10 Best Writing Tools for Designers (Free & Paid)
With so many options available, how do you choose what's best for you? I drowned in countless apps and software when I started working on my writing journey.
I tried everything — some worked, some didn’t, but the search for the perfect writing companion felt endless.
As a designer and co-founder of Inkbot Design, I've learned something about honing in on the right tools that boost productivity and enhance creativity.
Let's dive in!
The Criteria for Choosing the Best Writing Tools
When selecting top writing tools, you want to consider several key factors. These aren’t just your run-of-the-mill checklist items but are essential for ensuring the tool aligns with your writing style, workflow, and personal preferences. Here’s what to keep in mind:
- User-Friendliness: The tool should have an intuitive interface. If you spend more time learning how to use it rather than writing, it’s not the right fit. A simple, clean layout reduces distractions and lets you focus on your words.
- Features: Consider what features you need. Do you require grammar checks, style suggestions, or a distraction-free mode? Each tool has unique features; determining what's most important to you can save time and frustration.
- Collaboration Capabilities: If you’re a part of a team (as I often am at Inkbot), look for tools that make it easy to share your work and receive feedback. Features like comments, track changes, and multi-user access can make a difference.
- Cross-Platform Availability: Whether you're on a desktop, tablet, or smartphone, consistency across devices is crucial. You should be able to access your work anywhere and anytime. Cloud integration can also help prevent lost progress.
- Customisation Options: Personalisation can boost your motivation and creativity. Look for tools for custom templates, font choices, or formatting. Sometimes, all it takes is a fresh layout to spark new ideas!
- Price: Finally, let’s talk about the cost. Many writing tools offer limited free versions, while others operate on a subscription model. Evaluate whether the features offered justify the price. Free trials can help, but don’t let ‘free’ blind you—sometimes, you get what you pay for.
Balancing Your Needs
As you weigh these criteria, it’s essential to understand your writing style and needs. Are you a creative writer pouring your soul onto the page or drafting meticulous reports?
Here are a few bonus questions to contemplate as you decide:
- Do you tend to brainstorm, or do you prefer structured writing processes?
- What type of writing do you value most (e.g. grammar, style, creativity)?
- Are you working solo or collaborating with others regularly?
Taking the time to assess your style can lead to a happier, more productive writing experience.
Existing Options in the Market
Now that you know about choosing tools, let’s look at some options available today. Here’s a table summarising some popular tools and how they fit the criteria mentioned:
Tool | User-Friendly | Collaboration | Customisation | Price |
Grammarly | Yes | Limited | No | Free/Premium |
Hemingway Editor | Yes | No | No | $19.99 |
ProWritingAid | Moderately | Yes | Yes | Free/Premium |
Google Docs | Yes | Yes | Yes | Free |
Notion | Yes | Yes | Yes | Free/Premium |
Bear | Yes | No | Limited | $14.99/year |
IA Writer | Yes | No | No | $29.99 |
Jasper (formerly Jarvis) | No | No | No | $29/month |
Evernote | Yes | Yes | Yes | Free/Premium |
Trello | Yes | Yes | No | Free/Premium |
Depending on your specific needs, some of these tools can help you elevate your writing — but be sure to test a few out before settling!
Top 10 Writing Tools for Designers in 2025
Now that you've got an arsenal of criteria to find the perfect writing tool let’s dive into the top 10 writing tools poised to be essential for designers in 2025.
These tools have been carefully selected to contribute to your writing squad and design process. They combine functionality with creativity and trust me, you’ll want to have them in your toolkit.
1 – Grammarly

Ah, Grammarly — the go-to grammar checker. This tool is like having a grammar guru perched on your shoulder, nudging you back on track every time you stray into the land of awkward phrasing or misplaced commas.
Key Features:
- Real-Time Grammar Checks: Grammarly highlights errors as you write.
- Style Suggestions: It suggests improvements to tone, clarity, and engagement.
- Browser Integration: Use it across various platforms, not just on its website.
Why Designers Love It: Maintaining professionalism in the text is vital for designers crafting client reports or website content. Grammarly ensures your writing flows smoothly, allowing you to focus on your design work without worrying about typos.
Personal Anecdote: While drafting a pitch for a client, I nearly sent a poorly worded email one day. Thanks to Grammarly catching that awkward phrasing, I presented a polished proposal. It’s these little saves that can make a big difference!
2 – Hemingway Editor

Enter the Hemingway Editor, a fantastic tool for clear and concise writing. This is your lifesaver if you are often lost in complex sentences or jargon.
Key Features:
- Readability Scoring: Rates your writing on a grade level.
- Highlighting Complex Sentences: Works to simplify your prose by flagging sentences that are too complex or passive.
- Minimalist Interface: Focus on your writing without distractions.
Why Designers Love It: Designers must communicate their ideas effectively, and the Hemingway Editor encourages simplicity. It's a perfect fit for those who often juggle visual and written content, ensuring the latter is easy to understand.
Tip: Use Hemingway Editor before presenting concepts to clients; it’ll ensure your ideas come across clearly.
3 – ProWritingAid

If you're looking for a thorough writing companion, ProWritingAid should tick all your boxes.
Key Features:
- In-Depth Reports: Offers over 20 different reports analysing your writing style.
- Plagiarism Checker: Helps you maintain originality.
- Integrations: Works with Google Docs, Microsoft Word, and Scrivener, among others.
Why Designers Love It: ProWritingAid’s wealth of features offers a deep dive into your work, perfect for creating informative content for design blogs or portfolios. You can even track your writing progress over time!
Personal Experience: When drafting an extensive blog post for Inkbot about design trends, ProWritingAid helped me improve my writing style significantly. The insights it provided on readability and structure transformed that post from decent to great!
4 – Google Docs

You can't go wrong with Google Docs. It’s a cloud-based tool that many can’t live without.
Key Features:
- Real-Time Collaboration: Allows multiple users to edit simultaneously.
- Commenting Functions: Great for receiving and giving feedback effectively.
- Accessibility: Access your documents from any device.
Why Designers Love It: The collaborative features make it ideal for team designers. Whether it’s feedback from a teammate or writing a joint project, Google Docs keeps everyone on the same page.
Quick Tip: Always keep a backup on your device — tech can fail us when we least expect it!
5 – Notion

Notion is often thought of as a project management tool, but it has excellent writing capabilities, too.
Key Features:
- Custom Database Creation: Organise your content however you want.
- Markdown Support: Format your text easily without needing additional tools.
- Integrated Collaboration Tools: Invite teammates for joint editing.
Why Designers Love It: Notion allows designers to integrate notes, to-do lists, and content in one place. It can streamline your writing process while keeping everything organised, making it perfect for those juggling multiple projects.
Tip: Create a content calendar within Notion to plan your writing schedule alongside your design timeline!
6 – Bear

Bear is for you if you’re a Mac user looking for an elegant, straightforward note-taking app.
Key Features:
- Markdown Support: Effortlessly format your writing with markdown.
- Tagging System: Organise notes through hashtags for easy retrieval.
- Beautiful Themes: Customisable aesthetics make writing a joy.
Why Designers Love It: With Bear, designers can jot down quick ideas or write longer pieces while organising everything beautifully. Plus, the app’s clean interface is easy on the eyes—excellent for inspiration!
Personal Anecdote: I often use Bear to capture snippets of inspiration that come to me when I’m designing. During those bursts of creativity, it’s vital to have a quick way to jot down ideas before they disappear!
7 – IA Writer

IA Writer holds the crown for those who appreciate a minimalistic writing experience.
Key Features:
- Focus Mode: Dim distractions to concentrate on your writing.
- Enhanced Markdown Support: For seamless formatting.
- Templates: Beautiful templates for different writing contexts.
Why Designers Love It: IA Writer strips writing down to its essentials, allowing designers to zone in and produce focused content without distractions. It’s excellent for brainstorming or drafting.
Tip: Use the focus mode during your creative sessions—distraction-free can enhance productivity!
8 – Jasper

This AI writing assistant is designed to generate high-quality content at lightning speed.
Key Features:
- AI-Powered Text Generation: Create articles, emails, and more in (almost) no time.
- Custom Templates: Tailor text generation to fit your needs.
- Content Polishing: Enhances your drafts and helps rewrite.
Why Designers Love It: When time is of the essence, Jasper is a powerhouse for quickly generating outlines or ideas, whether for marketing content or design briefs.
Personal Experience: We occasionally use Jasper to streamline our blog post drafting process. It gives us a solid base, allowing us to fine-tune rather than start from scratch.
9 – Evernote

This classic note-taking app packs a punch with its organisational features.
Key Features:
- Web Clipping: Save articles and bits of inspiration from across the web.
- Search Functionality: Find your notes quickly.
- Document Scanning: Capture physical documents with ease.
Why Designers Love It: Evernote is an ideal creative repository for designers who find inspiration in various sources. Whether sketching ideas or jotting down thoughts, everything is in one place.
Tip: Use Evernote to maintain a running list of design ideas and content topics.
10 – Trello

Trello is mainly known as a project management tool, but it can be utilised to streamline your writing process.
Key Features:
- Board System: Organise tasks and ideas visually.
- Checklists: Break down tasks into manageable steps.
- Integrations: Works with various apps for enhanced productivity.
Why Designers Love It: With Trello, you can craft content calendars alongside design schedules, keeping everything organised visually and ensuring nothing slips through the cracks.
Quick Tip: Create a board specifically for your content pipeline, allowing you to see where each piece stands in the process!
These writing tools cater to various needs and preferences, allowing you, as a designer, to find your perfect match. Whether you’re looking for grammatical precision, collaborative features, or a minimalistic approach, there’s something for everyone here.
In our next section, we’ll discuss selecting the right tool for your writing needs, so stay tuned!
How to Choose the Right Tool for Your Needs

Now that we’ve explored some of the best writing tools for designers in 2025, you might wonder: how on earth do I choose the right one for my unique needs?
Great question!
This decision can be as tricky as selecting the perfect font for your latest design project, but fear not! I’ll guide you through practical steps and considerations to help you pinpoint the right writing tool tailored to your writing style, workflow, and projects.
Let’s jump in!
Assess Your Writing Goals
Before you select a tool, take a moment to clarify your writing goals. Think about what you need to achieve.
Ask yourself:
- Are you writing blog posts, reports, or social media content?
- Do you prioritise grammar and style, or is idea generation the name of the game?
- Will you be collaborating with teammates regularly or working solo?
By understanding your writing goals, you’ll be better positioned to choose a tool that aligns with your objectives.
Personal Anecdote: When I first launched Inkbot Design, we wanted to produce more content. I experimented with multiple writing tools without knowing what would benefit our workflow. Once I identified our goal to streamline blog post creation, I settled on Google Docs for collaboration and Grammarly for quality checks. That clarity made all the difference!
Consider Your Writing Style
Next up is your writing style. Each tool has strengths, and knowing what resonates with you can narrow your options quickly.
Some questions to ponder:
- Do you enjoy writing in short, impactful sentences or prefer sprawling narratives?
- Do you enjoy distraction-free writing environments, or do you thrive on collaboration?
- Does rich formatting matter to you, or are you all about the bare essentials?
Different tools cater to other styles. For instance, if you prefer minimalism, IA Writer might be better than Notion, which features more complexity. Conversely, if collaboration and organisation are your jam, Google Docs and Trello could become your new best friends.
Evaluate Features Based on Your Needs
Next, dive into the features you genuinely need. Here’s how to go about it:
- Create a Wish List: List essential features you’d like in a writing tool. This can include grammar checks, collaboration options, formatting capabilities, and anything else that can enhance your writing process.
- Prioritise: From that list, determine which features are absolute must-haves versus those that would be nice but aren't deal-breakers. This will help you eliminate tools that fall short.
- Research: Review the tools discussed earlier and see which ones meet your criteria. Refer to user reviews and start with free versions to get a feel for the tool.
Here’s a quick reference table to help you visualise some features compared to the tools we discussed:
Tool | Grammar Check | Collaboration | Minimalist Mode | Price |
Grammarly | Yes | Limited | No | Free/Premium |
Hemingway Editor | No | No | Yes | $19.99 |
ProWritingAid | Yes | Yes | No | Free/Premium |
Google Docs | No | Yes | Limited | Free |
Notion | No | Yes | Limited | Free/Premium |
Bear | No | No | Yes | $14.99/year |
IA Writer | No | No | Yes | $29.99 |
Jasper | Yes | No | No | $29/month |
Evernote | No | Yes | Limited | Free/Premium |
Trello | No | Yes | No | Free/Premium |
This table can provide a clear overview and help you decide based on the features you value most!
Think About Your Budget
Next in line is the budget. Writing tools vary significantly in cost, from free options to premium packages. Here are ways to manage this aspect:
- Assess what you can realistically spend: Write down a monthly or annual budget for writing tools.
- Weigh the value: If a tool saves time or significantly improves your writing, it could be worth the investment.
- Explore free trials: Many tools offer free trials or free tiers. Use these to determine if a tool fits your workflow without breaking the bank.
Personal Experience: In my early days running Inkbot, I always sought cheap options, thinking I was being savvy. While I saved money, dealing with mediocre tools that fell short often cost me more time. Investing in quality tools has paid off dividends in efficiency and results.
Test Drive Tools
Don’t be shy about trying before you buy! Once you've narrowed your choices, take them for a test drive.
- Free Versions: Many tools mentioned earlier have free versions. Use them in real writing scenarios to see if they work for you.
- Check Compatibility: Ensure the tool fits into your existing workflow. It might not be the right match if it disrupts your current system.
- Ask for Feedback: If you’ve surrounded yourself with other designers or writers, ask them about their experiences with the tools you’re considering.
Evaluate Support and Community Resources
The support and resources available can be a game-changer when using writing tools. Here’s what to keep in mind:
- Customer Support: Check if the tool has a responsive customer support system—this can save you a lot of headaches if you encounter issues.
- User Community: Tools like Notion offer vast communities and resources where users share templates, tips, and support. A lively community can enhance your overall experience, helping you learn how to leverage the tool more effectively.
- Documentation and Tutorials: Good documentation makes onboarding smoother. If the tool has videos, guides, or other educational resources, that can ease your learning curve.
Insight from Experience: A tool with strong community support was a lifesaver when I started using ProWritingAid. The forums and tutorials helped me quickly understand all the features, improving my writing significantly faster than anticipated.
Trust Your Gut
Lastly, trust your instincts! Sometimes, it comes down to what feels right. Put effort into evaluating options, yet don't hesitate to go with the tool that resonates with you, even if it doesn’t have every feature.
Your chosen tools should inspire and assist you in writing and design—not bog you down.
Conclusion
As we wrap up our journey through the world of writing tools for designers, it’s clear that the right tool can make all the difference in your creative process. Navigating the myriad options available can be daunting. Still, equipping yourself with the proper knowledge and a solid understanding of your needs transforms the experience into an exciting adventure.
So, let’s revisit what we’ve covered and cement those takeaways for your writing toolkit!
The Importance of Choosing Wisely
Choosing the right writing tool isn’t merely about convenience. It’s about finding a companion that complements your workflow, enhances your skills, and helps you communicate more effectively.
Remember, your chosen tool should empower your writing, not inhibit it.
Key Takeaways:
- Assess Your Goals: Identify what you need the tool for—blogging, reports, or creative writing.
- Evaluate Your Style: Recognising your writing style helps narrow your selection.
- Feature Fit: Not all tools will meet every need; focus on the features that matter most to you.
- Budget Considerations: A potent tool can be an investment. Look for free trials to get a feel for it before committing.
- Community and Support: Strong community backing can enhance your experience and learning.
- Trust Your Gut: Sometimes, the tool that feels right in the moment is the best choice in the long run.
It’s a journey every writer—designer or otherwise—goes through, and it’s perfectly acceptable to experiment until you stumble upon the right fit!