What are the best subscription-free writing & notes apps for Mac?

By community activity, Pages, MarkEdit and Typora are the top picks on Mac App Index right now.

Do any of these writing & notes apps need a subscription?

No. Every app on this page is either free (6) or sold for a one-time price (3). Major version upgrades may still be paid separately.

How many subscription-free writing & notes apps are there for Mac?

Mac App Index lists 9 apps: 6 completely free, 0 free to start, 3 paid upfront and 0 by subscription. 4 are open source.

Subscription-free writing & notes apps for Mac

How we picked: every app here is listed in writing & notes on Mac App Index and is free or sold for a one-time price, with no recurring fee. Apps are sorted by community activity; switch to Top or New to reorder them. How we rank apps

Frequently asked questions

What are the best subscription-free writing & notes apps for Mac?: By community activity, Pages, MarkEdit and Typora are the top picks on Mac App Index right now.
Do any of these writing & notes apps need a subscription?: No. Every app on this page is either free (6) or sold for a one-time price (3). Major version upgrades may still be paid separately.
How many subscription-free writing & notes apps are there for Mac?: Mac App Index lists 9 apps: 6 completely free, 0 free to start, 3 paid upfront and 0 by subscription. 4 are open source.