Ulysses vs Stratword
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Ulysses
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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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
Stratword
This app provides a mobile screenwriting studio to help users write, format, and develop their screenplays from start to finish. It offers tools for outlining, character development, and industry-standard formatting, with cloud syncing to a web editor for enhanced features.
- Step-by-Step Story Engine
- Deep Character Development
- Industry-Standard Formatting
- Seamless Cloud Sync
- Web Editor Integration
- Unlimited Screenplays (Premium)
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Write your screenplay from anywhere. Your pocket-sized writer's room and global community. Stratword is the ultimate mobile screenwriting studio, designed to take you from a single idea to a fully formatted final draft. Whether you are outlining a treatment on your commute, building character bios at a coffee shop, or formatting your dialogue on the couch, Stratword gives you the professional tools you need to finally finish your script. Stop wrestling with margins and focus on what matters: your story. KEY FEATURES: Step-by-Step Story Engine: Don't stare at a blank page. Follow our guided workflow to brainstorm loglines, structure your treatment, and build out your world before you ever write "Fade In." Deep Character Development: Create complex, three-dimensional characters with dedicated profiles for bios, traits, and story arcs. Industry-Standard Formatting: Write naturally while the editor automatically formats your scene headings, action, characters, and dialogue to strict Hollywood standards. The All-New Community Hub: Level up your craft and connect with a global network of screenwriters: The Writers' Room: Browse a directory of writers by genre to find your perfect co-writer and collaborate on your next big project. The Script Exchange: Upload your projects, trade scripts with peers, earn review credits, and receive actionable feedback to polish your draft. Study Scripts: Access a curated library of recommended reading from professional screenplays to study structure and formatting. Writer Profiles & Secure Inbox: Build your custom profile showcasing your top influences, and connect privately via direct messaging. Seamless Cloud Sync: Start writing on your iPhone and finish on your computer! Your Stratword account seamlessly syncs with our brand-new Web Editor, unlocking even more pro tools like Dark Mode, Sprint Timers, Read-Aloud Teleprompters, and exports to PDF and Final Draft (.FDX). STRATWORD PREMIUM Upgrade to Stratword Premium to unlock unlimited screenplays, advanced writing features, and full cross-platform syncing. Monthly Access plans: Monthly: $9.99/Month Payments and Renewal: Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage or turn off auto-renew in your Account settings at any time after purchase. No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during the active period. PRIVACY All your information on Stratword is secure. You are the only one who has access to your information. Also, you can delete your data at any time if you choose to do so. Privacy Policy: https://stratword.com/privacypolicy Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/stratword_
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is monetization model: Stratword at freemium against Ulysses's subscription. Stratword also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). Ulysses's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (67% vs 47%). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Ulysses sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Stratword sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Ulysses holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ulysses has 2.2K ratings behind it against 97, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Ulysses's written reviews are positive against 47% of Stratword's.
Ulysses ships an update every 3 weeks, Stratword monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Ulysses | Stratword |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (2.2K ratings) — better | 4.4 (97 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 67.0% of reviews — better | 47.4% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2.2K — better | 97 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Monthly |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Subscription | Freemium — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 272 MB | 58 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Ulysses GmbH & Co. KG | Patrick Pierre |
Customer experience
Ulysses
Stratword
User reviews
Ulysses
From 2.2K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Seamless syncing across devices
- 👍 Simple, distraction-free writing experience
- 💡 Powerful organization and formatting features
- 🦋 Beautiful, customizable interface
- ✨ Excellent for focused writing
Room to improve
- 💰 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
Stratword
From 97 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 User friendly and easy to use
- 👍 Good platform for beginners
- 👍 Helpful for new writers
- 👍 Great for first-time writers
- 👍 Simple and effective approach
Room to improve
- 🐛 Everything deleted/lost work
- 🐛 Distorted conversions to PDF
- 🐛 Unusable PDF exports
- 🐛 Purchase problems/app not installing
- 🐛 Unable to login/sign in issues
Bugs and requests
Ulysses
Reported bugs
4 issues- Unexpected data loss or file corruption
- Slow performance on older devices
- Unreliable iCloud sync
- Formatting issues when exporting to other formats
Requested features
5 requests- 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
Stratword
Reported bugs
10 issues- Previous projects suddenly deleted
- Conversions result in distorted PDFs
- PDFs are unusable for edits or sharing
- Paid app does not install
- Unable to login
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- App freezes during login attempts
- Confirmation email for account creation not sent
- Work is erased upon next login
- Indents and new lines cause screenplay to look 'wonk'
- Locking steps until previous ones are completed without clear requirements
Requested features
3 requests- Paste text copied from notes within script section
- Add feature of pasting and copying texts
- Option to insert images
In-app purchases
Ulysses
- Monthly Plan7 Days trial$5.991 Month
- Yearly Plan$29.991 Year
- Yearly Plan7 Days trial2 variants$39.991 Year
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- Yearly Plan1 Year trial$39.991 Year
- Student Offer$10.99
- Perpetual License$199.99
Stratword
- Weekly Subscription$2.997 Days
- Screenplay Editor Monthly Sub$5.991 Month
- Stratword Premium Monthly$9.991 Month
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Editor Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$49.991 Year
- Stratword Premium Yearly$99.001 Year
- Upgrade$1.99
- Coverage$29.99
- Lifetime Access$149.99









