FocusWriter vs Ghostwriter
FocusWriter
gottcode.org
Ghostwriter
ghostwriter.kde.orgSide by side
| Figure | FocusWriter | Ghostwriter |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 1 |
| Spec score · Text App | 8.7 (#3) | 8.4 (#6) |
| License | Version 1.9.1 was released July 23, 2026, under GPL version 3. | The project site says ghostwriter is distributed under the GNU General Public License v3.0. |
| Purpose | FocusWriter is a simple, distraction-free word processor with a hide-away interface that appears when you move the mouse to the screen edges. | ghostwriter is a distraction-free text editor for Markdown. |
| Themes | Users can create themes controlling fonts, colors and background images. | It includes light and dark themes and lets users create their own themes. |
Plans
In their own words
FocusWriter
FocusWriter has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
Ghostwriter
Ghostwriter is a free Markdown text editor for distraction-free writing, available on Linux and Windows, with unofficial community-provided macOS support. It stores documents as local files and previews Markdown as HTML, which can be copied or exported. GitHub-flavored Markdown is supported, and export options include HTML, Pandoc, MultiMarkdown, and commonmark. Focus Mode highlights a selected area around the cursor, such as a line, sentence, paragraph, or three lines. Full-screen mode and Hemingway Mode provide other writing setups; Hemingway Mode disables backspace and delete. The editor includes light and dark themes, with options to create custom themes. Writers also get live word counts, document and session statistics, a document outline, autosave, and file backups. Linux installation instructions cover Ubuntu, Fedora, and Arch Linux. The Windows download page lists a portable 64-bit version for Windows 10. On macOS, users must compile the source because an installer is not available. Ghostwriter is distributed under the GNU General Public License version 3.0.