Comparison

Ulysses vs Routine Tracker

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

Routine Tracker

Features
Read full description

Transform your daily routine with Routine Tracker - the comprehensive habit-managing app designed for those who want to create lasting positive changes. Key Features: Smart Scheduling - Set custom start dates for future habits and exclude specific weekdays Flexible Frequencies - Track daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly routines Visual Progress Tracking - Interactive calendar view shows your complete completion history Celebration Animations - Confetti animations celebrate your achievements and keep you motivated Comprehensive Categories - Organise tasks across Exercise, Work, Health, Learning, and Personal categories Intelligent Reminders - Get timely notifications including advance reminders for monthly and yearly tasks Archive System - Keep your completed or paused habits organised without losing progress Background Images - Personalise your tasks with custom photos Start Date Reminders - Get notifications when upcoming habits are about to begin Perfect For: Building new healthy habits Maintaining exercise routines Tracking work commitments Learning new skills consistently Personal development goals Why Choose Routine Tracker: Unlike simple to-do apps, Routine Tracker understands that different habits have different rhythms. Whether it's daily meditation, weekly meal prep, monthly budget reviews, or yearly health check-ups, our app adapts to your unique lifestyle. The powerful exclusion system lets you skip weekends for work tasks or exclude rest days from exercise routines. Visual progress tracking with our calendar view helps you see patterns and stay motivated with your long-term goals. With celebration animations and smart reminder systems, Routine Tracker turns habit-building into an engaging, sustainable experience that grows with you. Start building better routines today with Routine Tracker - your personal habit coach that never sleeps!

Screenshots

Ulysses4 screens
Routine Tracker4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Routine Tracker at none against Ulysses's 7. Routine Tracker also leads on iOS requirement (18.5 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence, 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. Routine Tracker asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Ulysses ships an update every 3 weeks, Routine Tracker every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Ulysses versus Routine Tracker: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUlyssesRoutine Tracker
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (2.1K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews67.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2.1K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationSubscription—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.018.5 — better
Further details — not scored
Size273 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperUlysses GmbH & Co. KGJohnathon Nicolaou

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

Routine Tracker

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

Routine Tracker

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Ulysses free?
Ulysses is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Routine Tracker free?
Routine Tracker is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Ulysses or Routine Tracker have ads?
Neither Ulysses nor Routine Tracker shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Ulysses or Routine Tracker?
Ulysses ships an update every 3 weeks, and Routine Tracker every 2 weeks. Most recently, Ulysses was updated on October 20, 2026 and Routine Tracker on October 1, 2026.

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