Grammarly
Ulysses
| Feature | Ulysses | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $12/mo | From $5.99/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 |
| Best For | writers, students, professionals, non-native-speakers | authors, bloggers, journalists, apple-users |
| Founded | 2009 | 2013 |
| Grammar | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spelling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Tone | ✓ | ✗ |
| Clarity | ✓ | ✗ |
| Plagiarism | ✓ | ✗ |
| Browser Extension | ✓ | ✗ |
| Markdown Editor | ✗ | ✓ |
| Library Organization | ✗ | ✓ |
| Goals And Deadlines | ✗ | ✓ |
| Publishing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Icloud Sync | ✗ | ✓ |
| Split View | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Grammarly Pros
- Works everywhere
- Clear suggestions
- Tone detection
- Plagiarism checker
✗ Grammarly Cons
- Premium is pricey
- Can over-correct
- Privacy concerns
✓ Ulysses Pros
- Beautiful distraction-free writing
- Excellent library management
- Direct publishing to blogs
- iCloud sync across devices
✗ Ulysses Cons
- Apple ecosystem only
- Subscription model controversial
- No Windows support
The Verdict
Grammarly is built for writers and students, with a focus on grammar and spelling. Ulysses targets authors and bloggers and leads with markdown-editor and library-organization.
On pricing, Ulysses is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $5.99/mo compared to $12/mo for Grammarly. That $6.01/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Grammarly 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.