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Productivity · head to head

iA Writer vs Milanote

iA Writer logo

iA Writer

Productivity

Distraction-free markdown writer with powerful focus mode

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Milanote logo

Milanote

Productivity

Board-based visual workspace for creative planning, free up to 100 items for the whole account

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: iA Writer pricing varies by platform: Windows $29.99 while Mac/iPhone/iPad cost $49.99, creating $20 premium for Apple platforms; Milanote the free plan caps the entire account at 100 notes, images or links and 10 file uploads rather than capping per board, so one properly worked project exhausts it and the tool stops working rather than degrading gracefully.
  • They diverge on capability: iA Writer covers Distraction-free writing, Milanote covers Infinite board canvas.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which iA Writer and Milanote actually diverge.

Attributes where iA Writer and Milanote differ
AttributeiA WriterMilanote
Pricing modelone-timefreemium
PlatformsMacOS, IOS, IPadOS, Android, WebWeb
Founded2008Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Productivity).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in iA Writer

  • Distraction-free writing
  • Markdown editing
  • Syntax highlighting
  • Dark and light themes
  • Cross-platform sync
  • Typewriter mode
  • Focus mode
  • Statistics

Only in Milanote

  • Infinite board canvas
  • Mixed content
  • Nested boards
  • Templates
  • Web clipper
  • Shared boards with comments
  • Mobile apps
  • Free plan

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

iA Writer

  • Distraction-free writing and note-taking applicationnot Milanote
  • Markdown document creation and editingnot Milanote
  • Cross-platform writing with iPad, iPhone, Mac, and Windows supportnot Milanote

Milanote

  • Moodboards and visual references for a branding or design project, gathered from the web and arranged for a client review.not iA Writer
  • Storyboarding a video or planning a shoot, where the whole sequence needs to be visible at once.not iA Writer
  • Structuring a book, script or long article by physically moving sections around until the order works.not iA Writer
  • A shared board where a small creative team reacts to work in progress without the overhead of a project tool.not iA Writer

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

iA Writer

  • Pricing varies by platform: Windows $29.99 while Mac/iPhone/iPad cost $49.99, creating $20 premium for Apple platforms
  • One-time purchase model means major version updates may require additional payment beyond initial purchase
  • Update schedule uncertain, making it unclear when new versions become available and whether paid upgrades will be required

Milanote

  • The free plan caps the entire account at 100 notes, images or links and 10 file uploads rather than capping per board, so one properly worked project exhausts it and the tool stops working rather than degrading gracefully.
  • The value of a board is its arrangement, and arrangement is the one thing export does not carry, so a PDF gives you a picture and a text export gives you the words while nothing reconstitutes the board in another tool.
  • Pricing is per person and the tool spreads naturally to reviewers and clients who only look and comment, so a team plan ends up covering people who never create anything.
  • There is no database layer, no properties, no filtering and no dependency tracking, so a project that starts on a Milanote board has to be re-entered somewhere else the moment it acquires owners and dates.
  • Offline support is minimal, so a board full of references is effectively unavailable without a connection, which is a real problem for a tool aimed at people who work on location and in meetings away from a desk.

Pricing, plan by plan

iA Writer

Free
  • Free TrialFree
    • 7-day free trial
    • Mac and Windows
    • No credit card required
  • Windows$29.99/one-time
    • One-time purchase
    • Own it forever
    • No subscription fees
  • Mac$49.99/one-time
    • One-time purchase
    • Own it forever
    • No subscription fees
  • iPhone & iPad$49.99/one-time
    • One-time purchase via App Store
    • Own it forever
    • No subscription fees

Milanote

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 100 notes, images or links
    • 10 file uploads
    • Unlimited shared boards
  • Individual$9.99/month
    • Unlimited notes, images or links
    • Unlimited file uploads
    • Unlimited shared boards
  • Team$49/month
    • Unlimited notes, images or links
    • Unlimited file uploads
    • Unlimited shared boards

Which should you pick?

Choose iA Writer if

  • You need distraction-free writing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want markdown editing.
iA Writer review

Choose Milanote if

  • You need infinite board canvas.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want mixed content.
Milanote review

Questions people ask

Is iA Writer or Milanote better?
Neither clearly leads. iA Writer starts at Free and Milanote at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, iA Writer or Milanote?
iA Writer starts at Free and Milanote at Free.
Does iA Writer or Milanote run on more platforms?
iA Writer runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS, Android, Web. Milanote runs on Web.
Can I use iA Writer for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is iA Writer best used for?
iA Writer is most often used for distraction-free writing and note-taking application, markdown document creation and editing, cross-platform writing with ipad, iphone, mac, and windows support. Of those, distraction-free writing and note-taking application and markdown document creation and editing are not what Milanote is typically brought in for.
What can iA Writer do that Milanote cannot?
iA Writer covers Distraction-free writing, Markdown editing, Syntax highlighting, Dark and light themes. Milanote covers Infinite board canvas, Mixed content, Nested boards, Templates.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

iA Writer: How much does iA Writer cost?

iA Writer costs $29.99 one-time for Windows, $49.99 one-time for Mac, and $49.99 one-time for iPhone & iPad. A 7-day free trial is available with no credit card required.

Source
Milanote: How long does the free plan last?

Indefinitely. It is limited by quantity rather than by time: 100 notes, images or links and 10 file uploads for the account as a whole, so it ends when you hit the cap rather than on a date.

iA Writer: What is iA Writer's licensing model?

iA Writer uses a one-time purchase model where customers pay once per platform and own the software forever with no subscription required, though major updates may require additional payment.

Source
Milanote: Can I export a board?

You can produce PDFs and images of a board and extract the text, but the spatial arrangement is not portable, so nothing you export reconstructs the board in another tool.

iA Writer: Do minor updates cost extra for iA Writer?

Minor updates are included with the one-time purchase, while major updates may require additional payment. The update schedule is uncertain.

Source
Milanote: Is it a project management tool?

No. There are no dates, dependencies or workload views. It suits the thinking phase, and the work has to be handed to a tracker once it becomes a plan.

iA Writer: Are there educational discounts for iA Writer?

Educational customers receive a 20% discount on Mac and Windows purchases made directly from iA, equaling approximately $39.99 for Mac and $23.99 for Windows.

Source
Milanote: Do collaborators need paid accounts?

Shared boards are unlimited even on the free plan, and the paid question is about who creates rather than who looks. Confirm the current plan terms before rolling it out to a client's team.

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