Craft vs Ulysses (2026): Which Premium Writing App Wins for Apple Users?
By Alex Chen, SaaS Analyst · Updated April 11, 2026 · Based on 3+ months of daily writing
30-Second Answer
Choose Ulysses if you write long-form content daily — its distraction-free editor, manuscript management, and direct WordPress/Ghost publishing make it the gold standard for bloggers, authors, and newsletter writers. Choose Craft if you need beautiful linked documents, team collaboration, and a visual knowledge base with Windows support. Ulysses wins 5-3 overall for dedicated writers, with 1 tie.
Our Verdict
Ulysses
- Distraction-free writing with Markdown
- Direct publish to WordPress, Ghost, Medium
- Writing goals, streaks, and word count tracking
- No free plan (14-day trial only)
- Apple-only — no Windows or Android
- No team collaboration features
Deep dive: Ulysses full analysis
Features Overview
Ulysses has been the go-to writing app for professional Apple users since 2016. Its semantic Markdown with live preview, powerful manuscript organization (sheets grouped in libraries), and built-in publishing to WordPress, Ghost, and Medium make it the complete writing workflow tool. Writing goals with daily streaks keep you accountable — many authors credit Ulysses with helping them finish their books.
Pricing Breakdown (April 2026)
| Plan | Price | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Trial | Free (14 days) | Full access to all features |
| Subscription | $49.99/yr | All features, iCloud sync, publishing |
Who Should Choose Ulysses?
- Bloggers who publish to WordPress or Ghost
- Authors writing books, scripts, or long manuscripts
- Newsletter writers who need focused writing
- Anyone who tracks daily writing goals and streaks
Craft
- Free tier with 1,000 blocks
- Beautiful linked documents and pages
- Windows support via web app
- Not designed for long-form manuscript writing
- No direct blog publishing integrations
- No writing goals or streak tracking
Deep dive: Craft full analysis
Features Overview
Craft excels as a visual document tool rather than a pure writing app. Its block-based editor creates stunning linked pages, inline images, and rich formatting. Real-time collaboration (on Pro) and shareable web links make it better suited for team documents, project briefs, and knowledge bases than focused long-form writing.
Pricing Breakdown (April 2026)
| Plan | Price | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Up to 1,000 blocks, core features |
| Pro | $45/yr | Unlimited blocks, AI, collaboration |
Who Should Choose Craft?
- Teams creating shared documents and knowledge bases
- Users wanting beautiful visual note-taking
- Anyone needing Windows/cross-platform access
- People who blend notes, docs, and project planning
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Category | Craft | Ulysses | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free tier; $45/year (Pro) | $49.99/year (no free plan) | ✔ Craft |
| Organization | Pages, linked docs, folders | Sheets grouped in library | ✔ Craft |
| Platform | Mac, iOS, Windows (web) | Mac, iOS only | ✔ Craft |
| Writing Focus | Block-based documents/notes | Distraction-free long-form writing | ✔ Ulysses |
| Markdown | Markdown-based blocks | Semantic Markdown with live preview | ✔ Ulysses |
| Publishing | Share as web link | WordPress, Ghost, Medium publish | ✔ Ulysses |
| Word Count Goals | Basic | Advanced goals, streaks, tracking | ✔ Ulysses |
| Export | Markdown, PDF, HTML, Word | Markdown, PDF, HTML, Word, ePub, DOCX | ✔ Ulysses |
| Collaboration | Real-time (Pro+) | No collaboration | — |
● Craft wins 3 · ● Ulysses wins 5 · ● 1 tie · Based on 63,000+ user reviews
Which do you use?
Who Should Choose What?
→ Choose Ulysses if:
You write long-form content daily — blog posts, newsletters, books, or scripts. You want a distraction-free writing environment with powerful manuscript management. You publish directly to WordPress or Ghost. You track writing goals and streaks.
→ Choose Craft if:
You want beautiful linked documents that feel like a visual knowledge base. You collaborate with teammates on documents. You want a free tier before committing. You need Windows access alongside Mac and iOS.
→ Consider neither if:
You want plain Markdown files with maximum portability — try Obsidian (free) or iA Writer ($50 one-time). For novel writing with timeline and character management, Scrivener ($49 one-time) is purpose-built.
Best For Different Needs
Also Considered
We evaluated several other tools in this category before focusing on Ulysses vs Craft. Here are the runners-up and why they didn't make our final comparison:
Frequently Asked Questions
Editor's Take
I write 3,000+ words a day and I use Ulysses for drafts, Craft for project docs. They're not really competitors — they solve different problems. If you're a writer who publishes to WordPress, Ulysses is a no-brainer. If you're building a personal knowledge base, Craft is better. Most people asking this question should try both for a week.
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Our Methodology
We used both apps daily for 3+ months, writing blog posts, documentation, and long-form articles. We tested Markdown rendering, publishing workflows, sync reliability, and export quality. We analyzed 63,000+ reviews from the App Store and G2. Pricing verified April 2026.
Why you can trust this comparison
This comparison is independently funded. No vendor paid for placement or influenced our scores. Ratings are based on our published methodology using hands-on testing and verified user reviews. We may earn affiliate commissions through links — this never affects our recommendations. Read our full methodology →
Data sources: Official pricing pages, G2.com, Capterra.com. Prices and ratings verified April 2026. We update our top 50 comparisons monthly. Read our methodology
Ready to level up your writing?
Craft has a free tier. Ulysses offers a 14-day free trial.
Verify Independently
Don't take our word for it. Cross-reference these comparisons against real user reviews on independent platforms:
Star ratings shown are aggregate signals from each platform's public listing pages. Click through to read individual reviews and verify our analysis. We update aggregate counts quarterly.
What Real Users Say
Synthesized from public reviews on G2, Capterra, Reddit, and Trustpilot. We update aggregate themes quarterly. Click platform badges in the section above to read individual reviews.
Last updated: . Pricing and features are verified weekly via automated tracking.