Comparison

Ulysses vs Effie

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

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

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

About

Effie

This app helps writers transform ideas into polished articles. It offers AI-powered mind mapping, content generation, and writing tools. Seamlessly sync across devices and export in various formats.

Highlights
  • AI-powered mind mapping
  • Generate articles from mind maps
  • Multi-device cloud synchronization
  • Offline writing support
  • Markup syntax for formatting
  • Outline to mind map conversion
  • Export to PDF, DOCX, Markdown
Features
Read full description

Effie: Tailored for writers, from casual notes to profound creations. * Effie AI features described below require the Effie AI plan, available via in-app purchase. # New Feature: Mind Map + AI From a simple spark of inspiration to a complete mind map, and then to a polished article, Effie helps you turn ideas into actual writing. [Extend Node by AI] Expand parent nodes into child nodes with one click. Improve the structure of your mind map. Explore ideas from new perspectives. Every extended node can offer broader and deeper inspiration. [Generate Article by AI] Generate an article from the content and structure of your mind map with one click. Turn your ideas into a clear, logical draft more efficiently. # Write whenever inspiration strikes No device or location can hold you back. Capture every creative spark. - Multi-device, multi-platform support enables automatic cloud synchronization on phones, computers, and tablets. - Supports offline writing, allowing creation anywhere and anytime, as you wish. - User-friendly design, no learning needed. If you can use a memo, you can use Effie. # Immerse in Creativity Enter a tranquil text-centric space, dedicated to pure writing. - No redundant buttons. Only essential features. - Simplify formatting with Markup syntax and handy shortcuts, without fumbling for the mouse. - Customize Effie's appearance with your preferred color modes, fonts and display settings. # Creating Logical Structure Clear Outline and intuitive mind maps help clarify logical relationships. - Input text, and convert from outline to mind map with one click, supporting image insertion in all modes. - Mix text in the outline, providing an overview of the whole without missing details to gather your thoughts. - Mind map mode supports editing, with multiple diagram styles such as classic, tree, fishbone, etc. # Effortless Output Applicable to various scenarios, share with one click,and experience a smooth and delightful journey from writing to sharing. - Supports exporting to PDF, DOCX, Markdown, EffieSheet, and other file formats. - Supports exporting long images for convenient mobile browsing, with various visual styles to choose from. # Effie AI: Your AI writing guide for enhanced efficiency,accuracy and enrichment. - Generate outlines: Extract information, and establish a clear article structure. - Summarize texts: Present themes and core points with ease. - Adjust the length: Condense, expand, continue writing, and easily modifying the text output length. - Polish: Switch styles flexibly from formal to humorous to self-media, suited for various scenarios. - Correct typos and grammar: Accurately identify and revise, no more worries about rhetoric and errors. - Translation: Multi-language translation, ensuring smooth and accurate language transition. - Ask AI: Call upon the AI think tank anytime during writing to ease confusion and receive suggestions. - Brainstorm: Generate diverse and innovative ideas, sparking your inspiration and creativity. # Unparalleled Performance Editing an article of 100,000 words? Lightning-fast response.. - Native development, prioritizing code efficiency, and minimizing system resource occupancy. - Built-in repository for convenient manuscript management. # We care deeply about your privacy and data security We respect and prioritize the privacy of creators. All your work in Effie is encrypted with your unique key. In other words, no one has access to what you write. So no targeted ads,no data training,no content analysis,no intelligent recommendation algorithms in it. Use it with the assurance of your data integrity. Using Effie for your creative work is a valuable trust we treasure. # Get in touch: You can go to our website effie.pro for more information. You can also send us an email to help@effie.pro if you have any questions, we'd be happy to help. -- Effie, your creative ally. EULA:https://www.effie.pro/eula Privacy Policy:https://www.effie.pro/privacy

Screenshots

Ulysses4 screens
Effie4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Effie at free with in-app purchases against Ulysses's subscription. Effie also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 26.0). Ulysses's advantage is ratings volume (2.1K vs 36) and rating (4.6 vs 4.3). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Ulysses sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Effie sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $6.00 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Ulysses holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ulysses has 2.1K ratings behind it against 36, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 67% of Ulysses's written reviews are positive against 75% of Effie's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Ulysses ships an update every 3 weeks, Effie every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Ulysses versus Effie: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUlyssesEffie
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (2.1K ratings) — better4.3 (36 ratings)
Positive reviews67.0% of reviews75.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2.1K — better36
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS26.014.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size274 MB53 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperUlysses GmbH & Co. KG7S2P Inc.

Customer experience

Ulysses

All ratings2,111 ratings
Positive89.7%
Neutral2.3%
Negative8.0%
Written reviews1,270 reviews
Positive67.0%
Neutral7.1%
Negative25.9%

Effie

All ratings36 ratings
Positive80.6%
Neutral8.3%
Negative11.1%
Written reviews32 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral9.4%
Negative15.6%

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

Effie

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Ulysses

Subscriptions4
  • Monthly Plan7 Days trial$5.991 Month
  • Yearly Plan$29.991 Year
  • Yearly Plan7 Days trial2 variants$39.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Yearly Plan1 Year trial$39.991 Year
One-time2
  • Student Offer$10.99
  • Perpetual License$199.99
8 purchases

Effie

Subscriptions6
  • Effie Pro Monthly Plan$6.001 Month
  • Effie AI Month Plan$6.001 Month
  • Effie Pro AI Monthly Plan$9.001 Month
Show 3 more
  • Effie Yearly Plan$29.991 Year
  • Effie AI Yearly Plan$72.001 Year
  • Effie + AI Yearly Plan$107.991 Year
One-time2
  • Effie Monthly Plan$4.99
  • Effie Yearly Plan$48.00

Questions

Is Ulysses free?
Ulysses is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Effie free?
Effie is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Ulysses or Effie?
Ulysses is rated higher. Ulysses averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2.1K ratings, while Effie averages 4.3 from 36 ratings.
Do Ulysses or Effie have ads?
Neither Ulysses nor Effie shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Ulysses or Effie?
Ulysses ships an update every 3 weeks, and Effie every 2 weeks. Most recently, Ulysses was updated on September 28, 2026 and Effie on September 12, 2026.

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