Ulysses

Overview

Ulysses is a writing application for Mac, iPad, and iPhone that provides tools for drafting, organizing, and exporting documents using Markdown formatting. It targets writers who produce long-form content such as novels, articles, and blogs, offering a distraction-free interface, hierarchical organization via sheets and groups, and features like goals and filters for managing projects.¹²³

Key Features

• Markdown Support - Uses visual Markdown for styling text like bold, italics, and headings without HTML clutter.
• Library Organization - Organizes writing into sheets, groups, and filters that act as dynamic smart folders based on keywords or dates.
• Goals Tracking - Sets word or character goals for sheets or groups with progress history and daily averages.
• Dashboard - Displays hierarchical outlines, statistics, comments, notes, and navigable elements like headlines and images.
• Export Options - Supports exporting to various formats including PDF, Word, and HTML.
• Themes and Customization - Allows changing fonts, themes, and colors for light and dark modes.
• Keywords and Search - Tags sheets with keywords for organization and quick searching across libraries.
• Password Protection - Secures individual sheets with built-in password protection.

Pricing

Platforms & Requirements

Runs on macOS, iPadOS, and iOS with iCloud syncing across devices; requires subscription after trial. No Windows, Android, or web versions. Local backups stored on each device.¹⁵

Integrations & Ecosystem

• iCloud sync
• Export to PDF
• Export to Word
• Export to HTML
• Markdown import/export
• Keyword-based organization

Alternatives

Reputation

Ulysses receives praise for its distraction-free writing environment, robust organization via filters and goals, and seamless iCloud sync across Apple devices.³ Critics note the subscription model as a barrier compared to one-time purchases, and its Apple-only availability limits accessibility.³ It maintains active development with regular updates.⁸