iA Writer
Ulysses
| Feature | iA Writer | Ulysses |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $49.99/mo | From $5.99/mo |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Best For | writers, bloggers, minimalists, focused-writers | bloggers, journalists, apple-users, writers |
| Founded | 2010 | 2013 |
| Focus Mode | ✓ | ✗ |
| Markdown | ✓ | ✗ |
| Syntax Highlighting | ✓ | ✗ |
| Content Blocks | ✓ | ✗ |
| Publishing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Style Check | ✓ | ✗ |
| Markdown Editor | ✗ | ✓ |
| Library Management | ✗ | ✓ |
| Goals | ✗ | ✓ |
| Icloud Sync | ✗ | ✓ |
| Themes | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ iA Writer Pros
- Beautiful minimalism
- Focus mode
- Cross-platform
- One-time purchase
✗ iA Writer Cons
- Very minimal features
- No collaboration
- Limited formatting
✓ Ulysses Pros
- Beautiful interface
- Markdown support
- iCloud sync
- Direct publishing
✗ Ulysses Cons
- Apple only
- Subscription model
- Limited formatting
The Verdict
iA Writer is built for writers and bloggers, with a focus on focus-mode and markdown. Ulysses targets bloggers and journalists and leads with markdown-editor and library-management.
On pricing, Ulysses is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $5.99/mo compared to $49.99/mo for iA Writer. That $44/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Neither tool offers a free plan, so factor the subscription cost into your decision from the start.
Both tools are a solid fit for writers, bloggers — in those cases, the decision often comes down to workflow style and how your team prefers to organize work.
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.