Writing apps for Mac and iPhoneHead to head
Ulysses vs iA Writer
Ulysses ranks #1 and iA Writer ranks #3 in our guide to the best writing apps for Mac and iPhone. Ulysses is our pick for most people.
UlyssesPick Ulysses if you run a blog or write long pieces and want every draft in 1 library that syncs.From $5.99#3 in the guide
iA WriterPick iA Writer if you want a calm screen, plain Markdown files and a nudge when you lean on filler words.From $19.99What decides it
- iA Writer costs less over 3 years: $19.99, against $119.97 for Ulysses.
- Both run on Mac, iPhone and iPad.
- Ulysses is included with a Setapp subscription; iA Writer isn't.
Side by side
Prices are checked every day.
| At a glance | Ulysses | iA Writer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free trial, then $5.99 a month or $39.99 a year for Mac, iPad and iPhone | $49.99 once on Mac, $19.99 on iPhone and iPad. 7-day free trial on Mac |
| How you pay | Subscription | Pay once |
| 3 years of use | $119.97 Yearly plan | $19.99 Cheaper |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Runs on | Mac, iPhone, iPad | Mac, iPhone, iPad |
| Where to buy | App Store, Setapp | App Store, Developer |
| Rating | 4.6 2.2K ratings | 4.6 1.5K ratings |
| Features | iCloud sync, Family Sharing, Free trial | Family Sharing, Free trial |
| Made by | Ulysses GmbH & Co. KG | Information Architects AG |
| Last updated | 23 Oct 2026 | 29 Oct 2026 |
Who should get which
Get Ulysses if
You write long pieces or run a blog and want every draft organized in 1 distraction-free library.
Get iA Writer if
You write long blog posts, essays or a book and want a calm screen and plain Markdown files.
Skip Ulysses if
You write the odd short document, and Pages or Apple Notes does that with no subscription.
Skip iA Writer if
You only jot quick notes, and Apple Notes does that free without a $49.99 price tag.
Our verdicts
Ulysses
At $39.99 a year for all your Macs, iPads and iPhones, shared with up to 5 family members, this writing app keeps every draft in 1 iCloud library split into sheets you can reorder. Word count goals, deadlines and direct publishing to WordPress, Ghost and Micro.blog suit bloggers and novelists alike. If you hate subscriptions, Scrivener costs $59.99 once for the Mac, and Ulysses has a $199.99 perpetual license in its App Store purchases.
iA Writer
Write with everything but the current sentence dimmed, then run Style Check to flag clichés, filler words and clutter. iA Writer keeps every draft as a plain Markdown file and can show which text you typed and which you pasted or got from AI. You pay per platform, $49.99 on the Mac and $19.99 on iPhone and iPad, so Typora at $14.99 or the free MarkEdit cost far less for plain Markdown.
What each one helps you do
Ulysses
- Organize a whole book into reorderable sections
- Hit daily word count goals and deadlines
- Publish a post straight to WordPress or Ghost
- Export a manuscript as an ebook or Word file
iA Writer
- Write without toolbars and menus in the way
- Catch filler words and clichés before publishing
- See which text you typed versus pasted
- Keep every draft as a plain Markdown file
Where to get them
Ulysses
Free trial, then $5.99 a month or $39.99 a year for Mac, iPad and iPhone
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App Store, every deviceWith in-app purchasesFree downloadApp Store
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IncludedTry Setapp
iA Writer
$49.99 once on Mac, $19.99 on iPhone and iPad. 7-day free trial on Mac
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App Store, iPhone and iPad$19.99App Store
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Mac App Store$49.99Mac App Store
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From the developer7-day free trial with no credit card; the Mac version is sold on the Mac App Store$49.99Get it
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Neither one quite right?
The other picks in our guide to the best writing apps for Mac and iPhone.
ScrivenerPick this if you're writing a novel, script or thesis and need sections you can rearrange beside your research.$59.99 once
TyporaPick this if you write in Markdown but want the page to look finished while you type.$14.99 once
MarkEditPick it if you want a free Markdown editor that opens as fast as TextEdit, even with huge files.Free, open source
CraftPick this if your writing ends up as shared docs for clients, with tasks and AI alongside.Free to start
DraftsPick it if you need a blank page in under a second for ideas, then send them elsewhere to finish.Free to start
Read the full guideAll Ulysses alternativesAll iA Writer alternatives
More comparisons
- Ulysses vs ScrivenerPick this if you're writing a novel, script or thesis and need sections you can rearrange beside your research.
- Ulysses vs TyporaPick this if you write in Markdown but want the page to look finished while you type.
- Scrivener vs iA WriterPick it if you want a calm screen, plain Markdown files and a nudge when you lean on filler words.