em — Markdown Writer & Editor

Look back at what you wrote on this day in years past, and lock your private files behind Face ID. em 1.5 is here for iPhone, iPad, and Mac and still 25% off until 11/30.

em is a privacy-first universal Markdown writing app for Mac, iPad, and iPhone that takes advantage of Apple's Foundation Models to give you editorial feedback. It also connects to the Ghost API to publish and edit your website. Your files are yours, and you're the only one who should decide what to do with 'em.

WRITE 'EM WITH MARKDOWN

Capture your thoughts in a distraction-free Markdown editor tuned for each device, including the iPhone Duo. em counts your words and reading time, but only if you want it to.

TRACK 'EM

Set a word goal or a deadline for a file, or a daily, weekly, or monthly goal for everything you write. Want 500 words a day? 50,000 by the end of the month? em keeps track, shows your pace and your streak, and holds you to it.

MAP 'EM

em can remember where you started writing each file, including every place you worked on 'em. See all of them on a map and follow your writing journey in a whole new way. Location is off until you turn it on for a library, and it stays out of anything you share or send to AI.

FIND 'EM WITH SMART SEARCH

Smart Search lists every file holding your words. Use quotes, +, -, OR, and * for precision, filter by library, tag, status, or year, and save any search as a Smart Folder that stays current. Only remember what a piece was about? Ask em.

LOOK BACK AT 'EM, OR LOCK 'EM

On This Day shows what you wrote on today's date in years past, as a collection, a notification, or a widget. Lock any file or library behind Face ID.

PROTECT 'EM WITH VERSION HISTORY

Every edit is automatically versioned and backed up to iCloud. Compare and restore versions from any device.

PUBLISH 'EM WITH GHOST

Connect em to your Ghost site to edit, back up, and publish natively in Markdown that maps to Ghost's cards. em supports 19 Ghost editorial cards, drafts, scheduling, newsletters, and Ghost pages.

EXPLORE 'EM WITH AI (BUT ONLY IF YOU WANT TO)

Ask em questions and get answers grounded in your files, not the internet. On OS 27, Siri can search, add, or edit notes in the libraries you approve. Get an Editorial Review from a prompt you can read and edit. em doesn't write your drafts; it helps you edit 'em.

ALL FEATURES

• GOALS: Word and deadline goals, daily, weekly, and monthly, with pace and streaks
• CALENDAR: Every day you wrote, in one place
• ON THIS DAY: Past years' writing, every day
• LOCKED FILES: Face ID, Touch ID, or passcode
• WIDGETS AND REMINDERS: Streaks, On This Day, and more
• PLACES: Every place you've written, on a map
• SMART SEARCH: Search operators, filters, and Smart Folders
• VERSION HISTORY: Automatic versioning, stored in iCloud
• GHOST SITES: Sync, edit, publish, and send newsletters, for posts and pages
• AI ON YOUR TERMS: On-device Apple Intelligence by default; optionally Claude, ChatGPT, or Gemini with your API key
• SIRI AI: Search, add, or edit notes in approved libraries (OS 27)
• ASK EM AND EDITORIAL REVIEW: Answers and feedback from your own writing
• APPLE SHORTCUTS: Create files, add visits, or publish to Ghost
• APPLE JOURNALING SUGGESTIONS: Capture memories in Markdown (iOS)
• READ ALOUD: Hear your draft to catch what your eyes miss
• CUSTOMIZATION: Reader and Editor fonts and colors
• OFFLINE EDITING: Works without an iCloud or Ghost connection

PRIVACY, PLAINLY

em has no server. That's not a promise about what the developer does with your data. There's no backend, no account, and no company database where your writing could end up. Your writing syncs through your iCloud and nowhere else.

AI features are off by default and, if turned on, run on-device with Apple Intelligence. Want a larger model? Connect Claude, ChatGPT, or Gemini with your own API key; your account, your billing, revocable anytime. em names the model answering, every time. Location data is never sent from em with your AI requests.

Transparency Statement: AI was used in developing this app, but every feature idea, design call, and architectural decision was made by a human.