# Ulysses vs Blur Text & Censor

The clearest difference is monetization model: Blur Text & Censor at free with in-app purchases against Ulysses's subscription. Blur Text & Censor also leads on iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.0). Ulysses's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 12 months) and ratings volume (2.2K vs 4). On price, ads, 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 Blur Text & Censor sells 2 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 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ulysses has 2.2K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Ulysses ships an update every 3 weeks, Blur Text & Censor every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ulysses | Blur Text & Censor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (2.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ulysses-writing-app/id1225570693/reviews)** | [4.3 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blur-text-and-censor-redact/id6572290856/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.2K** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 67.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 12 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 272 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ulysses GmbH & Co. KG](https://appshunter.io/developer/385113765) | [Arda Sen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1670665250) |

## 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


### Blur Text & Censor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blur-text-and-censor-redact/id6572290856)

Protect your privacy by redacting sensitive information from screenshots and photos. Easily hide text, blur images, and highlight important details with a variety of markup tools. Save your edited images in high resolution to keep your data secure.

**Highlights:** Redact text on photos and screenshots, Blur and mosaic sensitive areas, Highlight and underline important information, Blend tool for seamless background matching, Save edits in high resolution, Customizable colors for markup

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Subscription | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Yearly Subscription | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ulysses free?

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

### Is Blur Text & Censor free?

Blur Text & Censor is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Ulysses or Blur Text & Censor?

Ulysses is rated higher. Ulysses averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2.2K ratings, while Blur Text & Censor averages 4.3 from 4 ratings.

### Do Ulysses or Blur Text & Censor have ads?

Neither Ulysses nor Blur Text & Censor shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Ulysses or Blur Text & Censor?

Ulysses ships an update every 3 weeks, and Blur Text & Censor every 12 months. Most recently, Ulysses was updated on October 29, 2026 and Blur Text & Censor on October 24, 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.*