# Ulysses vs WriteOn

The clearest difference is monetization model: WriteOn at free with in-app purchases against Ulysses's subscription. WriteOn also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 67%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). Ulysses's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (2.1K vs 1). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Ulysses sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and WriteOn sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

WriteOn holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ulysses has 2.1K ratings behind it against 1, 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 100% of WriteOn's.

Ulysses ships an update every 3 weeks, WriteOn every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ulysses | WriteOn |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (2.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ulysses-writing-app/id1225570693/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/writeon/id6468016561/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.1K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 67.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 273 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ulysses GmbH & Co. KG](https://appshunter.io/developer/385113765) | [Adam Maliborski](https://appshunter.io/developer/1609938867) |

## 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


### WriteOn

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/writeon/id6468016561)

This productivity app helps you plan and track your writing projects, from novels to essays. It calculates daily word count goals to meet your deadlines and monitors your progress with insights and achievements.

**Highlights:** Manage multiple writing projects, Set custom deadlines and word counts, Calculate daily word count goals, Track daily writing habits, View writing insights and streaks, Earn achievements for milestones

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| WriteOn Premium | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ulysses free?

Ulysses is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is WriteOn free?

WriteOn is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Ulysses or WriteOn?

WriteOn is rated higher. Ulysses averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2.1K ratings, while WriteOn averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Ulysses or WriteOn have ads?

WriteOn shows ads; Ulysses does not.

### Which is updated more often, Ulysses or WriteOn?

Ulysses ships an update every 3 weeks, and WriteOn every 4 months. Most recently, Ulysses was updated on October 16, 2026 and WriteOn on October 2, 2026.

---

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