As one of the basic applications that come bundled with every Windows installation, WordPad has been a part of the operating system for many years. Although it has basic features and is far from a full-fledged word processor, it can be a helpful tool for quickly jotting down notes or composing short documents.

JotterPad

JotterPad is a great alternative to WordPad that offers a clean and simple interface for writers. It has all the basic features that you need, including a spell checker, thesaurus, and word counter. It also supports Markdown, so you can easily format your text.

iA Writer

iA Writer is another excellent writing app that has a similar feel to JotterPad. It also has a clean and minimal interface, and it comes with a few extra features, such as a focus mode that dims everything except for the current sentence.

Draft

Draft is a slightly more feature-rich alternative to WordPad. In addition to the basics, it includes things like a distraction-free writing mode, version control, and the ability to collaborate with other writers.

Bear

Bear is another great writing app with a clean and minimal interface. It includes all the basics, plus some nice extras like the ability to add images and attachments, and to format your text with Markdown.

Ulysses

Ulysses is a more comprehensive writing app that includes features like a built-in dictionary, thesaurus, and word counter. It also supports Markdown and has a focus mode that dims everything except for the current sentence.