# ChallengeUp vs Ulysses

The clearest difference is price: ChallengeUp at Free against Ulysses's $4.99. ChallengeUp also leads on ratings volume (38 vs 1). Ulysses's advantage is device support (5 vs 1). On rating, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

ChallengeUp is free to download; Ulysses costs $4.99 up front. ChallengeUp sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per year and Ulysses sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for ChallengeUp against 5.0 for Ulysses. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ChallengeUp has 38 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ChallengeUp | Ulysses |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $4.99 |
| Rating | [5.0 (38 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/challengeup-habit-tracker/id1556682948/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ulysses/id6789352921/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **38** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 89.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 85 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [LIKE WRONG LLP](https://appshunter.io/developer/1556682950) | [Hessam Zahedi](https://appshunter.io/developer/6785146214) |

## What reviewers say

### ChallengeUp

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/challengeup-habit-tracker/id1556682948)

This app helps you build new habits, improve self-care, or break bad ones with a structured, short-term challenge system. Focus on achieving goals within 7 to 60 days to experience lasting change without the pressure of lifelong commitment.

**Highlights:** Short challenge system (7-60 days), Create custom challenges, Track progress visually, Receive goal reminders, Share progress on social media, Access useful challenge tips

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus (Annual) | $14.99 | per year |
| Plus Lifetime | $39.99 | one-time |


### Ulysses

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ulysses/id6789352921)

This journal app helps you build self-control by reflecting on daily temptations and the strategies used to overcome them. It offers guided breathing exercises and insights into what works for you, without any pressure of streaks.

**Highlights:** Nightly self-control journaling, Guided breathing exercises, Insight into effective strategies, No streak tracking, Cultural ropes exploration, Apple Watch integration, iCloud sync

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tip — A coil of rope | $2.99 | one-time |
| Tip — A new sail | $6.99 | one-time |
| A ship for the fleet | $14.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ChallengeUp free?

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

### Is Ulysses free?

Ulysses costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ChallengeUp or Ulysses?

ChallengeUp and Ulysses are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 38 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do ChallengeUp or Ulysses have ads?

Neither ChallengeUp nor Ulysses shows ads.

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

ChallengeUp ships an update every 2 months, and Ulysses every 2 months. Most recently, ChallengeUp was updated on September 28, 2026 and Ulysses on September 25, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*