Writing apps for Mac and iPhoneHead to head
Ulysses vs Typora
Ulysses ranks #1 and Typora ranks #4 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#4 in the guide
TyporaPick Typora if you write in Markdown but want the page to look finished while you type.$14.99 onceWhat decides it
- Typora costs less over 3 years: $14.99, against $119.97 for Ulysses.
- Both run on Mac. Only Ulysses runs on iPhone and iPad.
- Ulysses is included with a Setapp subscription; Typora isn't.
Side by side
Prices are checked every day.
| At a glance | Ulysses | Typora |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free trial, then $5.99 a month or $39.99 a year for Mac, iPad and iPhone | $14.99 once for up to 3 devices, after a 15-day free trial |
| How you pay | Subscription | Pay once |
| 3 years of use | $119.97 Yearly plan | $14.99 Cheaper |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Runs on | Mac, iPhone, iPad | Mac |
| Where to buy | App Store, Setapp | Developer |
| Rating | 4.6 2.2K ratings | Too few ratings |
| Features | iCloud sync, Family Sharing, Free trial | Free trial |
| Made by | Ulysses GmbH & Co. KG | Not listed |
| Last updated | 23 Oct 2026 | 26 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 Typora if
You write in Markdown but want the page to look like a finished document while you write.
Skip Ulysses if
You write the odd short document, and Pages or Apple Notes does that with no subscription.
Skip Typora if
You are fine looking at raw Markdown symbols; MarkEdit is a free, native editor that does that well.
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.
Typora
There is no preview pane in Typora, because headings, tables, math and Mermaid diagrams render in place the moment you type the Markdown. It exports to PDF, Word, LaTeX and EPUB, and themes are plain CSS. A $14.99 license covers 3 devices across Mac, Windows and Linux after a 15-day trial, but MarkEdit is free and enough if you don't need to see the finished look while writing.
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
Typora
- Write Markdown that looks formatted as you type
- Export notes to PDF or Word
- Add math and diagrams to your docs
- Style documents with your own CSS theme
Where to get them
Ulysses
Free trial, then $5.99 a month or $39.99 a year for Mac, iPad and iPhone
-
App Store, every deviceWith in-app purchasesFree downloadApp Store
-
IncludedTry Setapp
Typora
$14.99 once for up to 3 devices, after a 15-day free trial
-
From the developer15-day free trial$14.99Get 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
iA WriterPick it if you want a calm screen, plain Markdown files and a nudge when you lean on filler words.From $19.99
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 Typora alternatives