Ulysses: Writing App

Ulysses: Writing App

Write a novel, story, book

2.1K ratings
1268 reviews
Free
In-App Purchases

Details

  • Released
  • Updated
  • August 10, 2017
  • September 14, 2026

Features

Ulysses: Writing App screenshot #1 for iPhone
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Ulysses: Writing App screenshot #9 for iPhone
Ulysses: Writing App screenshot #10 for iPhone
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About

A distraction-free writing environment for Mac, iPhone, and iPad. It offers robust document management, seamless syncing, and flexible export options for writers of all kinds. Includes a proofreader and editing assistant.

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

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What's New in Ulysses

41.1

September 14, 2026

### New **Ready for iOS 27** - Ulysses feels right at home on Apple’s latest operating system. Toolbar, menus, icons, everything. **Siri AI** - Full support for the latest Siri: On-screen awareness. Ask Siri. Write with Siri. (Not in the EU, sigh.) **Project templates** - When creating a new project, you can now select a template, so projects start with a couple of dummy groups and sheets. ### Improvements - Added a couple of much requested group icons, such as pizza, sparkles or a tram (¯\_(ツ)\_/¯). - Improved accessibility support when editing filter conditions and group icons. - Improved performance when finding sheets in Open Quickly. - Improved passing around sheet contents in Shortcuts. ### Fixes - Fixed a performance issue when using the magic keyboard with trackpad. This was really annoying, hard to pin down and reproduce, but it’s gone now. Ulysses will feel like a new app for those who were affected. - Fixed a crash when clearing a daily goal. - Fixed a crash when adding a goal. - Fixed a crash when exporting to Markdown. - Fixed duplicated Close buttons in export preview on iPad. - Fixed display of sheets in the sheet list after dragging them around. - Fixed a bug where a sheet would be updated unnecessarily when opening an equation editor. 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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Subscription plans

Yearly Plan

Full access on all devices.

$39.991 Year
7 Days trial
How to cancel Ulysses subscription ⁉️
2

In-App Purchases

$199.99

Perpetual License

Full access on all devices.

Events

Read more about Ready for iOS 27

Ready for iOS 27

Ulysses feels right at home on Apple's latest.

Sep 14, 2026 — Sep 28, 2026

Read more about Copy to Substack

Copy to Substack

Write your newsletter in Ulysses.

Nov 16, 2025 — Nov 23, 2025

Read more about Physical Keyboard Navigation

Physical Keyboard Navigation

Left, Right, Up, Down, Return, ⌘-Return.

Nov 23, 2025 — Nov 30, 2025

User reviews

This is the one!

Really simple to use, great organization options, reasonable price, not to mention a refreshing lack of AI slop.

Abandoned Old Version

I’d never pay for subscription based. I own their one-time purchase version; which they no longer update. Interesting how when they abandoned the version and moved on. Working with other options that are one-time purchase writing apps: Scrivener and Storyist. I could possibly live with paying for major updates (which there isn’t much to update), but paying yearly for it to mostly do the same thing. Hard pass!
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Great app!

Helps stay focused and has complex features

Simply excellent in many ways

I'm finding Ulysses to be a wonderfully powerful way of writing and saving - and rewriting and reorganising - a wide variety of old and new things that I've written and am now starting to organise and us. I gave it a 4 rather than a 5 only because it is complex and I did not find the basic help files clear enough for a new user. I've used Word and Excel litterally for decades, so I don't find the "simple" commands of formatting in Ulysses all that simple.
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Book

I can't remove a table

Developer apps

Featured on

User experience

🐞

Reported Bugs

4 issues

Unexpected data loss or file corruption

Bug

Slow performance on older devices

Bug

Unreliable iCloud sync

Bug

Formatting issues when exporting to other formats

Bug
✨

Requested Features

5 requests

Improved collaboration and sharing features

Feature

Better integration with reference managers and citation tools

Feature

More flexible export options and compatibility

Feature

Customizable keyboard shortcuts

Feature

Ability to hide Markdown syntax

Feature

FAQ

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.