# Ulysses: Writing App — Write a novel, story, book

> Distraction-free writing and document management app for Mac, iPhone, and iPad. (iPhone/iPad app by Ulysses GmbH & Co. KG.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ulysses-writing-app/id1225570693 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Ulysses GmbH & Co. KG](https://appshunter.io/developer/385113765)
- Category: Productivity, Lifestyle
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.60/5 from 2,091 App Store ratings · 1,254 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 18.6 · 337 MB
- Languages: Russian, American English, Dutch, European Spanish, Italian, Korean, German (Germany), European Portuguese, Chinese (Traditional, Taiwan), Chinese (Simplified, China) and 2 more
- Released: 2017-08-10
- Data updated: 2026-08-26
- Monetization: subscription
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ulysses-writing-app/id1225570693/reviews.md

## What is Ulysses?

Ulysses is your one-stop writing environment for Mac, iPhone and iPad. Its pleasant, focused writing experience, combined with effective document management, seamless sync, and flexible export, make Ulysses the first choice for writers of all kinds.

++ Apple Design Award Winner ++ 

“The app is amazing. An absolute delight to use. Well done.”
– David Hewson, Bestselling Author (The Killing)

### A Text Production Powerhouse
Ulysses’ markup-based, distraction-free editor lets you focus on your most important task: Write, edit, and write some more. Formatting is kept for later, so you can completely immerse yourself in the text. Ulysses’ uniquely streamlined toolset covers the entire writing process, and its clean and simple interface will boost your productivity. From first to final draft, from prologue to closing chapter – Ulysses keeps you in the flow, so you can get stuff done.

### All Your Texts, All the Time
Everything you’ll ever write is stored in Ulysses’ unified library. You can manage projects of all kinds and sizes, be it novels, diaries or study notes – they are always saved, and automatically in sync. And since Ulysses offers feature parity across macOS and iOS, it doesn’t matter where you are or when inspiration hits: All its tools, and all your texts, are always at your fingertips.

### Built-In Proofreader and Editing Assistant
Write with confidence, thanks to Ulysses’ integrated grammar and style check. Available for over 20 languages, it analyzes your text and offers informed suggestions for capitalization, punctuation, semantics, redundancy, style and more. 

### Create eBooks, DOCX, PDFs and HTML
Ulysses’ export is flexible enough to cover any writer’s needs: Transform your text into beautiful PDFs, Word documents or eBooks. Or export HTML code, ready to be used anywhere on the web. You can even choose between a variety of pre-made formatting styles for all kinds of purposes, or create your own and share it with other users.

### Publish to WordPress, Ghost, Substack & More
Do you blog? Ulysses’ offers best-in-class publishing to WordPress, Ghost, and Micro.blog. You can post to WordPress, Ghost and Micro.blog from right within the app – complete with images, tags, categories etc. All offer a built-in preview to proofread before submission. Ulysses also supports copy paste publishing to Substack and Basecamp.

### Pricing
Ulysses requires a subscription. We offer monthly and yearly subscription plans. They include a fully functional trial, so you can test Ulysses (including export and sync). There’s also a special discount for students.

All plans unlock the app on Mac, iPhone and iPad, and feature full synchronization.

### Questions
Please visit ulysses.app for more information. You can also reach us via help@ulysses.app or on Twitter @ulyssesapp – we’re happily awaiting your feedback!

Terms of Use: https://ulysses.app/app-terms-of-service
Privacy Policy: https://ulysses.app/app-privacy-policy

## Key features

- Distraction-free editor
- Unified document library
- Cross-device sync
- Built-in proofreader
- Flexible export options (PDF, DOCX, eBook, HTML)
- Direct publishing to blogs

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Yearly Plan | $39.99 | per year |
| Monthly Plan | $5.99 | per month |
| Yearly Plan | $29.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $39.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $39.99 | per year |

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Student Offer | $10.99 | one-time |


## What do users think of Ulysses?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 🚀 Seamless syncing across devices
- 👍 Simple, distraction-free writing experience
- 💡 Powerful organization and formatting features
- 🦋 Beautiful, customizable interface
- ✨ Excellent for focused writing

**Cons**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🐛 Occasional sync issues
- 🔒 Concerns about data privacy and lock-in
- 📚 Limited support for advanced formatting (tables, formulas, etc.)
- 🤔 Steep learning curve for some users

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Unexpected data loss or file corruption
- Slow performance on older devices
- Unreliable iCloud sync
- Formatting issues when exporting to other formats

**Most requested features**

- Improved collaboration and sharing features
- Better integration with reference managers and citation tools
- More flexible export options and compatibility
- Customizable keyboard shortcuts
- Ability to hide Markdown syntax

## Recent user reviews (10 of 1,254)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ulysses-writing-app/id1225570693/reviews.md

### 3/5 — Only 3 stars

*2026-08-12, version 40.3*

Ulysses is one of the most polished writing apps on macOS, yet it continues to use absolutely hideous, always-visible Markdown markup and refuses to give users the option to decide for themselves whether they want to see all those formatting symbols or not.

### 5/5 — Great App

*2026-08-12, version 40.3*

This is very helpful for pre writing technical papers. Lets you restructure easily before dealing with Latex. Support is very responsive too. And they are churning out new features and export formats.

### 3/5 — Feature drift

*2026-08-08, version 40.3*

Used to be great. It has drifted far from its original philosophy.

### 3/5 — i want to love this app

*2026-08-03, version 40.3*

i want to love this app - it is very simple.  but honestly, the user interface lacks…nothing seems to be in a logical place.  despite being so “simple”, the functions appear illogically laid out. i tried to get used to the app - i’ve written now 1 partial manuscript, have 2 other ones, and now a 4th that has the complete draft.  i wouldn’t say it’s horrible but just one up from that.  the concept is great though. today my struggle is scoping a search to -not a sheet- a group - there is a pulldown menu AND an icon, but the search only scopes to the current sheet - and no - i am not confusing the two…this is basic stuff that should work.

### 1/5 — I'm not looking to buy anything

*2026-08-02, version 40.2*

I got Ulysses because it had great reviews and I always struggle to keep writing my books. You would think I would actually be able to use the app once I download it at least some, because you don't have to actually buy the app, but once you download it you can't use it unless you buy it. I'm sure that once you buy it it can be a great help, but I'm not looking to buy anything, you know?

### 5/5 — Big Fan

*2026-07-30, version 40.2*

I really enjoy this app. I love the layout of it and I find it very supportive for me as a writer and someone with lots of ideas frequently. This app is helpful in having a space to express and organize them. I also really love that it can be in dark mode (night mode) with a dark background.

### 5/5 — 简洁好用

*2026-07-29, version 40.2*

喜欢写小说，有时候也写些杂七杂八的文，页面简洁，专注码字，多本书目独立管理，很满意

### 5/5 — Best Ever

*2026-07-28, version 40.2*

I use this App everyday and for just about everything!

### 1/5 — Scam

*2026-07-26, version 40.2*

It’s not free. You have to pay $40 a month to type. It’s not worth it

### 1/5 — Pay To Use

*2026-07-25, version 40.2*

Alright come on, look don’t touch? What is this? Kindle? I thought this was a writing app until I found out you had to pay a yearly subscription for this thing. A seven day free trial, cool, but lets be real, nobody is finishing a novel in 7 days. I was expecting better from an app with “Writing App” in the name. The only thing good about this app is the ui.

## Frequently asked questions about Ulysses

### What does Ulysses do?

Ulysses is a writing application designed for Mac, iPhone, and iPad. It provides a focused, distraction-free writing environment with effective document management, seamless syncing across devices, and flexible export options. It aims to support writers throughout the entire writing process, from initial drafts to final edits.

### What are the key features of Ulysses?

Key features include a distraction-free, markup-based editor, a unified library for managing all your texts, seamless synchronization across macOS and iOS, a built-in proofreader and editing assistant for grammar and style suggestions, and flexible export options to formats like PDF, DOCX, eBooks, and HTML. It also supports direct publishing to platforms like WordPress and Ghost.

### How much does Ulysses cost?

Ulysses operates on a subscription model, offering both monthly and yearly plans. These subscriptions unlock the app's full functionality on Mac, iPhone, and iPad, and include full synchronization. A fully functional trial is available for users to test the app before committing to a subscription. Student discounts are also available.

### What devices is Ulysses compatible with?

Ulysses is designed for Apple devices. It is available on Mac, iPhone, and iPad. All subscription plans include feature parity and full synchronization across these platforms, ensuring your writing is accessible and up-to-date no matter which device you are using.

### Who is Ulysses for?

Ulysses is intended for writers of all kinds, including those working on novels, stories, books, or any long-form content. Its streamlined toolset and clean interface are designed to boost productivity and help users stay in the flow, making it suitable for anyone who needs a dedicated and organized writing environment.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 40.4 — 2026-08-25

This version brings various bug fixes and other tweaks.

If you're happy with the app, please rate it, or even leave a review. This is a great way to support us indie developers. Thanks a lot!

### 40.3 — 2026-08-03

“Copy for Basecamp” now supports Basecamp 5.

If you're happy with the app, please rate it, or even leave a review. This is a great way to support us indie developers. Thanks a lot!

### 40.2 — 2026-07-13

We improved the app’s stability and fixed a couple of issues.

If you're happy with the app, please rate it, or even leave a review. This is a great way to support us indie developers. Thanks a lot!

### 40.1 — 2026-07-03

This version brings various bug fixes and other tweaks.

If you're happy with the app, please rate it, or even leave a review. This is a great way to support us indie developers. Thanks a lot!

### 40 — 2026-05-05

## iPad only
- We have completely reworked the main menu, mirroring the full structure and functionality of the main menu on Mac.
- You can now separately activate the line marker and fixed scrolling.
- You can now select themes from the View menu.
- The editor now has menus for paragraph- and text-markup (yay!).
- You can now copy and paste sheets and groups using the menu (or keyboard shortcuts).

## Improvements (all devices)
- Projects, groups, and filters now have a dedicated Edit view, which covers name, icon, and color, while a new Statistics view covers history and… statistics.
- We have redesigned the condition editor for filters.
- We have reorganized the editor settings, making them much more accessible. 
- The writing history for groups and projects is now always visible within the statistics view (it previously needed a goal).
- Editor search now includes options for "Whole Words" and "Begins with”.
- Images in the editor now load faster.
- Mathematical equations are now exported as native Word equations (OMML), ensuring full compatibility with Microsoft Word.

## Bug Fixes
- Fixed an issue with our ePub exporter when a cover image was set.
- Fixed the alphabetical sorting of tags and categories in the WordPress publishing panel.
- Fixed certain group or project icons not appearing in the Shortcuts app and within widgets.
- Fixed various crashes.

If you're happy with the app, please rate it, or even leave a review. This is a great way to support us indie developers. Thanks a lot!

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## More apps by Ulysses GmbH & Co. KG

- [Ulysses Mobile](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ulysses-mobile/id1225571038)

All apps by Ulysses GmbH & Co. KG: https://appshunter.io/developer/385113765

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-26.*