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Productivity · head to head

iA Writer vs Time Doctor

iA Writer logo

iA Writer

Productivity

Distraction-free markdown writer with powerful focus mode

From
$4.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Time Doctor logo

Time Doctor

Productivity

Employee time tracking and productivity monitoring

From
$4/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: iA Writer licences are per platform rather than per person, at $49.99 for Mac, $49.99 for iPhone and iPad and $29.99 for Windows; Time Doctor historical tracking data retention is capped by plan: 3 months on Basic and 6 months on Standard, versus 2 years on Premium and Enterprise
  • They diverge on capability: iA Writer covers Distraction-free writing, Time Doctor covers Time tracking with timer.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which iA Writer and Time Doctor actually diverge.

Attributes where iA Writer and Time Doctor differ
AttributeiA WriterTime Doctor
Starting price$4.99/month$4/month
PlatformsMacOS, IOS, IPadOS, Android, WebWeb, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows
Founded20082011

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), 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 Time Doctor

  • Time tracking with timer
  • Activity monitoring
  • Screenshots
  • GPS tracking
  • Webcam monitoring
  • Reports and invoicing
  • Mobile apps
  • Team management

What people use each for

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

iA Writer

  • Distraction free markdown writing on desktop and mobilenot Time Doctor
  • Drafting and exporting long form text with focus modenot Time Doctor

Time Doctor

  • Productivitynot iA Writer
  • Collaborationnot iA Writer
  • Task managementnot iA Writer
  • Organizationnot iA Writer

Where each one falls short

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

iA Writer

  • Licences are per platform rather than per person, at $49.99 for Mac, $49.99 for iPhone and iPad and $29.99 for Windows
  • Writing on a Mac and a PC therefore means buying the software twice

Time Doctor

  • Historical tracking data retention is capped by plan: 3 months on Basic and 6 months on Standard, versus 2 years on Premium and Enterprise
  • HRIS and Payroll native integrations are paid add-ons at $200 per integration per month
  • Software Cost Insights add-on costs $3 per user per month on top of the base plan

Pricing, plan by plan

iA Writer

$4.99/month
  • Monthly$4.99/month
    • All platforms
    • Sync
    • All features
  • Annual$39.99/year
    • All platforms
    • Sync
    • All features

Time Doctor

$4/month
  • Basic$4/month
    • Time tracking
    • Reports
    • Mobile apps
  • Standard$6/month
    • Everything in Basic
    • Activity monitoring
    • Screenshots
  • Premium$10/month
    • Everything in Standard
    • GPS tracking
    • Webcam snapshots

Which should you pick?

Choose iA Writer if

  • You need distraction-free writing.
  • You work on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want markdown editing.
iA Writer review

Choose Time Doctor if

  • You need time tracking with timer.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows.
  • You also want activity monitoring.
Time Doctor review

Questions people ask

Is iA Writer or Time Doctor better?
Neither clearly leads. iA Writer starts at $4.99/month and Time Doctor at $4/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, iA Writer or Time Doctor?
iA Writer starts at $4.99/month and Time Doctor at $4/month.
Does iA Writer or Time Doctor run on more platforms?
iA Writer runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS, Android, Web. Time Doctor runs on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows.
What is iA Writer best used for?
iA Writer is most often used for distraction free markdown writing on desktop and mobile, drafting and exporting long form text with focus mode. Of those, distraction free markdown writing on desktop and mobile and drafting and exporting long form text with focus mode are not what Time Doctor is typically brought in for.
What can iA Writer do that Time Doctor cannot?
iA Writer covers Distraction-free writing, Markdown editing, Syntax highlighting, Dark and light themes. Time Doctor covers Time tracking with timer, Activity monitoring, Screenshots, GPS tracking.
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