Ulysses Logo
Craft logo

Write anywhere.
Share with anyone.

Looking for a Ulysses alternative? Beautiful writing without the Apple lock-in. Craft works on every platform — with collaboration and AI included; limits vary by plan.

Try Craft Free

Which one is right for you?

Craft

Works on Windows and Web — not trapped in Apple-only like Ulysses
Built-in AI assistant: Included; limits vary by plan
Real-time collaboration, comments, and shared spaces for working together
One-click hosted web pages alongside your writing workflow
Free plan available; Ulysses offers a trial and paid monthly or annual subscriptions

Ulysses

Markup-based editing and dedicated long-form writing tools suit your process
Direct WordPress/Ghost CMS publishing is your primary workflow
Distraction-free long-form writing is your only need
You only use Apple devices and write solo without collaborators

Ulysses is an Apple-focused writing app with markup-based editing, Apple Intelligence tools, and direct publishing to supported blog platforms. Craft adds rich documents, a built-in AI assistant, real-time collaboration, and hosted web pages — starting with a free plan.

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

See how Craft and Ulysses compare across key features

Feature
Craft
Ulysses
Performance
Native apps on Mac, iPad, iPhone, Windows, Web
Apple-only — no Windows, no Web access
Document Design
Rich documents with covers, images, media
Markup editor, images, attachments, and styled exports
AI Features
Included; limits vary by plan
Apple Intelligence Writing Tools on supported devices
Offline Access
Full offline on every platform
Offline on Apple devices only
Apple Pencil
Full drawing and annotation on iPad
Not supported
Web Publishing
One-click beautiful web pages to anyone
Direct WordPress, Ghost, Micro.blog, and existing Medium connections
Pricing
Free plan available; see current Plus pricing
$5.99/month or $39.99/year (US); trial available
Organization
Spaces, folders, collections, linked documents
Hierarchical groups, keywords, filters, and writing projects
API & Extensibility
API + MCP supportLearn more →
X-Callback-URL automation

Why users switch to Craft

M

Mikailkraft

“ Craft gets rid of all the noise from Notion while not becoming as barebones as Obsidian. It’s a perfect balance of features – and it’s done seamlessly. Synching is immediate, and the app feels right at home on my Mac and my iPad.”
App Store Award
App Store Award
Mac App of the Year
Apple Design Awards
Apple Design Awards
Finalist
Webby
Webby
Awarded three times in various categories
German Design Award
German Design Award
Excellent Communications Design Interactive UX

What matters most

Craft gets it right

Quick idea capture

Capture ideas on Mac, iPad, iPhone, Windows, or Web — not limited to Apple devices

Fast, beautiful writing

Rich documents with covers, images, and layouts — a visual alternative to markup-based writing

Offline access

Full offline on every platform — not just Apple devices with iCloud

Easy Organization

Spaces, folders, and linked documents for organizing writing and other work

Task management

Built-in tasks with due dates and daily notes — not just a writing tool

API, MCP & Automations

Connect with Claude, ChatGPT, Apple Shortcuts, and build custom workflows

Why users switch to Craft

J

Jeffb129

“ Craft is way more functional than Apple or Google Notes while being much easier to use than Notion”

Compare the cost

Craft
Ulysses
Free plan or trial
Free — 1,500 blocks, 1 GB storage
Free trial; paid subscription required afterward
Individual
$6.4/month, billed annually
US App Store: $5.99/month or $39.99/year
Family
$12.0/month, billed annually; up to 6 people
Check App Store Family Sharing eligibility
Team
$5/month, billed annually per member; minimum 3 members
Volume licensing available; individual writing app without live co-editing
AI Assistant Feature
Included; limits vary by plan
Apple Writing Tools on compatible devices; no separate Ulysses AI assistant

Craft prices reflect your region and available offers. Competitor $ prices are USD unless stated otherwise; billing periods are shown with each price. Taxes, offers and plan limits may differ. Check Ulysses pricing

See full pricing

Switch From Ulysses To Craft

Export Your Sheets

In Ulysses, select your sheets and use File → Export. Choose Markdown format for compatibility.

Import to Craft

Import your exported Markdown files into Craft. Review formatting, images, keywords, and links; app-specific metadata may need manual adjustment.

Start Creating

Your writing is in Craft. Now you can add images, collaborate, publish to web, and use AI — on any device.

Ready for writing that goes beyond Apple?

Start for free. No credit card required.

Continue on webDownload on the App Store

Common Questions

For most writers, yes. Craft offers the same beautiful, distraction-free writing experience Ulysses is known for – plus publishing, collaboration, collections, and AI assistance. If you specifically need Ulysses' writing goals or multi-format export for book publishing, it remains excellent for that niche.

Writers and professionals who want beautiful documents with more flexibility than a pure writing app. Craft handles notes, tasks, publishing, and collaboration – making it your single workspace. Ulysses is focused solely on long-form writing.

Yes. Craft supports real-time collaboration, comments, and team spaces. Share documents with anyone via link. Ulysses has no collaboration features – it's strictly a personal writing tool.

Ulysses costs $5.99/month or $39.99/year in the US, with regional App Store pricing and a trial. Craft has a free plan and paid upgrades; see current regional pricing. Craft AI assistant: Included; limits vary by plan. Ulysses also offers Apple Intelligence tools and direct CMS publishing.

Craft combines hosted web pages, live collaboration, collections, spaces, tasks, covers, and styled blocks in one workspace. Ulysses offers a focused writing environment with markup, images, writing goals, formatted export, and direct publishing to supported blog platforms.

Yes. Both apps provide full offline access. Create, edit, and organize documents without internet. Craft syncs through its own cloud service; Ulysses uses iCloud. The offline experience is equally good in both apps.

Yes. Export your Ulysses sheets as Markdown and import the files into Craft. Review formatting, images, keywords, and links after import; do not assume app-specific metadata automatically becomes Craft tags.

Both offer excellent, distraction-free writing. Ulysses uses Markdown with real-time preview. Craft provides rich formatting directly – what you type is what you see. Craft's approach is more visual; Ulysses is more text-focused.

Both are fast native Apple apps with excellent performance. For pure text editing, they're comparable. Craft handles richer content (images, embeds, collections) while maintaining speed. Craft syncs quickly through its own cloud service; Ulysses uses iCloud.

Different strengths. Craft publishes beautiful web pages with one click — instant sharing online. Ulysses publishes directly to WordPress, Ghost, Micro.blog, and existing Medium integrations, and exports formatted files such as PDF, ePub, and DOCX for traditional publishing workflows.

Craft offers spaces, folders, collections, tags, and linked documents. Ulysses offers hierarchical groups, keywords, filters, and writing projects. Craft is designed for organizing diverse documents and work alongside writing.

Yes. Craft has native Apple Pencil support on iPad for writing, drawing, and annotating. Mix handwritten notes with typed text. Ulysses has no handwriting support.

Craft has a built-in AI assistant: Included; limits vary by plan. Ulysses supports Apple Intelligence Writing Tools, including rewriting, summarizing, and ChatGPT Compose on compatible devices. Compare the workflow, platform requirements, and access limits.

If you want publishing, collaboration, AI, and richer organization beyond pure writing, yes. Many writers switch when they need their writing app to do more than just write. If you only need focused long-form writing, Ulysses remains excellent.

Yes. Craft offers a free Education plan. Better for students who need organization, collaboration, and diverse content types beyond just essays. Ulysses is great if you only write long-form text.

Depends on your needs. Ulysses is specialized for long-form writing with goals and multi-format export. Craft is better if you want writing plus publishing, collaboration, and organization in one app. Many writers use Craft as their everything-app.

Both sync with similar speed; Craft uses its own cloud service and Ulysses uses iCloud. Craft adds a web app for browser access and shareable links for anyone. Ulysses is limited to Apple devices with the app installed.

Export Ulysses sheets as Markdown, then import the files into Craft. Process groups separately if you want to recreate their organization, and review links, attachments, and Ulysses-specific metadata after import.

Why users switch to Craft

Aaron avatar

Aaron

“ Best App for Everyone. It features every features with excellent UI and UX taking note taking to next level and I even replaced Notion with this one.”