Free word processor?

[ipad2word]

Any favorite word processor app that's ideally free, but possibly just cheaper than Pages?

[Ads]

[twerppoet]

Anything that has decent layout and style features will cost about as much as Pages, or more.

If you are only interested in a good writing tool there are several; however iA Writer is the only one that springs to mind ($4.99). I have Essay, which will allow some basic text styles via Markup. Good for making notes and basic documents, but not massive articles.

Your other, completely free, option is Google Docs. The tablet optimized site is basic, but you can switch to the desktop site for more control (though less ease of use). Accessed via Safari, so you'll need a Google account and internet access to use it.

Personally I think Pages is worth the price. And they just made it universal so that it works on the iPhone and iPad for no extra charge. That and the ability to create folders for you documents are welcome additions to the app.

[ipad2word]

Unfortunately, that seems to be the consensus. If there are any app developers reading this, there is a killing to be made on a cheap word processor.

[twerppoet]

Been a while since this thread, but:

Daedalus Touch is interesting, and would make a good light text editor with basic formatting features. It's cheaper at $3.99.

I got Storyist for iPad the other day, and while it is skewed towards script and novel creation, it has all the tools to be a good rich text editor. But it cost as much as Pages.

[giradman]

Unfortunately, that seems to be the consensus. If there are any app developers reading this, there is a killing to be made on a cheap word processor.

Well, TP has made his usual excellent observations and recommendations - and I see this indeed is an older thread -

BUT, I must say that Pages is still a great solution (one that I have on my iPad) and at $10 not a great investment, especially considering the purchase of an iPad - don't see the issue here, i.e. if you need a 'good' word processor, some payment will be needed, so 10 bucks or less is not that much - just saying?

[twerppoet]

I love Pages. I'm liking Storyist. I'll probably get Daedalus Touch too, and hopefully like it. There are few features there that are tempting me.
One of the things the App store has done is make it possible to afford multiple solutions to the same problem, each with it's own strengths and possibilities.

Heck, for the cheapest copy of Microsoft Office I could buy darn near every decent text, spreadsheet, and presentation app in the store.

The crazy thing is, I don't even write for living, or even as a hobby. Why am I buying these apps again?

[Heaviside]

The crazy thing is, I don't even write for living, or even as a hobby. Why am I buying these apps again?

Undoubtedly because you have the same disease I do: a fascination with TOOLs! I don't mean wrenches and power saws, but creative tools. At least that's the rationalé I've always given my wife---.

[twerppoet]

Undoubtedly because you have the same disease I do: a fascination with TOOLs! I don't mean wrenches and power saws, but creative tools. At least that's the rationalé I've always given my wife---.

Works for me. I'll have to remember that excuse. I love playing with creative tools, even though I lack the dedication to do more than doodle on them.