Plain text writing apps trade fancy layout for longevity and speed. Your files stay readable in ten years because they are not trapped inside a proprietary puzzle box.
iA Writer is the best-known focused writing face for markdown and calm drafting. BBEdit and similar editors appeal to writers who want power-user text tooling. VS Code works when you already live in a code editor and want extensions. Apple Notes can handle quick capture even if it is not a full writing studio.
The short answer
Use iA Writer for focused plain text drafting, BBEdit for heavy text editing power, VS Code if you already live there, and keep capture tools simple for speed.
Top picks
Best best plain text writing apps
It proves plain text does not have to feel cheap.
It is a power tool for people who live in text files.
Extensions and search make it strong for large text collections.
Why plain text still wins
Plain text survives app deaths, OS upgrades, and angry migrations. That matters when your archive is your career.
You can always move plain text into a prettier system later.
Markdown as a lightweight convention
Markdown adds structure without locking you into a binary format. Many static sites and publishers accept it directly.
Learn a small subset and ignore the rest until you need it.
When to move drafts into Docs or Word
If your workflow needs live comments, complex layout, or tracked changes with non-technical partners, move to Docs or Word for that stage.
Plain text is best for drafting and archiving, not always for final negotiation.