Comparison

Ulysses vs DateSmith Light

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Ulysses

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
Read full description

Ulysses is your one-stop writing environment for Mac, iPhone and iPad. Its pleasant, focused writing experience, combined with effective document management, seamless sync, and flexible export, make Ulysses the first choice for writers of all kinds. ++ Apple Design Award Winner ++ “The app is amazing. An absolute delight to use. Well done.” – David Hewson, Bestselling Author (The Killing) ### A Text Production Powerhouse Ulysses’ markup-based, distraction-free editor lets you focus on your most important task: Write, edit, and write some more. Formatting is kept for later, so you can completely immerse yourself in the text. Ulysses’ uniquely streamlined toolset covers the entire writing process, and its clean and simple interface will boost your productivity. From first to final draft, from prologue to closing chapter – Ulysses keeps you in the flow, so you can get stuff done. ### All Your Texts, All the Time Everything you’ll ever write is stored in Ulysses’ unified library. You can manage projects of all kinds and sizes, be it novels, diaries or study notes – they are always saved, and automatically in sync. And since Ulysses offers feature parity across macOS and iOS, it doesn’t matter where you are or when inspiration hits: All its tools, and all your texts, are always at your fingertips. ### Built-In Proofreader and Editing Assistant Write with confidence, thanks to Ulysses’ integrated grammar and style check. Available for over 20 languages, it analyzes your text and offers informed suggestions for capitalization, punctuation, semantics, redundancy, style and more. ### Create eBooks, DOCX, PDFs and HTML Ulysses’ export is flexible enough to cover any writer’s needs: Transform your text into beautiful PDFs, Word documents or eBooks. Or export HTML code, ready to be used anywhere on the web. You can even choose between a variety of pre-made formatting styles for all kinds of purposes, or create your own and share it with other users. ### Publish to WordPress, Ghost, Substack & More Do you blog? Ulysses’ offers best-in-class publishing to WordPress, Ghost, and Micro.blog. You can post to WordPress, Ghost and Micro.blog from right within the app – complete with images, tags, categories etc. All offer a built-in preview to proofread before submission. Ulysses also supports copy paste publishing to Substack and Basecamp. ### Pricing Ulysses requires a subscription. We offer monthly and yearly subscription plans. They include a fully functional trial, so you can test Ulysses (including export and sync). There’s also a special discount for students. All plans unlock the app on Mac, iPhone and iPad, and feature full synchronization. ### Questions Please visit ulysses.app for more information. You can also reach us via help@ulysses.app or on Twitter @ulyssesapp – we’re happily awaiting your feedback! Terms of Use: https://ulysses.app/app-terms-of-service Privacy Policy: https://ulysses.app/app-privacy-policy

About

DateSmith Light

Enhance your iPhone's lock screen with a beautifully formatted date display. This app specializes in the premium space above your clock, offering customizable formats and reliable midnight updates. Track important events with a countdown mode and enjoy a minimalist, privacy-focused design.

Highlights
  • Custom date widget for above lock screen clock
  • Multiple widget formats
  • Personalized date formats
  • Countdown mode for events
  • Automatic midnight updates
  • Privacy-focused design
  • Battery efficient
Features
Read full description

DateSmith Light: YOUR LOCK SCREEN DATE PERFECTED DateSmith Light delivers what other widget apps don't - a beautifully formatted date display specifically designed for the premium space above your lock screen clock. With reliable midnight updates and customization options, DateSmith Light enhances your iPhone with information you need at a glance. ABOVE-CLOCK PERFECTION Unlike generic widget apps, DateSmith Light specializes in the coveted space above your lock screen clock. Our elegant date formats complement your iPhone's design language while delivering essential information at a glance. RELIABLE MIDNIGHT UPDATES DateSmith Light employs sophisticated background processing technology that ensures your date always updates precisely at midnight - even if your phone is asleep. Say goodbye to yesterday's date lingering on your lock screen! PERSONALIZATION OPTIONS Choose from multiple date format styles or switch to countdown mode to track days until an important event. Make your lock screen truly yours with the perfect date display that fits your needs. MINIMALIST DESIGN We focus on doing one thing perfectly - showing today's date in a clean, elegant format that enhances your lock screen. No clutter, no distractions, just the information you need. KEY FEATURES - Custom date widget designed specifically for the space above your lock screen clock - Multiple widget formats available for home screen and other widget areas - Personalized display with customizable date formats - Countdown mode to track days until important events - Automatic midnight updates with advanced background technology - Simple configuration - set it up once and forget it - One-time purchase - no subscriptions, no recurring fees - Extremely battery efficient design - 100% privacy focused - no data collection, no analytics - No internet connection required - Minimal storage footprint PRIVACY FIRST DateSmith Light is designed with your privacy in mind. We don't collect any data, require unnecessary permissions, or need an internet connection to function. Your date is your business. SIMPLE SETUP 1. Long press on your lock screen 2. Tap 'Customize' 3. Tap the widget area above the time 4. Find and select the DateSmith Light widget 5. Tap 'Done' DateSmith Light - The date widget that works your way.

Screenshots

Ulysses4 screens
DateSmith Light4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: DateSmith Light at none against Ulysses's 7. DateSmith Light also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 67%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). Ulysses's advantage is ratings volume (2.1K vs 2). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Ulysses sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. DateSmith Light asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

DateSmith Light 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 2, 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 DateSmith Light's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Ulysses ships an update every 3 weeks, DateSmith Light weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and June 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Ulysses versus DateSmith Light: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUlyssesDateSmith Light
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (2.1K ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews67.1% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2.1K — better2
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationSubscriptionFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.017.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size274 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperUlysses GmbH & Co. KGBenjamin Staab

Customer experience

Ulysses

All ratings2,111 ratings
Positive89.7%
Neutral2.3%
Negative8.0%
Written reviews1,262 reviews
Positive67.1%
Neutral7.1%
Negative25.8%

DateSmith Light

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Ulysses

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

5 requests
  • 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

DateSmith Light

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Ulysses

Subscriptions4
  • Monthly Plan7 Days trial$5.991 Month
  • Yearly Plan$29.991 Year
  • Yearly Plan7 Days trial2 variants$39.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Yearly Plan1 Year trial$39.991 Year
One-time2
  • Student Offer$10.99
  • Perpetual License$199.99
None

DateSmith Light

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Ulysses free?
Ulysses is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is DateSmith Light free?
DateSmith Light is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Ulysses or DateSmith Light?
DateSmith Light is rated higher. Ulysses averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2.1K ratings, while DateSmith Light averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Ulysses or DateSmith Light have ads?
Neither Ulysses nor DateSmith Light shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Ulysses or DateSmith Light?
Ulysses ships an update every 3 weeks, and DateSmith Light weekly. Most recently, Ulysses was updated on September 24, 2026 and DateSmith Light on June 6, 2026.

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