Overview

Essay is a writing workspace for people who want to carry a piece from outline and research through revision and sharing. Its connected planning and note-taking tools make it a stronger fit for sustained writing than for someone who only needs a one-off draft. The trade-off is a tight free-plan quota and an iOS-and-web footprint.

Writers can organize research in notes and attach those notes to an essay or outline, then draft in a distraction-free environment. Rewriting and reordering tools support revision, while sharing and categorized feedback bring friends, teachers, or peers into the process. That range suits work that develops over time, from creative writing and proposals to dissertations and research papers.

Key features

Plan and draft: Outlines provide a way to shape a piece before writing; the distraction-free drafting environment keeps composition central.
Keep research connected: Notes can be organized and linked to essays or outlines, making Essay useful for writers who want their planning and source material alongside the work.
Revise and get feedback: Rewriting and reordering tools help reshape a draft. Sharing and feedback categories give reviewers a structure, though the value depends on having people to review the work.
Academic workflow: Citation and reference management, bibliography formatting, and academic exports are aimed at research writing. Pro adds Zotero integration for syncing references.
Export: Plans list PDF, Word, Docs, and Markdown exports, giving writers several routes to move finished work elsewhere.

Pricing

Essay is freemium. Free costs 0.00 USD per free (billed $0) and caps use at 3 essays, 5,000 words, and 12 notes; it also includes 10 personalized topic recommendations. Those limits make it reasonable to try the workflow or manage a small writing project, but they are restrictive for a substantial portfolio or ongoing research.

Core costs 8.00 USD per month (billed $96 billed annually). It removes essay, word-count, and note limits and includes writing and feedback tools, document import, and exports. This is the practical choice for everyday writers who need room to keep multiple projects moving, but it does not include the academic citation, reference-management, or Zotero features.

Pro costs 12.00 USD per month (billed $145 billed annually). It keeps the unlimited essays, word count, and notes of Core and adds citations and footnotes, reference management, Zotero integration, and academic export. Academics and researchers are the clearest fit; writers who do not need those scholarly tools may find Core sufficient. Both paid prices are annual-billing terms, so compare the annual commitment with expected use.

Platforms

Essay is available on iOS and the web. Its roadmap describes offline work as a live feature, while native Android and iOS apps are planned; Android users should not assume a native app is currently available.

Who it's for

Essay makes most sense for writers who want planning, research organization, drafting, revision, and feedback in one workflow. Core fits everyday writers with several active projects; Pro is better suited to academic work that needs citations, reference management, or Zotero syncing. It is a weaker fit for Android-first users or anyone whose writing needs exceed the free caps but do not justify an annual paid plan.

Pros and cons

Pro: Notes can connect directly to essays and outlines, keeping research near the writing it supports.
Pro: Sharing with categorized feedback supports a review process with peers, teachers, or friends.
Pro: Pro combines academic references, bibliography formatting, Zotero integration, and academic export for research-focused work.
Con: Free is capped at 3 essays, 5,000 words, and 12 notes, limiting its usefulness for larger or ongoing projects.
Con: Citation and reference tools are reserved for Pro, so academic writers who need them must pay more than the Core price.
Con: The platform options are iOS and web; Android users lack a current native app.

Alternatives

For a broader starting point, browse AI Essay Writers.

Paperpal is worth considering for regular research and writing needs if its freemium model and annual Prime plan suit your budget.
SciSpace is an alternative for readers who want a freemium tool with extension, iOS, and web access, including a Basic plan with 100 monthly credits.
EssayGenius may suit a web-only writer who wants a free tier with one full essay draft and Word/PDF export.
Jenni AI is another freemium option, with web, iOS, and Android platforms.
Kahubi offers a free tier with a limited monthly AI-message allowance and project-based limits.
Truessay is a better match when the need is finding peer-reviewed papers for a claim rather than writing papers; its free Citation Finder returns five papers with DOIs and requires no login.
Conch AI Citation Generator is a focused alternative for free APA, MLA, or Chicago citations for websites, books, and academic journals, without registration.
EssayBot is another freemium web option.

Verdict

Choose Essay if you want a structured home for planning, research notes, drafting, revision, and feedback, especially for work that benefits from a sustained process. Pro is the compelling tier for academic writers who need citation and reference tools; Core is the better fit for everyday writing without those needs. Look elsewhere if Android is essential or the free limits are too small and annual billing is a poor fit.

	Essay	Sodpen
Free plan	Yes	No
Free trial	No	No
Paid from	$8/mo	—
Open source	No	No
Platforms	iOS, Web	Web
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Paid from	8 /mo	—
Source-based writing	Yes	Yes
Citation generation	Yes	Yes
Outline generation	Yes	Yes
Document export	docx_pdf	—

Essay vs Sodpen

Essay

Sodpen