# Ulysses vs Routine Tracker

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.

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.

Ulysses ships an update every 3 weeks, Routine Tracker every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ulysses | Routine Tracker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (2.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ulysses-writing-app/id1225570693/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2.1K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 67.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Subscription | — |
| Size | 273 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **18.5** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ulysses GmbH & Co. KG](https://appshunter.io/developer/385113765) | [Johnathon Nicolaou](https://appshunter.io/developer/1834587257) |

## 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


### Routine Tracker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/routine-tracker/id6751313785)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked 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 21, 2026 and Routine Tracker on October 1, 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.*