter is an app that lets you write and organize your book all within one easy-to-use application. It’s a visually pleasing app that doesn’t offer an overwhelming amount of features. Instead, it just gives you exactly what you need to get down to writing.
This app helps you quickly and easily organize your book. You can simply drag and drop different chapters and elements around to format your writing just the way you want. With other writing tools, you need to manually move it around or copy and paste it where you want it to be.
LivingWriter also stores your story elements and lets you bring them up as you type, that way you never forget a character or a name.
On top of those features, it also can import famous story outlines, such as the Hero’s Journey, for you to use as a guide to your book’s outline. You can also set your own writing goals so you can stay on track with your deadlines, making this one of the best writing apps for Android.
Features:
- Visually-pleasing app
- Lets you drag and drop chapters around for easy editing
- The ability to store characters so you don’t forget names
- See your book in different formats
- Dark mode available
- Cloud-based so you don’t lose your work if you lose your device
5. JotterPad
JotterPad is another excellent writing app for Android. It lets you open up the app and immediately start writing without needing to format each individual part.
Recently, they have been working hard on speed performance as well. It used to take a bit to open large files, but now in the v14 release, it just takes a few seconds.
JotterPad is also partnered with Unsplash so you can search through thousands of images to pair with your writing.
Once you have your writing done, JotterPad has the export options of word, Markdown, PDF, and HTML. That way, you can easily export, print, and edit your work or send it to someone.
Features:
- Supports Markdown and Fountain syntax
- Plain text and rich text options
- Character and word counter
- Upload images quickly from Unsplash
6. Markor
If you want writing apps for Android that truly bring it down to the basics, Markor is exactly what you need. It’s a simple editor without any editing UI.
By using simple markup formats, all you need to do is open up Markor, create a note, and get to writing. It also supports offline mode mode so you can write wherever you need to, even without any internet connection.
With a common filesystem folder organization, you can quickly find the drafts you want without having to hunt them down.
Along with easy writing abilities, there is also the option of putting in to-do’s and bookmarks so you can keep all of your reference files, notes, and more in one place, making it one of the best writing apps for Android.
Features:
- Simple, easy-to-use writing app
- Works offline
- Compatible with other plaintext software
- Share your writing as HTML or PDF
- Auto-save so you don’t lose your writing
- No ads
7. Novelist
If you are looking for writing apps for Android that are specifically for novels and short stories, Novelist fits the bill. The app has a convenient timeline feature and an innovative interface that makes it very simple to use. Best yet, this is one of the Android writing apps that is absolutely free.
Features:
- Simple and intuitive interface
- Distraction-free writing environment
- Organize writing into chapters and scenes
- Word count tracking
- Basic formatting options (bold, italics, etc.)
- Export to various formats (PDF, DOCX, TXT)
- Cloud sync for easy access across devices
- Dark mode for comfortable writing in low-light conditions
8. Notepad
If you are hoping to write on your phone, Notepad is another of the simple writing apps for Android. It has a minimalist dashboard and it protects your data, so you don’t need to worry about plagiarism or leaks of sensitive information. It also allows you to add images and other files to your notes.
Just like Google Docs, Notepad will auto-save your content, so you don’t have to worry about losing any pieces of your writing.
Features:
- Simple and easy-to-use interface
- Basic formatting options (bold, italics, etc.)
- Quick note-taking capability
- Ability to create multiple notes
- No distractions or unnecessary features
9. Scrittor
Scrittor is one of the best writing apps for Android. It has an intuitive user interface and a minimalist, dark background to keep your notes easy on the eyes and free from distractions.
Scrittor doesn’t have some of the capabilities of other writing apps for Android on this list, so it’s best if you just want to do some light note-taking.
Features:
- Minimalist design for distraction-free writing
- Clean and intuitive interface
- Basic formatting options (bold, italics, etc.)
- Word count tracking
- Auto-save and version history
- Export to various formats (TXT, PDF)
- Dark mode for comfortable writing in low-light conditions
- Support for Markdown formatting
10. Black Note
Black Note is another of the writing apps for Android that is great for taking quick notes. As its name suggests, it is a note-taking tool that has a dark mode.
Using Black Note, you can create plain text content, make a task list, or easily organize your notes. You can even password-protect your content so that no one can steal your next big book idea.
Features:
- Dark mode for reduced eye strain
- Distraction-free writing environment
- Customizable fonts and colors
- Markdown support for easy formatting
- Auto-save and version history
- Cloud sync for seamless access on multiple devices
- Word count tracking
- Export to various formats (PDF, TXT, HTML)
11. Writer Plus
If you’re looking for writing apps for Android, Writer Plus is a wonderful option. Google Play. It is a simple writing and editing app that allows you to open, edit, and save plain text files. It has plenty of text formatting tools to help you in your writing journey.
Some other great features of Writer Plus are word and character counting, customizing application styles, and the ability to share files with others. With all these capabilities, you will be excited to hear that Writer Plus is another of the free writing apps for Android users.
Features:
- Rich text editing with formatting options
- Markdown support for easy formatting
- Word count tracking
- Dark mode for comfortable writing in low-light conditions
- Cloud sync for seamless access on multiple devices
- Customizable themes and fonts
- Focus mode to minimize distractions
- Integration with cloud storage services
12. Google Keep
Google Keep is one of the most helpful writing apps for Android users. You can use it to take notes, capture images, create to-do lists, and even record audio memos.
Google Keep also has the capability to turn your audio notes (or even full audiobooks) into text, which is a huge bonus. You can speak your notes in the car or in the shower and still catch all the important information for your book.
Features:
- Simple and intuitive interface
- Support for text notes, checklists, and voice notes
- Color-coded notes for easy organization
- Reminders and notifications for important notes
- Integration with Google Drive for cloud storage
- Collaboration features for sharing and editing notes
- Cross-platform sync for access on multiple devices
13. iA Writer
iA Writer is one of the most powerful writing apps for Android users. It has a lot of amazing features to help you write on your phone. One of our favorites is its focus mode, which turns off push notifications on your other apps so you can write without distractions.
iA Writer can also help with grammar errors and improper word choice, and can even support HTML code!
Features:
- Focus mode to highlight the current sentence
- Distraction-free writing environment
- Markdown support for easy formatting
- Customizable fonts and themes
- Reading time and word count goals
- Seamless integration with other devices
- Export to various formats (PDF, DOCX, HTML)
- Syntax highlighting for Markdown and code blocks
14. Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word is one of the OG writing apps, but it’s still one of the top writing apps for Android. The mobile version still has all the key features of the desktop version you’re used to, and it allows you to open, edit, and share files directly with others.
You also get online storage through OneDrive so you can save important documents in the cloud.
Features:
- Full-featured word processor
- Wide range of formatting options (fonts, styles, etc.)
- Track changes and comments for collaboration
- Integration with other Microsoft Office apps
- Cloud storage support (OneDrive, Dropbox, etc.)
- Templates for various document types
- Spell check and grammar correction
- Support for tables, charts, and images
- Easy sharing and collaboration options
Put These Android Writing Apps to Use!
Now that you know the top writing apps for Android, it’s time to make good use of them to write your next novel or memoir. If you need help with writing, editing, book marketing, or even how to self-publish a book, the team at selfpublishing.com is here to help. You can book a free strategy call with our team today to get started.