Alternatives
Best Ulysses alternatives in 2026
Data compiled by Toolradar Updated How we rate
Cite this list: Toolradar, best Ulysses alternatives 2026, toolradar.com/alternatives/ulysses
5 direct alternatives to Ulysses and 3 more tools in the same category, compared on pricing, features, and best-for use cases. Pick the right replacement without the marketing fluff.
Quick answer
- Scrivener is the top alternative to Ulysses on our list, followed by iA Writer and Bear.
- 4 of the 8 alternatives have a free plan, starting with Bear.
- Highest rated: ChatGPT, 4.6 out of 5 from 2,958 ratings, Aug 2026.
- 8 alternatives
- 5 direct
- 4 with a free plan
Top 3 alternatives to Ulysses
Scrivener
#1 Top pickThe ultimate writing studio for long-form projects, combining tools for drafting, research, and organization.
Pricing
Usage-based
4.5 /5 across SourceForge, G2 and Capterra · 292 ratings, Sep 2026
Our take
Best overall
iA Writer
#2The benchmark Markdown writing app designed for focused, distraction-free writing.
Pricing
Not published
4.3 /5 across SourceForge and G2 · 90 ratings, Sep 2026
Bear
#3Beautiful markdown notes app for Apple devices
Starting price
From $2.99 /mo
Cheapest paid plan, monthly, as of November 2026
4.5 /5 on G2 · 45 ratings, Sep 2026
Our take
Best free tier
Ulysses vs 8 alternatives
| Tool | Starting price (Nov 2026) | Free plan | Rating | Fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Price: $4.17/mo | Free plan: No | 4.6 out of 5, from 37 ratings across G2 and Capterra (37) | |
| Price: Usage-based | Free plan: No | 4.5 out of 5, from 292 ratings across SourceForge, G2 and Capterra (292) | Direct alternative |
| Price: Not published | Free plan: No | 4.3 out of 5, from 90 ratings across SourceForge and G2 (90) | Direct alternative |
| Price: $2.99/mo | Free plan: Yes | 4.5 out of 5, from 45 ratings on G2 (45) | Direct alternative |
 | Price: $14.99/mo | Free plan: No | 4.3 out of 5, from 11 ratings on G2 (11) | Direct alternative |
 | Price: Not published | Free plan: No | n/a | Direct alternative |
 | Price: $4/mo | Free plan: Yes | 4.4 out of 5, from 30,473 ratings across G2 and Capterra (30,473) | Same category as Ulysses |
 | Price: $8/mo | Free plan: Yes | 4.6 out of 5, from 2,958 ratings on G2 (2,958) | Same category as Ulysses |
 | Price: $1.99/mo | Free plan: Yes | 4.3 out of 5, from 3 reviews on Toolradar (3) | Same category as Ulysses |
Why people consider alternatives to Ulysses
Ulysses is a comprehensive writing application designed for individuals who write extensively, from college essays and blog posts to full-length novels.
Teams most often switch away when one of these starts to bite:
- Pricing at scale as usage or premium tiers add up.
- Missing integrations with the rest of your stack.
- Performance or scale limits as your needs grow.
- A specific feature gap you have hit in productivity.
The 5 direct alternatives below cover the same core job (productivity) with different trade-offs. The 3 tools marked "Same category as Ulysses" fit the category but replace Ulysses less directly.
Ulysses by the numbers
Toolradar data: Ulysses's entry paid plan ($4.17/mo, billed yearly) ranks #2 of 10 (joint) for price among the Grammar & Style tools with a verified entry price and no stated unit, where the median is $8.50/mo. As of Nov 2026.
- #1 (joint) most-listed alternative in Grammar & Style, out of 15 tools in Grammar & Style. Source: Toolradar data, Nov 2026.
- #7 (joint) most-listed alternative in Writing Apps, out of 96 tools in Writing Apps. Source: Toolradar data, Nov 2026.
| Metric | Ulysses | Peer median | Position (1 is best) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry paid plan | $4.17/mo, billed yearly | $8.50/mo | #2 of 10 (joint) tools with no stated price unit, verified price |
| Free plan | No | 10 of 15 have one | n/a |
| Listed as an alternative to | 14 tools | 1 | #1 of 15 (joint) |
Listed as an alternative to: #1 on 2026-10-16 to #1 on 2026-11-02 (rank among 15 tools, 1 is best).
Each position is counted among the tools that have data for that row, as noted under it. A lower entry price ranks higher; prices are read on vendor pages and compared only with tools priced on the same basis. All Grammar & Style data · How we compute this. Advertising and placement fees are not inputs to any position.
Cite this: Toolradar, “Ulysses by the numbers”, Nov 2026.
Productivity leaderboards from Toolradar data
Toolradar ranks Productivity tools on one measure at a time, only where at least 8 tools have data. As of Nov 2026.
Lowest entry price, plans with no stated unit
Cheapest standard paid plan per month (annual prices divided by 12), read on vendor pages and compared only with tools priced on the same basis.
Counted among 576 tools with no stated price unit, verified price.
| # | Tool | Entry plan |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ReadyTab | $0.58/mo, billed yearly |
| 2 | Hours | $0.83/mo, billed yearly |
| 2 | Lubb | $0.83/mo, billed yearly |
| 4 | DockFlow | $0.90/mo, billed yearly |
| 5 | Apple Notes | $0.99/mo, billed monthly |
Lowest entry price, per-user plans
Cheapest standard paid plan per month (annual prices divided by 12), read on vendor pages and compared only with tools priced on the same basis.
Counted among 207 tools priced per user, verified price.
| # | Tool | Entry plan |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WalkMe | $1/user/mo, billed monthly |
| 1 | Zoho Mail | $1/user/mo, billed monthly |
| 3 | draw.io | $1.70/user/mo, billed monthly |
| 4 | Standup Alice | $1.99/user/mo, billed monthly |
| 5 | Sling | $2/user/mo, billed monthly |
Lowest entry price, flat team plans
Cheapest standard paid plan per month (annual prices divided by 12), read on vendor pages and compared only with tools priced on the same basis.
Counted among 28 tools priced as a flat team plan, verified price.
| # | Tool | Entry plan |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Neat | $4.17/mo flat, billed yearly |
| 2 | SaneBox | $4.54/mo flat, billed monthly |
| 3 | Coach Catalyst | $5/mo flat, billed monthly |
| 4 | Taskade | $6/mo flat, billed monthly |
| 5 | Lucidchart | $9/mo flat, billed monthly |
Most visited, last 30 days
Distinct visitor sessions on the tool's Toolradar page over the last 30 days, with bots excluded by our analytics. A session counts once however many times it reloads the page.
Counted among 43 tools with 50+ visits.
| # | Tool | Visits |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Windscribe VPN | 639 visits |
| 2 | Opera | 619 visits |
| 3 | Notion | 354 visits |
| 4 | Joplin | 314 visits |
| 5 | Obsidian | 293 visits |
Fastest rising, last 30 days
Change in visitor sessions between the last 30 days and the 30 days before.
Counted among 12 tools with 100+ visits in both windows.
| # | Tool | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Windscribe VPN | +192% |
| 2 | ChatGPT | +39% |
| 3 | Microsoft Whiteboard | +10% |
Most media coverage, last 30 days
Number of distinct articles published in the last 30 days by independent press, blogs and newsletters that mention the tool. A story carried by several outlets counts once; the vendor's own blog, review sites, forums and republishing sites do not count.
Counted among 30 tools mentioned in the last 30 days.
| # | Tool | Articles |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ChatGPT | 258 articles |
| 2 | Microsoft 365 | 29 articles |
| 3 | Grok Bot | 16 articles |
| 3 | iCloud | 16 articles |
| 5 | Meta Muse | 14 articles |
A position exists only when at least 8 tools have data for that metric. 860 of 1877 Productivity tools have a verified price; the others publish none we could read (often "contact sales"). Advertising and placement fees are not inputs to any position. Visit counts include visits from every source. How we compute this. Cite this: Toolradar, “Productivity leaderboards”, Nov 2026. Data licensed CC BY 4.0. All Productivity statistics.
8 alternatives to Ulysses
Direct alternatives come first, ranked by G2 and Capterra ratings, media mentions, and editor review. Tools marked "Same category as Ulysses" follow, ranked the same way.
- 1
Scrivener
PaidThe ultimate writing studio for long-form projects, combining tools for drafting, research, and organization.
4.5 /5 across SourceForge, G2 and Capterra · 292 ratings, Sep 2026
Price not published
- 2
iA Writer
PaidThe benchmark Markdown writing app designed for focused, distraction-free writing.
4.3 /5 across SourceForge and G2 · 90 ratings, Sep 2026
Price not published
- 3
Bear
Free plan Cheaper than UlyssesBeautiful markdown notes app for Apple devices
4.5 /5 on G2 · 45 ratings, Sep 2026
From $2.99/mo, billed monthly; free plan available
- 4
Typora
PaidA minimal Markdown editor and reader with a seamless live preview experience.
4.3 /5 on G2 · 11 ratings, Sep 2026
From $14.99/mo
- 5
Byword
PaidA minimalist Markdown text editor for seamless writing and publishing across Apple devices.
Price not published
- 6
Microsoft Teams
Free plan Cheaper than UlyssesUnite chat, meetings, and files with Microsoft 365
4.4 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 30,473 ratings, Sep 2026
From $4/user/mo, billed monthly; free plan available
Same category as Ulysses
- 7
ChatGPT
Free plan Cheaper than UlyssesAdvanced AI models for web, iOS, Android, and desktop
4.6 /5 on G2 · 2,958 ratings, Aug 2026
From $8/mo, billed monthly; free plan available
Same category as Ulysses
- 8
Google Drive
Free plan Cheaper than UlyssesCloud storage and collaboration with 15GB free
4.3 /5 on Toolradar · 3 reviews
From $1.99/mo, billed monthly; free plan available
Same category as Ulysses
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Ulysses?
Based on real-signal scoring (G2 and Capterra ratings, media mentions, and editorial review), the top alternatives to Ulysses are Scrivener, iA Writer, Bear. Each solves the same core job with different trade-offs on pricing, features, and integrations.
Is there a free alternative to Ulysses?
There is no fully free alternative in this list. Bear is freemium: a permanent free tier plus paid plans (Beautiful markdown notes app for Apple devices).
Why do people look for Ulysses alternatives?
Common reasons teams switch away from Ulysses: pricing that scales aggressively, missing integrations with the rest of their stack, performance or scale limits, or a specific feature gap in productivity. The alternatives on this page solve the same core problem with different trade-offs.
Side-by-side comparisons
In-depth comparison pages for Ulysses versus each alternative.
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