Drafts Reviews

by Axominster

I understand the point of subscriptions. You pay monthly for something that has a constant cost. Electricity, food, printed magazines, water, etc. In those cases, the consumer uses a product and the company must create new product and therefore the consumer must pay again.

I don’t understand this new trend of paying for a subscription just to use software. Why would I continue to pay for Drafts over and over again? And once I stop paying, it’s not mine anymore. This makes no sense. Why would I “subscribe” to my computer, allowing Mac to own it, and the second I’m done, they come take it away? Why would I subscribe to use my sunglasses and then turn them in once I’m done paying a monthly fee for them? Why would I subscribe to a digital download of the avengers movie and keep paying monthly so that I can keep it? I wouldn’t. In all these cases I would pay once for the product then it is mine.

So why would I pay for Drafts once, then continue to give the developer money just to use it. I’m not wanting to RENT Drafts . I want to BUY IT!

Develop your app, sell Drafts , and fix bugs as you go for free because the buyer paid for a working app that should be free of bugs. Don’t fall victim to this practice. Don’t subscribe to this. Think of all the things in your life you wouldn’t have if you had to keep paying for them or you lose them.

by Grady S.

I too am a long time this app 4 user. I have also recommended Drafts to many friends and know for a fact that four of them have purchased Drafts . I will no longer be doing so. Like many others have stated, I do not mind paying a one time fee. I am not a fan of the subscription-based model which I know many apps and programs are moving towards. I will look for alternatives and other solutions Whenever possible. I probably would’ve considered subscribing if the subscription fee was more reasonable. Someone else has done the math- the cost jump from the life cycle cost of this app 4 compared to the subscription fee for this app 5 is astronomically ridiculous. Like several others I did not take full advantage of all that was available in this app 4, but would have happily paid a one time fee for D5 to support continued growth. I hope in time this business model will be reevaluated and changed. And like others have said the freemium version of D5 is not an option without dark mode.

by Gedroth

I'm new to this app. At first, I couldn't figure out why it existed. I normally use Notes for what this app means to me. However, now I use this app to craft all my online posts, including this one. I'm sure there are more exciting uses for it, but for me, it's like scrap paper. I went to Drafts Store to see if this was a universal purchase (1 purchase to work on Mac & mobile). Much to my disappointment, I found the dreadful subscription model.

I'm a developer myself and know how miserable it is trying to make money. Everyone thinks they're entitled to free upgrades for life. Drafts Store doesn't accommodate major release upgrade fees, new versions of the os require constant changes to your app that you can't charge for, and the list goes on. Having said all that, I still wouldn't use the subscription model on an app like this. We just don't need you to invent fancier ways to edit simple text. Yes, we need you to adopt new technologies when they come along, and we'll pay up when that happens. I only use Drafts a few times a week.

Like I said, I went to the store to buy today to support the developers for a useful app. There's no option for me to pay once, so I won't buy. The free version suits my needs, for now. When I need more, I guess I'll have to look elsewhere.

by Krazy Glue

I tried using this app to take notes with on my iPhone and Apple Watch. Chiefly voice notes, transcribed to text,

this app does this well enough.

But...

A) I often lack a wireless connection. this app can’t do voice recognition without.

B) even with wireless and transcription, I find that having to correct speech to text errors right away is a pain.

Drafts that I finally choose as my main voice note taking app allows speech to be recorded, even when offline, and transcribed later.

It also allows both the recorded voice sound file and the text to be saved. Even when online, this allows me to correct errors in transcription later.

this app has nice features, like the many, many, ways it can connect to other apps. Apparently customizable. I have some hope that I could program this app to automatically provide the time of recording when transferring to another app like OneNote. Many other note taking apps provide the date of transfer, not the date of recording.

If this app could record offline, transcribe online, and transfer both voice and text to OneNote I would buy this app. But it does not, so I will not.

by Budexxon

I’ve been using this app since version 4 came out. It changed the way I work, and I love using it to enter and manipulate text. I’ve been playing around with this app 5 and Drafts is amazing. There’s so much power in the free app, and the pro subscriptions adds some great options for power users. Thing is, I’m not a power user, but I’m more than willing to pay for the features I use. My biggest issue is that I dislike and avoid app subscriptions. I like that when I pay for an app, even if the company disappears tomorrow, I can continue to use Drafts for years to come. I’m also not thrilled that dark mode is behind the subscription wall, I’d pay a few dollars to have a dark mode, I find it much easier on my eyes, but can’t justify the subscription just for dark mode, since it’s the only tool I would use from the subscription. Fortunately, I can continue using this app 4 with its dark mode. Sure, I’ll miss out on all the new features in the free app, but that’s how much I dislike day mode. Just writing this review is burning my eyes. But my issues say nothing about Drafts itself which is wonderful. Definitely give the free mode a spin, and if you like scripting and having full control and aren’t opposed to renting apps, the sub is a great value. But for me it’s less than ideal as it’s currently set up. Hopefully down the line, the developer will consider making dark mode an optional in app purchase for those that don’t or can’t subscribe.

by Service Goat

The free app is useful for some of my needs, but many of the things I want to do with actions require the Pro subscription. Last year I paid for the annual Pro subscription with the promise of custom Actions and this app coming to the Mac, which is now my primary work machine. It turns out Apple gives no way for me to use my paid iOS subscription on macOS devices, and this app can only sync your subscription via iCloud (can’t/won’t use my personal iCloud account on my employer’s equipment). So, I have no way to use Pro outside of my phone. Unfortunately, this is a deal breaker for me, and I’ve canceled my subscription. I would gladly continue to use and pay for this if I could use it on devices other than my phone.

by Caelanbaggins

I don’t know what I’d do without this app. It has replaced every other note-taking app for me. I love that it syncs with iCloud and is compatible with Shortcuts!

My only complaint is that I can’t pin notes to the top of the sidebar. I have a note where I keep track of a bunch of stuff and it would be nice if it would just stay up there, even if it’s not my most recently edited note. I know I can tag it to find it more easily but it would be super nice if I could pin it.

Also being able to assign colors to tags would be cool, especially if tagged notes could be displayed in their respective color (as in with a border or something) on the sidebar.

by Kguy18

I never thought I needed an app like this, then I hear them talk about it all the time on Mac Power Users and Automators podcast so I thought I would give it a try. It seems overwhelming at first with all of the options but once you configure a few actions you’ll never go back. There is enough free to Drafts that you could use it without the IAP - I wouldn’t recommend it though, the customizable nature of Drafts is unlocked when you subscribe. Also, this dude is an indie dev so there isn’t multi unicorn level of funding keeping this product alive - you’re literally making this viable for him, so hit subscribe - you’ll thank me later.

Also, the quick dictate function on the watch is a GAME CHANGER. Tap the complication, tap the microphone and record your thought. Then when you have time to process, open Drafts on your iPhone/Mac and manipulate the text with the actions. It literally lets you dump what you’re thinking into an app with the least amount of friction. The best part is the text isn’t stuck in Drafts, which is the whole point. Give it a go!

by Infobhan

In the pre-tech era, when I had something to jot down, I’d grab a piece of paper. Now there’s a collection of apps for different functions in my life. Before this app, I’d have to decide where to file something in advance. Sometimes, the ensuing decision paralysis would result in the idea or message not being written. this app takes that all away. You have something in your head, you go to this app, and then can decide if you want to move it somewhere else. Blog posts, emails, notes, ideas, they can all start in this app. Maybe they’ll never go anywhere else, but it’s fine. this app makes it easy to store them for future use, and archive to get them out of the way.

by Comfortably_nick

I had written a long review about how the subscription was too much for this kind of app. In this case, I have changed my mind. Drafts is so awesome! I did buy this app 4 but never got around to using it much. this app 5 has become my hub of writing letters, emails, even mass text messages. The iMessage app is really cool...I can have snippets that I use often and easily pull them into the Messages app.

Needless to say I subscribed. I also love tinkering around with JavaScript, and it's pretty amazing what can be done in Drafts with it. There seems to be a dedicated community of enthusiasts always coming up with new scripts and actions.

Give Drafts a try; I don't think you'll be disappointed!

by AppPERFORMANCE

Being able to customize the text edit screen to my liking and then being able to process that text in virtually anyway I want (via scripting, among many other capabilities), you have virtually unlimited ways to create whatever workflows you need.

And, since there’s a centralized user-contributed workflow area online, you either already have access to what you need, or have something that can be easily modified to do what you want.

ALSO, I’m relieved that they’ve gone to a subscription model, as I find myself gravitating toward using just a few main, quality apps. So, by using a subscription model, I can be assured of Drafts company’s continued health, providing periodic upgrades, as necessary, well into the future.

A prime example is version 5! The upgrade of existing data in version 4 was really easy. I’m also really looking forward to seeing all the creative things that will come out by using the new features in this upgrade.

My main point then, I think, is to not be afraid to give the gifted developers behind quality apps a way to support themselves! You really DO get what you pay for!

by Ryandonsullivan

this app quickly took over the first home row position on my phone and truly is the place where all text starts for me. It's so much more than a text app. It's a full productivity suite that acts as a 2nd brain and has been so important for improving the way I work, and helping to make sure I don't let my work fall through the cracks. The fact that it works on all my Apple devices and has a full set of automation tools makes the nominal annual subscription fee the easiest money I spend on apps each year. Using this app really is a treat.

(I wrote this review in this app before posting it).

by Melvin!!!

I imagine everyone today has a bit of anxiety from not having a clear mental model of where their digital stuff should live. I’m still working out a fancy system where I make use of different apps for different purposes:

OmniFocus for context-specific actions to take and projects to track
Documents by Readdle for PDF’s
File Browser to actually see what I have dumped into my Dropbox
Cardhop for contacts
And this app for where everything starts

Currently, there is tremendous spillover and everything still feels messy. Much of what I have started in this app is still there. My goal is to get better but in the meantime, I am no longer shaming myself. What I have discovered is a little sanctuary of peace -knowing that my thoughts and plans have been captured, are accessible at any time and are ready for when I can be brave enough to fully flesh out my system. this app is a fully compassionate app that makes the capture part easy. Whether typing or using the best dictation system I have seen in years, this app just works.

Thanks so much for reading this and I hope you can find the same use for this app that I have.

-Jeff Melvin

by KushDad72

I’ve been using this app now for approximately eight (8) years, this app is an incredibly dynamic notetaking tool, it’s feature set is ergonomically designed to expand with its user, so as user knowledge of the this app app increases, so does the apps feature set. In many ways this AP morphs into whatever a user wants Drafts to be, eg: technical writing, a task manager, and many more.
I was 100% functional using Drafts after five minutes, yet I continue to learn of additional features (FYI, the vast majority of expanded features have been written by the this app user community which is totally cool, enough for another discussion). In terms of staying current, Drafts seems to be evaluated daily for upcoming “Updates“ and patches etc. It’s simply the best.

by WhyIs

I’ve bought each version of Drafts. Sometimes I’ve used it for work reasons when I was able to use an iPad for business meeting note taking.

The new version feels and looks great and going freemium makes sense in today’s market. I would love to store all my notes in Drafts, which may make all the paywall locked features worth the cost. But the cost of $20 a year is too high for me.

Here’s two reasons why:
1. 100% lock in to this app and iOS. I have 100s of notes in my notes folder on Dropbox to access on iOS, Windows, Mac (nvAlt). this app can’t display these and no this app from this app are accessible anywhere else. I do not believe in vendor lock-in but that’s what Agile Tortoise has built
2. I don’t use Drafts enough or for business. I am a geek and have a bunch of strange custom actions in this app 4. Is the benefit I get from these worth $20 a year? Unfortunately not. As a geek I guess I will have to look for other options.

I get the need to make money. I don’t get why Agile Tortoise thinks that transitioning existing customers from $5 once to $20 a year would go smoothly. Maybe he’ll make more money than before but I think he assumes demand is more elastic than it really is.

by Jacurtis

This is an app that serves a role in my life that no app before has ever been able to fill. The premise is that whenever an idea comes to my head I dump it into Drafts. It doesn’t matter where I am when I have the thought because I have Drafts on my iPad, iPhone, watch, and Mac. I can dictate ideas as they come to me, throw links into it, quotes from the internet, or just start writing epic thoughts I’m having. Later I can send these writings to various apps and services to do something with later. I love the idea and premise of Drafts . It’s the starting point for any idea I have. The design is decent, but not amazing. However the functionality is exactly what I need. I love Drafts. Go premium. It’s worth it. But the free tier is more than generous for most people.

by DebMundo

I don’t know how many years I have been looking for the perfect “ubiquitous capture tool”!suggested by David Allen in Getting Things Done. With this app I have finally found it. I use it on my desktop Mac, my iPhone, and can even dictate text to my Apple Watch. It is extremely rare I don’t have immediate access to one of those tools to capture ideas and to dos that are occupying my mind. I have only scratched the surface with actions, but already it has made it very easy to move from this capture tool into my other systems, like my task manager, email, and calendar. It also feels good supporting a small independent developer. I learned about this app initially on the Mac PowerUsers podcast and continue to listen to get an idea of how I can use it to continually improve my productivity. FYI when prompted to leave a review, I jumped into this app to dictate it.

by Kevin Q

I’ve tried hundreds of app and like about 10 so I guess I’m picky. Drafts is my all time favorite. I can’t believe what a powerful and simple app the free version is. It’s so good, I felt guilty using it for free so much that I signed up for the Mac version I didn’t even need just to get the amazing developer some money. Drafts in a simple but powerful way quickly became the notepad for jotting down anything that comes to mind for me that I’ve been looking for for a very long time. These quick notes are synced between all my devices so I can turn them into email messages, notepad docs, spreadsheets, or other work and joke things when I can focus on them. It’s streamlined and organised my life in a way that is almost given up on finding. Everything I’m thinking of and working on is always with me and I can pull it up and add to it until it’s to a useable state. Thank you! Drafts is perfection!

by Rcniman

I had initially been skeptical of going the subscription route with this app. But then the Mac app came out. this app is now easily my most used app and I write in it daily on my laptop, iPad, and iPhone. I use it to journal (then send to Day One), make lists, take meeting notes, jot down ideas, write email, and to draft longer pieces.

Sometimes, like when finishing something long, I’d prefer to be in Ulysses, but the this app keyboard and customizable row is so amazing that I stay in this app as long as possible. I wish they would make a this app keyboard that would be usable in other apps.

The only thing I could hope for is the ability to also access/store text files in a folder system. I know the this app database issue keeps some people from using it. I don’t mind it, but there are some situations where I’d love to share a folder of text files between apps (Ulysses, etc.) and be able to access them from any app.

by Rawdog567

Ok first of all I never write reviews, but using Drafts on a trial run today absolutely blew my mind and I’m not even touching a fraction of the full capability! To be honest when I first downloaded it I was thinking there’s no way I’m going to pay for a subscription. I mean what the heck can this thing do that my other note taking apps can’t do. Let me say this immediately changed after messing around with this for a bit. The Watch OS takes Drafts and getting things out of your head to a whole different level. I mean record anything out of your head and then share it with Omnifocus, Awesome Note or whatever else you may want to do with it! Also one tap and it starts the dictation so from thought to app is seem less. I went from thinking Drafts was absolutely useless and literally about to delete, but now I can say it will be an app to stay! When my trial subscription ends I will gladly pay the $20/year. I will make this over 100 fold with the time I save and the ideas I’m able to preserve and act on! Thank you!!

by GenericAppStoreNickname

Judging by all the glowing reviews for Drafts, I must be a blithering idiot because I can’t figure out how Drafts works. Drafts present me with so many choices, and advanced features, I became lost in the first 10 seconds of using Drafts.

One thing is clear, I’m obviously not the target market for Drafts. When I downloaded Drafts, I thought I was getting a simple text editor that I could use to make grocery lists, etc. And sync the list between my Apple Watch and my iPhone. Drafts is so much more powerful than what I need, or want, I’m going to be deleting it after I leave this review.

While I’m guessing there is a market for an app as powerful as this, judging by all the glowing reviews of it, Drafts is obviously not for me. I am obviously at fault here for failing to fully read Drafts description. I feel my review of Drafts is a fair one, because I did not like Drafts based on how it met my individual needs. I’m sure there will be die-hard users of Drafts who will proceed to bash my review as ignorant and stupid. That, of course, is their choice.

by CRSlack

I imagine that if you only write a few notes here and there then Drafts is not your thing. You won't "get it" and you don't need it. If all you need is an occasional note use Notepad. If what you need is formatting for publishing a dissertation you will probably prefer Word.

This is a tool for users who are very involved in creating text. It has feature rich set of actions for processing the text. Formatting is supported through Markdown (including end notes, hyperlinks etc.) and integration is supported with a rich URL scheme and with Siri Shortcuts app. It has a huge suite of actions for processing the text. Actions are very customizable and extensible. The extensibility includes the ability to write JavaScript that can process the text to your unique specification.

Templates are a strong suit of Drafts. But I am not a user so look for others to comment.

by Experienced_With_App

Being able to customize the text edit screen to my liking and then being able to process that text in virtually anyway I want (via scripting, among many other capabilities), you have virtually unlimited ways to create whatever workflows you need.

And, since there’s a centralized user-contributed workflow area online, you either already have access to what you need, or have something that can be easily modified to do what you want.

ALSO, I’m relieved that they’ve gone to a subscription model, as I find myself gravitating toward using just a few main, quality apps. So, by using a subscription model, I can be assured of Drafts company’s continued health, providing periodic upgrades, as necessary, well into the future.

A prime example is version 5! The upgrade of existing data in version 4 was really easy. I’m also really looking forward to seeing all the creative things that will come out by using the new features in this upgrade.

My main point then, I think, is to not be afraid to give the gifted developers behind quality apps a way to support themselves! You really DO get what you pay for!

by Mark Stoneman

Drafts helps one get a lot done on the iPad (or iPhone) that wouldn't be possible otherwise---even the free version. Paying a subscription has been worth it too. You just have to try it to see how it might be useful to you personally and if that justifies the price.

I do less with the tag and workspace features than I perhaps could because I tend to use Bear for reference. Fortunately, there are users who know how to script and have come up with actions to make this app play well with Bear. Ditto other apps, including email. In the end, this app is kind of like a work environment in which one can begin all work with text. It's also good for cleaning up text from other sources.

I have loved Drafts through several versions. One reason, I suspect, is because it continues to test the boundaries of what is possible in iOS. And one can actually customize one's work environment a bit. In other words, Drafts takes both the operating system and the user seriously. The subscription model has also led to a viable business plan, it seems, whereas I've seen other solid apps go neglected or get killed off for lack of ongoing funding and attention in a constantly changing computing environment and app market.

by Elykahn

I have been using this app for several years and it was great from the start but it just keeps getting better and better. Actions on iOS and iPadOS made it a powerful tool for integration with a large variety of other apps and the Mac app rounded it out as an essential part of my digital life. Bringing Actions to the Mac app and the seamless sync between the two platforms is the cherry on top of the already delicious sundae. The developer is devoted and thoughtful and should serve as a model for how to do app development for any and every platform. As an aspiring designer and developer myself I can say that he’s a constant inspiration for me too. Keep up the excellent work.

by BruceS09

At first I was a little weirded-out by the new freemium pricing, but I got over it fast when I saw some of the new features. The Workspaces feature alone is worth the pro subscription.

Drafts4 was my go-to app for capture and some simple actions. Drafts5 is now my editor of choice for everything-text, the center of my personal productivity system, and still the very best app for capture out there. I’ve used it constantly since release day, and there’s still so much more I could be doing with it.

I don’t say this lightly; this app is the most useful mobile app I’ve used on *any* platform, and easily the best iOS app. Very, very well done.