AppStart: Best Word Processors

Overview

The iPad is a truly great platform for writing. With the option of the iPad’s on-screen virtual keyboard, or physical keyboards (such as the Apple Wireless Keyboard, or the iPad Dock Keyboard), iPad owners can quite easily type on their iPad as if it were a computer. But, which apps should you use as your portable word processor? Read our AppGuide on the “best word processing apps,” and discover which we think are worth checking out …

Essential Apps

$9.99

Pages

by Apple

Pages for iPad is undoubtedly the the best iPad word processor application currently available in the App Store. Not only does the app itself look beautiful on the iPad’s 9.7-inch screen, but it comes with a variety of features which set it apart from the rest. Mainly, Pages’ ability to work with multi-touch gestures makes it easy and enjoyable to use. Formatting documents is simple; adding pictures can be done in seconds, and moving them can be done by dragging the image with your finger. Text can be typed using the iPad’s virtual keyboard (or a keyboard accessory), and formatted within the app using preset styles, or a variety of formatting options which appear towards the top of the app. Once users have completed their document, it can be saved either in a Pages, Word, or PDF format, and emailed or printed using AirPrint. Essentially, this is the best iPad word processor available at the moment. While the app does cost $9.99, it’s definitely worth the cash. With Pages for iPad, users won’t be disappointed.

Notable Apps

$0.99

iA Writer

by Information Architects, Inc.

The $4.99 iPad app, iA Writer, focuses on bring users a “simple, efficient and beautiful” writing experience. And, potential customers will be pleased to know that iA Writer manages to do this with ease. Typing in Writer is a very pleasant experience, and the app’s virtual keyboard comes with an additional row of buttons which are incredibly handy. Specifically, arrow keys are featured in iA Writer, which is great. Visually, iA Writer looks great; it’s no wonder the app has gained the attention of “famous” writers Stephen Fry and A. Burroughs. Additionally features of the app include Dropbox sync, and the ability to quickly open new documents. Furthermore, users can email what they’ve written in iA Writer to friends, within the app. If you’ve tried out Pages for iPad, and want a simpler word processing app (or just want a great app that’s half the price of Pages), then be sure to take a look at iA Writer.
$19.99

Quickoffice Pro HD – edit office documents & view PDF files

by Quickoffice, Inc.

Quickoffice Connect Mobile Suite is a great iPad app, which allows iPad owners to access, edit, save, and share Microsoft Office files. While this app is more expensive than its competitors, it grants users an iPad app “suite,” as opposed to a single word processing app. The productivity app features a wide variety of features. Users can view Microsoft Office files, share them via e-mail (and interact with a many popular file formats, such as PPT, PPTX, PDF, iWork, HTML, PNG, JPG, GIF, SVG, TIF, and MP3). Users can also access files via remote storage providers. You can transfer files into Quickoffice via Wi-Fi, or USB (using iTunes). Once a file has been transferred to your iPad, you can edit the document using Quickoffice’s built-in word processor, Quickword. Like iA Writer, Quickoffice’s keyboard also features an arrow key, which users will undoubtedly appreciate. If you’re looking for an effective way to interact with the entire range of Microsoft Office formats, as opposed to just Word (or Pages) alone, then check out Quickoffice Connect Suite.
$7.99

Office² HD

by Byte²

If you have a need to edit Microsoft Office files on your iPad this will come in handy. The app allows you to edit both DOC and DOCX files on your iPad. The app can also edit XLS files. The app also integrates with Google Docs, Dropbox, and iDisk. You can transfer files from within the Mac Finder or Windows Explorer or any web browser. The app also supports iTunes File Sharing. You can also create brand new Microsoft Office files with this app. The app fully supports AirPrint to allow easy printing of your documents. The word processor includes paragraph and character formatting. The app supports images, undo and redo, auto correction, and a spell checker. The app is a great option for those that need to work with Microsoft Office files on their iPad.

Decent Apps

$16.99

Documents To Go® Premium – Office Suite

by DataViz, Inc.

Documents To Go is a universal app, which offers quick and easy document editing, “to go.” The application is compatible with Microsoft Office, iWork, and PDF files. Users of the application can open and save documents using the Mail app, or sync with Google Docs, Dropbox, Box.net, iDisk and SugarSync. With the “premium” version of the application, users can edit Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents within the application – making Documents To Go an effective iPad office suite. Alternatively, the standard version of Documents To Go (which is cheaper) offers only Word and Excel editing. Furthermore, Documents To Go has a desktop app. Users can sync up with the desktop app both ways, transferring files back and forth between their iPad and computer. However, if you’re looking for an iPad office suite, we’d sooner recommend Quickoffice Connect. However, if you don’t like the look of that particular app, check out Documents To Go.
$5.99

Doc² HD

by Byte²

If you do not need to work with spreadsheets then this app may be for you. The app takes all of the great things of Office2 HD and simplifies it to working with Microsoft Word files and other text based files from the various Internet services. If you enjoy the way Office2 works, but simply need it for text then this is a great app to have. If may be worth it to you spend the few more dollars on Office2 HD to future proof in case you might need Excel support in the future.