# Ulysses vs Effie

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.

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ulysses | Effie |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (2.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ulysses-writing-app/id1225570693/reviews)** | [4.3 (36 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/effie-write-mindmap-and-note/id1597914599/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.1K** | 36 |
| Positive reviews | 67.0% of reviews | **75.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 274 MB | 53 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ulysses GmbH & Co. KG](https://appshunter.io/developer/385113765) | [7S2P Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1593810280) |

## What reviewers say

### Ulysses

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ulysses-writing-app/id1225570693)

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:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Plan | $5.99 | per month |
| Yearly Plan | $29.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $39.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $39.99 | per year |
| Student Offer | $10.99 | one-time |
| Perpetual License | $199.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 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

**Reported bugs**

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

**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


### Effie

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/effie-write-mindmap-and-note/id1597914599)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Effie Pro Monthly Plan | $6.00 | per month |
| Effie AI Month Plan | $6.00 | per month |
| Effie Pro AI Monthly Plan | $9.00 | per month |
| Effie Yearly Plan | $29.99 | per year |
| Effie AI Yearly Plan | $72.00 | per year |
| Effie + AI Yearly Plan | $107.99 | per year |
| Effie Monthly Plan | $4.99 | one-time |
| Effie Yearly Plan | $48.00 | one-time |


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*