# Ulysses vs Book Creator

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Ulysses at 67% against Book Creator's 0%. Ulysses also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.0) and ratings volume (2.2K vs 27). Book Creator's advantage is iOS requirement (17.2 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Ulysses sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Book Creator sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 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 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ulysses has 2.2K ratings behind it against 27, 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 0% of Book Creator's.

Ulysses ships an update every 3 weeks, Book Creator every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ulysses | Book Creator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (2.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ulysses-writing-app/id1225570693/reviews)** | [4.0 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/book-creator-write-a-book/id6470928496/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.2K** | 27 |
| Positive reviews | **67.1% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Subscription | Subscription |
| Size | 272 MB | 68 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **17.2** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Ulysses GmbH & Co. KG](https://appshunter.io/developer/385113765) | [Kaan Yildiz](https://appshunter.io/developer/1473960483) |

## 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 effective document management, seamless sync, and flexible export options for writers of all kinds. Includes a built-in proofreader and editing assistant.

**Highlights:** Distraction-free editor, Unified library for all texts, Seamless sync across devices, Built-in proofreader and editing assistant, Flexible export to PDF, DOCX, HTML, Publishing to WordPress, Ghost, Substack

**Features:** Family Sharing, iPhone Duo support

**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


### Book Creator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/book-creator-write-a-book/id6470928496)

This AI-powered writing assistant offers comprehensive support for all your writing needs, from generating creative stories to drafting complex articles. It leverages advanced AI chat engines to provide guidance and assistance at every stage of the writing process.

**Highlights:** AI-powered writing engine, Assistance in every writing step, Handles diverse input types, Generates creative stories, Drafts articles on complex topics, Provides recommendations and advice

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Writer's AI Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Writer's AI Weekly | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Writer's AI Weekly | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| AI Writer Annual Final | $29.99 | per year |
| AI Writer Annual Return | $34.99 | per year |
| Writer's AI Annually | $39.99 | per year |
| Writer's AI Annually | $44.99 | per year |
| Writer's AI Lifetime | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ulysses free?

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

### Is Book Creator free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Ulysses or Book Creator?

Ulysses is rated higher. Ulysses averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2.2K ratings, while Book Creator averages 4.0 from 27 ratings.

### Do Ulysses or Book Creator have ads?

Neither Ulysses nor Book Creator shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Ulysses or Book Creator?

Ulysses ships an update every 3 weeks, and Book Creator every 5 weeks. Most recently, Ulysses was updated on November 9, 2026 and Book Creator on November 7, 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.*