Dark Room AlternativesWord Processors & Note-taking Tools like Dark Room

Dark Room is described as 'Full screen, distraction free, writing environment. Unlike standard word processors that focus on features, Dark Room is just about you and your text' and is a Word Processor in the office & productivity category. There are more than 25 alternatives to Dark Room for a variety of platforms, including Mac, Windows, Linux, Web-based and iPad apps. The best Dark Room alternative is FocusWriter, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Dark Room are Rentry.co, iA Writer, WriteMonkey and scrutch.

Dark Room iconDark Room
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Dark Room is a full screen, distraction free, writing environment. Unlike standard word processors that focus on features,...

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Dark Room alternatives page was last updated May 25, 2025
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  1. FocusWriter icon

    FocusWriter

     205 likes
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    Simple but configurable and themeable, distraction-free text editor for writers. Open-source and available across desktop platforms.

    95 FocusWriter alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • PortableApps.com
    FocusWriter screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Distraction-free
    2.  Lightweight
    3.  Support for Themes
    4.  Customizable

    Features

    1.  Distraction-free Writing
    2.  Daily progress tracker
    3.  Fullscreen support
    4.  Skin customization
    5.  Auto-saving
    6.  Ad-free
    7.  Works Offline
    8.  Spell Checking
    9.  No registration required
    10.  Portable
    11.  Writing statistics
    12.  Multiple languages

    FocusWriter VS Dark Room

     

    • FocusWriter is the most popular Windows & Linux alternative to Dark Room.

    • FocusWriter is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Dark Room.

    • FocusWriter is Free and Open SourceDark Room is Free and Proprietary
    • FocusWriter is LightweightDark Room is not according to our users
  2. Rentry.co icon

    Rentry.co

     53 likes
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    Rentry.co is a markdown pastebin and publishing service with preview, custom urls and editing. Fast, simple and free.

    178 Rentry.co alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Online
    Live markdown syntax highlighting

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Minimalistic

    Features

    1.  Support for MarkDown
    2.  Live Preview
    3.  Publishing
    4.  Dark Mode
    5.  Syntax Highlighting
    6.  Command line interface
    7.  Tab preview
    8.  Distraction-free Writing

    Rentry.co VS Dark Room

     

    • Rentry.co is the most popular Web-based alternative to Dark Room.

    • Rentry.co is Free and ProprietaryDark Room is also Free and Proprietary
    • Rentry.co is LightweightDark Room is not according to our users
  4. iA Writer icon

    iA Writer

     94 likes
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    The key to good writing is not that magical glass of Bordeaux, the right kind of tobacco or that groovy background music. The key is focus. What you need to write well is a spartan setting that allows you to fully concentrate on your text and nothing but your text.

    114 iA Writer alternatives

    License model

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • CH flagSwitzerland

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    iA Writer screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Distraction-free
    2.  Privacy focused
    3.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Distraction-free Writing
    2.  Works Offline
    3.  Ad-free
    4.  Support for MarkDown
    5.  Nested Folders
    6.  Dark Mode
    7.  Live Preview
    8.  No registration required
    9. LaTeX icon  Support for LaTeX
    10.  Syntax Highlighting
    11.  No Tracking
    12.  Integrated into iOS

    iA Writer VS Dark Room

     

    • iA Writer is the most popular Android, Mac, iPhone, iPad & Android Tablet alternative to Dark Room.

    • iA Writer is the most popular commercial alternative to Dark Room.

    • iA Writer is Paid and ProprietaryDark Room is Free and Proprietary
    • iA Writer is Privacy focused and LightweightDark Room is not according to our users
  5. WriteMonkey icon

    WriteMonkey

     127 likes
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    Writemonkey is a Windows zenware writing application with an extremely stripped down user interface, leaving you alone with your thoughts and your words.

    100 WriteMonkey alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • SI flagSlovenia
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Windows
    The interface, full screen.

    Properties

    1.  Distraction-free
    2.  Customizable

    Features

    1.  Pomodoro Timer
    2.  Support for MarkDown
    3.  Portable
    4.  Command palette
    5.  Distraction-free Writing
    6.  Fullscreen support

    WriteMonkey VS Dark Room

     
  6. scrutch icon

    scrutch

     6 likes
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    End-to-encrypted, laser-focussed yet elegant editor. No registration, no login, no ads, no tracking, no hassle. Just write. In private or together with others.

    292 scrutch alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    scrutch screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Distraction-free
    2.  Lightweight
    3.  Privacy focused
    4.  Security-focused
    5.  Minimalistic

    Features

    1.  End-to-End Encryption
    2.  Cloud Sync
    3.  No Tracking
    4.  Works Offline
    5.  Real time collaboration
    6.  Full-Text Search
    7.  No registration required
    8.  Ad-free
    9.  Support for MarkDown
    10.  Distraction-free Writing
    11.  Encrypted Notes
    12.  Collaborative writing

    scrutch VS Dark Room

     

    • scrutch is the most popular SaaS alternative to Dark Room.

    • scrutch is Free and ProprietaryDark Room is also Free and Proprietary
    • scrutch is Lightweight and Privacy focusedDark Room is not according to our users
  7. Void Writer icon

    Void Writer

     2 likes
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    A portable distraction-free writer with customizable themes, auto-save, and overwrite protection. Made with minimalism in mind.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    Void Writer screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Distraction-free
    3.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Dark Mode
    2.  Works Offline
    3.  Ad-free
    4.  No registration required
    5.  No Tracking
    6.  Distraction-free Writing
    7.  Block Distraction

    Void Writer VS Dark Room

     
  9. Atlantis Word Processor icon

    Atlantis Word Processor

     28 likes
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    Atlantis is an innovative, no-nonsense word processor carefully designed with the end-user in mind. Compact, fast-loading, but still powerful and efficient, Atlantis will be the perfect companion for a wide range of your word processing tasks, – from simple to most complex.

    License model

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Atlantis Word Processor screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Spell Checking
    2.  Portable
    3.  Distraction-free Writing
    4.  Export to EPUB

    Atlantis Word Processor VS Dark Room

     
  10. Rebel Notes icon

    Rebel Notes

     7 likes
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    Rebel aims to provide you a distraction-free note taking experience. Focus more on writing and less on formatting and saving. As you write your note, Rebel will format it based on your markdown syntax.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    Note taking with markdown
    Discontinued

    The project seems abandoned: the initial (and the last) release dates back September 2020.

    Rebel Notes Features

    1.  Support for MarkDown

    Rebel Notes VS Dark Room

     
  11. Byword icon

    Byword

     52 likes
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    Byword is designed to make writing more enjoyable with Markdown on your Mac, iPhone and iPad.

    148 Byword alternatives

    License model

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • PT flagPortugal
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    Byword screenshot 1

    Byword Features

    1.  Support for MarkDown
    2.  Works Offline
    3.  Distraction-free Writing
    4. Dropbox icon  Dropbox integration
    5.  Synchronization

    Byword VS Dark Room

     
  12. ZenWriter icon

    ZenWriter

     29 likes
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    ZenWriter is a full-screen text editor that minimizes distractions with its tranquil, zen-like interface for Windows, offering limited formatting options designed to support uninterrupted writing flow and creativity while providing a calm atmosphere for authors and poets.

    61 ZenWriter alternatives

    License model

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • UA flagUkraine

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    ZenWriter screenshot 1

    ZenWriter Features

    1.  Works Offline
    2.  Fullscreen support
    3.  Distraction-free Writing

    ZenWriter VS Dark Room

     
  13. Q10 icon

    Q10

     57 likes
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    Q10 is a simple but powerful text editor designed and built with writers in mind.

    38 Q10 alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Q10 screenshot 1
    Discontinued

    Last version dates from 2011.

    Properties

    1.  Distraction-free

    Features

    1.  Portable
    2.  Distraction-free Writing
    3.  Fullscreen support
    4.  Multiple languages

    Q10 VS Dark Room

     
  14. Paper - Writing App icon

    Paper - Writing App

     4 likes
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    Super-clean writing space with a lot of configurability that stays out of sight when you don’t need it.

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    Paper - Writing App screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Distraction-free
    2.  Minimalistic
    3.  Customizable

    Features

    1.  Dark Mode
    2.  Ad-free
    3.  WYSIWYG Support
    4.  Syntax Highlighting
    5.  Support for MarkDown
    6.  Fullscreen support
    7.  Distraction-free Writing

    Paper - Writing App VS Dark Room

     
12 of 35 Dark Room alternatives