Ulysses review

Ulysses is not a general notes app, but it earns a place for Mac users whose notes are drafts of something longer. It uses a markup-based editor that keeps formatting out of the way, and every text lives in one library that syncs through iCloud across Mac, iPhone and iPad, with the same tools on every device. Ulysses describes managing projects of any size, from novels to study notes. A built-in grammar and style check covers more than 20 languages and flags punctuation, redundancy and style issues. When a draft is ready, Ulysses exports to PDF, Word, ePub and HTML, and publishes directly to WordPress, Ghost and Micro.blog. The subscription is $39.99 a year or $5.99 a month in the US, includes Family Sharing for up to five other people and offers student pricing. If you want to save web clippings, tasks or quick lists, Bear or Apple Notes will fit better.

Who it is for

Writers whose notes turn into articles, books or blog posts

Price

$39.99 per year or $5.99 per month in the US, with a free trial.

$39.99 per Year Or $5.99 per Month
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 11, 2026.

Key features

• Distraction-free, markup-based editor
• Unified library with iCloud sync across Mac, iPhone and iPad
• Grammar and style check in over 20 languages
• Export to PDF, DOCX, ePub and HTML
• Publishing to WordPress, Ghost and Micro.blog

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Apple Family Sharing with up to five other family members
• Strength: Reduced pricing for students
• Strength: Feature parity between macOS and iOS
• Weakness: Built for long-form writing rather than quick capture
• Weakness: Subscription required, with no free plan
• Weakness: No Windows or Android app

Key facts

• Price: $39.99 a year or $5.99 a month (US)
• Proofreader: 20+ languages
• Family Sharing: Up to five other members
• Platforms: Mac, iPhone, iPad

Where it ranks

Ulysses is No. 10 in our Best Note-Taking Apps for Mac verdict.