Google Docs
Ulysses
| Feature | Google Docs | Ulysses |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $6/mo | From $5.99/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Best For | teams, students, educators, google-workspace-users | bloggers, journalists, apple-users, writers |
| Founded | 2006 | 2013 |
| Real Time Editing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Comments | ✓ | ✗ |
| Suggesting Mode | ✓ | ✗ |
| Version History | ✓ | ✗ |
| Voice Typing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Add Ons | ✓ | ✗ |
| Markdown Editor | ✗ | ✓ |
| Library Management | ✗ | ✓ |
| Publishing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Goals | ✗ | ✓ |
| Icloud Sync | ✗ | ✓ |
| Themes | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Google Docs Pros
- Free
- Best real-time collaboration
- Accessible everywhere
- Version history
✗ Google Docs Cons
- Limited offline
- Fewer formatting options than Word
- Template limitations
✓ Ulysses Pros
- Beautiful interface
- Markdown support
- iCloud sync
- Direct publishing
✗ Ulysses Cons
- Apple only
- Subscription model
- Limited formatting
The Verdict
Google Docs is built for teams and students, with a focus on real-time-editing and comments. Ulysses targets bloggers and journalists and leads with markdown-editor and library-management.
Both tools come in at similar price points ($6/mo for Google Docs, $5.99/mo for Ulysses), so pricing won't make the decision for you.
Google Docs has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. Ulysses requires a paid subscription from day one.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.
