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Best Productivity ResourcesBy Shushant LakhyaniVerified creator

Desktop App

FocusWriter

A distraction-free word processor with a hide-away interface and daily goals.

Visit FocusWriter4.5

  • Rating

    4.5 / 5

  • Pricing

    Free

  • Difficulty

    Beginner

  • Works on

    Windows, Linux

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What is FocusWriter?

FocusWriter is a free, open-source word processor for Windows and Linux that hides its menus until you move the mouse to the edge of the screen. You can create themes with your own fonts and backgrounds, track live statistics and daily word goals, and pick up exactly where you left off.

Pros: what FocusWriter does well

  • Calm full-screen writing space
  • Daily goals and live word counts
  • Free with no account

Cons: where it falls short

  • No official macOS version
  • Basic formatting compared with full word processors

Who FocusWriter is for

Writers who want a quiet, full-screen space for drafting long pieces.

Who can skip it

Anyone who needs complex layouts, tracked changes or real-time collaboration.

FocusWriter alternatives

Not sold on FocusWriter? These do a similar job, and each card says what it has in common.

All Writing resources

ghostwriter

Focus: markdown editor, distraction-free and writing app. Also in Writing and Focus, like FocusWriter. Adds macOS. Same 4.5 rating.

Desktop AppFreeWindows, Linux
4.5Visit

uBlock Origin

Focus: ad blocker, content blocker and privacy. Shares open source with FocusWriter. A browser extension, not a desktop app. Adds Firefox and Chrome. Rated 4.8 (FocusWriter: 4.5).

Browser ExtensionFreeFirefox, Chrome
4.8Visit

Pi-hole

Focus: ad blocker, dns and privacy. Shares open source with FocusWriter. A web app, not a desktop app. Adds Web. Rated 4.7 (FocusWriter: 4.5).

Web AppFreeLinux, Web
4.7Visit

SponsorBlock

Focus: youtube, skip sponsors and video. Shares open source with FocusWriter. A browser extension, not a desktop app. Adds Chrome, Firefox and Safari. Rated 4.7 (FocusWriter: 4.5).

Browser ExtensionFreeChrome, Firefox
4.7Visit

LeechBlock NG

Focus: website blocker, browser extension and focus. Shares open source with FocusWriter. A browser extension, not a desktop app. Adds Chrome and Firefox. Same 4.5 rating.

Browser ExtensionFreeChrome, Firefox
4.5Visit

Free alternatives to FocusWriter

Want to spend nothing? These free picks cover similar ground.

LibreOffice

Focus: office suite, spreadsheets and microsoft office alternative. Shares word processor and open source with FocusWriter. Adds macOS. Same 4.5 rating.

Desktop AppFreeWindows, macOS
4.5Visit

SelfControl

Focus: website blocker, mac and focus. Shares open source with FocusWriter. A Mac app, not a desktop app. Adds macOS. Same 4.5 rating.

Mac AppFreemacOS
4.5Visit

Pandoc

Focus: document converter, markdown and command line. Shares open source with FocusWriter. Adds macOS and Offline. Rated 4.8 (FocusWriter: 4.5).

Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.8Visit

Zotero

Focus: citations, reference manager and pdf. Shares open source with FocusWriter. Adds macOS, iOS and Chrome. Rated 4.8 (FocusWriter: 4.5).

Desktop AppFreeWindows, macOS
4.8Visit

Handy

Focus: speech to text, dictation and whisper. Shares open source with FocusWriter. Adds macOS. Rated 4.7 (FocusWriter: 4.5).

Desktop AppFreeWindows, macOS
4.7Visit

Hugo

Focus: static site, blog and documentation. Shares open source with FocusWriter. Adds macOS. Rated 4.7 (FocusWriter: 4.5).

Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.7Visit
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