# Ulysses vs Scribas

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Scribas at none against Ulysses's 7. Scribas also leads on iOS requirement (18.6 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence, ads 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. Scribas asks for nothing beyond the download.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ulysses | Scribas |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (2.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ulysses-writing-app/id1225570693/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2.2K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 67.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Subscription | — |
| Size | 272 MB | 268 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **18.6** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ulysses GmbH & Co. KG](https://appshunter.io/developer/385113765) | [Oscar Garcia Martinez](https://appshunter.io/developer/1666326893) |

## 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


### Scribas

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scribas/id6742160547)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ulysses free?

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

### Is Scribas free?

Scribas is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Ulysses or Scribas have ads?

Neither Ulysses nor Scribas shows ads.

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

Ulysses ships an update every 3 weeks, and Scribas every 3 weeks. Most recently, Ulysses was updated on November 6, 2026 and Scribas on November 4, 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.*