Ulysses Mobile Reviews

by Quark Gluon Plasma

I was unhappy with the the new pricing model, because the cost seemed out of line with the value I perceived. I looked at what combination of tools for writing and storing information I actually used and enjoyed using. It turned out that this app was in last place in a collection of six Markdown editors. The hierarchical organization is not a good fit for me, as it just slows everything down. With other Markdown editors having implemented folders and hashtags, the this app document model looks increasingly idiosyncratic. I’m amused by people who pretentiously differentiate between “simple Markdown editors” and this app. I write professionally for research and teaching, mostly in LaTex. this app handles LaTex equations badly, but several “simple editors” handle them well. this app is needlessly complicated and expensive for what it does.

Update: With COVID-19 and remote learning, I am using **another** Markdown editor which handles LaTEx equations to prepare all lectures, problem sets and solutions. Works very well on iPad for lectures with pdf marked up in real-time. I’m using Markdown more for research, both writing and in meetings. Just not this app.

by Sharpening

It was nice while it worked. However it appears all of my data is gone. On my iPad pro In the non-subscription app, everything says “Downloading”. In the subscription app, everything says “Downloading”. ON my iPhone it says there’s nothing in iCloud. It does not make me feel any better to find out others have had similar issues, and that the developer basically says on their site that it is not their fault because they have limited visibility into how iCloud works or any iCloud logs. It hurts even more when I see they say that they do not store your data in iCloud - as in iCloud is not a backup service but is only for synchronizing between devices??? Really? That’s why have have 2TB just for syncing between my devices? Anyway - it appears all of my data is gone no matter what I do. All of my other apps update right away - but theirs I can wait hours and it still says “Downloading”. Nice! What a feature! To think I bought Ulysses and less than a month later they changed to subscription - and based on confusing e-mails from them I ended up paying full price again - wonderful - and then to find out they cannot even make sure I still have my data months later. Wonderful! I did not know how good I had it before I used their service. Great markup. Easy to use. And evidently easy to lose all of your data too.

by Troy Habel

Another app that uses iTunes to scam their money out after free usage to see if you want to buy. You can cancel somewhere but even Apple won’t even tell you if you forget or don’t read all the information. These apps to give you 3060 or 90 day free trial should always always ask you for your credit card after those days are done. These apps very very simple apps and the really retarded ones are making millions and billions along with Apple through this process I am going to do anything nonstop try to figure out how to fix this. My little nieceOr on my phone play a simple game clicked on an app that she would like some stupid Phone app and I have been charged twice for $49 in the last two years and didn’t even know about it 100 bucks for a app that I never even knew I had all my God I can’t think of anything stupider That my money could’ve been spent other than a stupid alarm clock phone.

by TheAmazingToby

When I bought Ulysses, I paid full price for a full license. Now that the devs have decided they need more money and have switched to a subscription model, my license was taken away. To me, that feels like a rip off, and I really think Apple needs to step in. I would be more than happy to stay with the version of Ulysses that I had bought originally, and forego any updates, but that doesn't seem to be possible. So my $10 for the iOS version went down the drain. I haven't looked at my desktop version. Luckily, I haven't upgraded macs, so it's still installed, so here's to hoping.

And to all the apologists squawking back about "the developers need to get paid" and "maybe you don't write enough to need a paid app", well, good points. But the publishers shouldn't have changed pricing models the way they did. I paid full price for an app that no longer works due to a policy change after I'd bought it. Not my fault, and yet here I am without my rightfully purchased license.

by Toddhunt

We are already a family of published writers, my mom writes everything in longhand and I fell into using MS Word as my word processor. With today's world events I decided to get a MacBook Pro laptop and dedicate it to the sole function of being my writing typewriter- no other apps installed but one, my writing page. I gave both this app and Scrivener fair and equal auditions. As a writer my opinion is neither of them is necessary and both of them are too fussy and end up getting in the way more than being useful. My advice is to use a word processor like Word, Pages or similar in its least obtrusive mode for your first and subsequent drafts and when you are ready for and serious about publication have the final draft reviewed, edited and formatted by a professional service or only THEN buy a software tool to assist you. Between Scrivener and this app the former has the edge of offering the writer a more comprehensive toolkit but it's learning curve is daunting. this app loses by their ridiculous decision to be a subscription product. Why? How much could they possibly "improve" a word processor year over year? Plus the fact that they burned me by billing my Apple account for a full year without my knowledge or approval after I already determined I didn't want it and deleted it. It seems they are more interesting in grabbing my wallet than being of any use to me as a writing tool.

by LisaPVA

I used to love this program and talked about it every chance I got. When they went to subscription model I was a bit annoyed but that’s not why I no longer like the product. At the time they pestered me to upgrade but I’m a practical person and decided to hold out with the original version for as long as I could.

I haven’t used it in a while, but now I am trying to use it on my iPad and it just doesn’t work. I can add new sheets but can’t edit anything with touch, I have to use the keyboard attachment with the iPad and use the arrow keys to navigate anywhere in Ulysses . I don’t mind not having new features, but I do mind when things stop working just because I chose to wait on the subscription model. I don’t even know if I do upgrade that this will start working again.

Not a fan at the moment. Maybe it’ll work better on my desktop (boo).

by DG 123456789

I took a look at this app since it has gotten a lot of good press. In the end, it got deleted because there are apps that do the same thing that are more reliable and cost less. First off, getting this app up and running was difficult. First, it was deleting files right after I created them. That seemed to be fixed by an update a week later, but then I couldn’t sign up for the monthly subscription through Ulysses — I had to go through Ulysses Store. This all made it difficult to trust Ulysses. Once I got to really using it, while I found it pleasant and useful, it really doesn’t do anything different than a lot of other writing apps I’ve used, all of which cost less and are more reliable.

I spend a lot of software every year and don’t mind the idea of a subscription, so I’m not being cheap when I say that this app should cost half what it does, given the feature set. If it was rock solid and did something different, I’d be willing to pay the premium, but it’s not worth it just for the good looks.

by Swaggington

If all you do is occasionally take notes, Ulysses isn’t worth it. But if you write professionally, Ulysses does a lot of little things to make the writing experience more enjoyable, organized, and efficient. I was annoyed by them switching to a annual recurring model as well, but developing and maintaining software like this is a full-time job, so a low annual fee is the same as doing a yearly oil change on your car.

With that said, I don’t think that the improvements to Ulysses since the switch to annual subscription have been very substantive. Some bug fixes here, a new integration there, but it does feel like they are resting on their laurels, or perhaps don’t have great product vision(which is very typical of German companies). I wonder if they are doing any user research.

But it’s still the best writing app for professionals until someone else disrupts them.

by Clf059

I use it all the time for authoring everything from books and articles, to papers and blog posts. When I finally decided to make the jump to a purely iPadOS environment, I was excited to take this app with me. Unfortunately, this app is pretty gimped on iPadOS. There is no direct way to take something from authoring through to publication without other tools, like I did in this app on my Mac. Please add the ability to import our own export styles. I have several styles I use for book publishing that I cannot use because I have no way to add them. I don’t need a template editor or anything like that in this app, just a way to use templates other than the ones you provide on your site. I’ve read your docs and can easily create them in any text editor, but getting them into this app on iPadOs is a no go. I’m simply not going to purchase a new MacBook just to do that. Until that happens, this app has gone from my one stop solution to simply a text editor, and that is the one component easiest to replace. It’s still a great editor, but that one omission just became a deal-breaker for me.

by SBCpp

I have been a subscriber for a long time but I don’t like using it because it is still stuck on markdown. Is it really that hard to give us at least plain text as an option? Why can’t I choose my font size, type and color (like SnipNotes for example)? Ulysses is perfect in every way other than this aspect and it is a shame that it sits underutilized. I really want to use it, but I just don’t like to. After a long wait, I may just jump to a less capable app, but one with choice of fonts and colors; there is a reason typewriters aren’t that popular anymore!

by Ggirton

I like this program and use it to write. I wish it had regular expression search and replace, though. Who knows, maybe it does!

The one thing that is not too convenient is printing. First you have to export, but not all export works to print. So, I export to PDF, and THEN I print from the preview. That works. I like to print because it is my belief people enjoy getting mail. If you want to send someone a message that you want them to enjoy getting, and they don’t feel like it is work they have to respond to right away like email, print it and mail it in the post! this app is designed on a slightly different plane than that, but I still would like it to be easier to print.

I do like this app, though, and I use it.

by Bwintx

Editing my previous review (bumping it up to four stars from three)...

A couple of weeks ago, I slammed this app for recent iCloud sync issues. Then I did some more research and learned it's not alone in that regard. Indeed, many if not most so-called "shoebox" or central-library apps — like, to name two very familiar examples, Apple's own Notes and Photos apps — are prone to them, too. It seems to be the nature of the beast. If you value having all your work together in the same library at all times without having to futz around with individual files and folders, the risks that go with the "shoebox" method are part of the price of admission. So I withdraw that previous complaint.

Indeed, if it were not for that method of file storage and the occasional (but sometimes scary) glitches that accompany it, I'd give this app five stars. For most of my work, I prefer the advantages of MultiMarkdown and a more transparent file structure than what this app offers. That said, I still recommend it highly; it's a great app and a marvelous writing environment in which you'll spend many hours working happily and productively.

by Disambiguated

this app alone is enough to keep me entrenched in the iOS/macos ecosystem. I've been using computers as writing instruments since the late 1970s, and have gone through just about every iteration of word- and text-processing tools one can imagine, from Electric Pencil through emacs to WordStar to WordPerfect to PageMaker to Word to TeX to LaTeX to LyX. None of them compare to this app. It's just the right combination of power, flexibility, organizational framework, aesthetics, and usability. And its iCloud integration means that I can make use of multiple MacBooks, my iPhone, and my iPad Mini in a keyboard case to compose, revise, and publish anywhere and everywhere. I can even ouput .docx format, in order to appease the Word crowd. If you want the absolutely best writing app in the world, one that doesn't get in your way and removes all the technical and UX hurdles between you and your composition, you need this app.

by Druragoongala

I don’t know what to say except there’s not much you cannot get with Ulysses that you want. If you need underlined text (I almost never do), you can always add it in post editing. I like the view settings, and the customizable themes (there are countless options available in light, dark, and variated color themes).
I have an Anne Pro II mechanical keyboard, an iPad Mini 5, and an iPhone SE 2020. Both of my newer Apple devices can hook up to my keyboard by Bluetooth simultaneously. I love the “distraction free” mode that removes all of the unnecessary bells and whistles other apps throw in that make things confusing and distracting.
I can immediately export my documents to PDFs using varied styles (also many to download).
I have enjoyed Ulysses for 6 years now, and will never turn my back on it as long as it is updated. I will be subscribing again this weekend and checking out the website.

by Margrad

I switched from Scrivener to this app over my dissatisfaction with the Scrivener iOS app. this app' app was just what I needed.
I got the Mac version as well, because sometimes I want to work on my laptop and sometimes on my iPad Then I realized that I could load my whole collection of my writings into this app to reference at any time. My finished novels are there, all the unfinished ones, all the roughed out ideas, and reference material.
Of particular interest to me is the grammar and style checks. I find that most of the stand alone grammar and style check apps are pretty judgmental and preachy. The this app function isn't either. It is nice not to have to export to another app or website to complete grammar and style checks.
The integration with Wordpress makes it the perfect app for me.

by Caspersgrin

Just to put everything in context, I'm mostly a blogger and essayist. For large scale research projects and other tomes, a much more heavy duty tool like Scrivener is the tool of choice.

For me, this app allows me to freely write without a lot technological interference, yet it is feature rich and I can still do word processory things if I still want to. I can export my work as an ePub, Docx or a PDF, but what I most appreciate is that I can directly to my WordPress blog without ever leaving this app.

this app is also very Apple centric. Thus I have versions installed on my Mac, my iPad and my iPhone. And as this app stores my projects on iCloud sharing between platforms is totally transparent. Since I normally work remotely, I typically start a new blog entry or an essay using an iPad, but if some rare moment of inspiration hits me and I'm out and about somewhere, I can grab my phone, open up this app and not have to loose them fleeting moment. A very valuable plus for me.

by Tad Davis

I love this app. At this point I almost couldn’t write without it. One recent change I’m especially pleased with is the improved DropBox integration — I’ve had occasional problems with iCloud sync between iOS and Mac OS, but DropBox has worked for me. Having all of my drafts and research and snapshots from the web in one place is great. Also.... I write a lot of short reviews and they’re all right there. Projects that need to be submitted in (say) Word format can easily be exported and tinkered with there, but all the heavy lifting happens in this app. And as a big Markdown fan, I find their Markdown support excellent. So.... yeah. Every time I see a flashy ad and think about switching to something else, I think.... nah.

by 1eyedgurl

Okay, I’ve only been using this for 24 hours but holy cow! It is already making my life easier. I have been using a different program to free write in but I was struggling to keep all my versions straight and my outlines and my notes and everything. It was MADDENING!!! But this is so smooth and easy to use! I can quickly move files around under different folders with the flick of a finger. #coulditbeeasier #absolutelynot #lovelovelove It syncs across platforms which is great because if I’m waiting in line and have a quick idea, I can jot it down on my phone. I tend to write on my iPad with a wireless Apple keyboard and the iPad interface is flawless. The subscription is totally worth it! I AM IN LOVE!!!

by Racheln12345

Working on a dissertation and I have a million notes to keep track of. this app is nice to type in (hello DARK MODE thank you for saving my poor, screen-saturated eyes) and a huge upgrade over my previous system of millions of folders within folders on my desktop. However, since I last updated its been doing a weird thing where the formatting from a particular section carries on into the next one even when it shouldn’t. Not sure if that’s an iPad display issue or true more broadly across Ulysses . Hopefully it’ll get fixed and my notes will look normal again because otherwise I’m a big fan.

by Anglophrenic

I love this app and have been using it for years to write fiction and creative nonfiction. Now, I personally love the use of Markdown because it exports so well and, from a creative perspective, ensures no distractions get between me and the act of writing. this app isn’t for final drafting or academic writing, and I’m thankful that they’ve stuck to doing what they do best. I love the syncing feature and have found that being able to write on my phone has increased output significantly. (I can finally take advantage of all of those end-of-errands brainstorms that occur in my car after its parked in front of my house.) Previously I was using Pages to keep all of my writing accessible on my desktop, laptop, phone, etc. but this app is so much more stable and conducive to use on multiple screens that I will continue to pay for it ad infinitum. The value of this product is continually apparent to me and I fully support the subscription based model; these developers earn their dough!

by Matthew Savant

I am writing on again off again, it’s how I write so I use Ulysses infrequently. I bought it a while ago and used it fairly heavily at first then put it down for a while, I recently got some new ideas and opened it up to start writing again and now they want a monthly subscription! Absolutely ridiculous. I’ve already paid for this and I paid for it because I preferred it over any other writing apps I’ve tried but now they are getting greedy and want more money for no new services. This wouldn’t be a terribly complicated app to write either so I see zero justification for asking for a subscription. Regardless if that’s how they want to do things now the people that paid for Ulysses originally should have been grandfathered in. Zero stars, I can’t use Ulysses anymore and now Ive lost my creative ambition to write for the night.

by ZipTurtle

I tried to overlook the way this app hides links but I just couldn't get past it. As Ryan Christoffel wrote of this app on MacStories, "I know of some people who simply cannot use Ulysses , no matter how much other parts of it appeal to them, because they hate having their writing abstracted behind text boxes." I'm one of those people.

It's a solid app. Two features that really attracted me: (1) you can manually split, merge, and rearrange your entries with very little friction and (2) you don't need to name them.

Everything's extraordinarily smooth, BUT—

The handling of Markdown is, shall we say, idiosyncratic, flouting standards. For instance:

• Three dashes for a horizontal rule? Nope, gotta be four in this app.

• Square bracketed-text as a link only when a parenthesized URL follows? Nope, _anything_ in square brackets gets linkified by this app unless you backslash-escape those suckers.

• You like using reference-style links? Sorry.

• Since this app lets you add footnotes, you might think of using tables or other such extended Markdown, too. Nope.

• You like adding HTML markup here and there? Forget it — never mind that it's a core element of Markdown.

In the end I kept using BBEdit and 1Writer instead. But if the things I've mentioned won't bother you, GET Ulysses AND PAY THE PEOPLE FOR IT. They've earned it.

by Tcheang

this app provides a clean writing environment with high flexibility in search and storage.

The choice of plaintext and markdown was perfect for working between Windows (writemonkey on my desktop) and iOS when paired with Dropbox.

In recent days, I upgraded to a MacBook, and the capability of this app really shines with its tagging system. Being able to tag saved quotes (e.g. love, loss, writing, purpose, work) adds an additional layer of organization beyond folders and sub folders. You can search through single or multiple tags. I have yet to expand this organization to my own writing, but it’s nice to know it’ll be there when I decide to add it.

My only gripe is that it’s a little costly when compared to similar apps like Bear, but it beats Bear in capability and (imo) in design. It’s worth the extra few bucks a year to me.

PS: would love to be able to vim-modes :)

by TheKemer

Those who hate the subscription model need to get over it: there are (apparently) plenty of simple Markdown-centric text editors that will meet your needs. Dinging this app out of sheer bitterness won’t make you feel better, provide useful input to others, or change the need for a sustainable economic model for serious software developers.

this app is a serious writing tool for serious writers. It may take some getting used to if you are coming from the world of Word, or similar “word processors,” but if you are more interested in content rather than the formatting, this app will reward you with a clean and powerful writing environment. My own personal experience mirrors that of many others: initial skepticism in the early days growing to familiarity and fondness.

this app’ developers are living up to their promise to deliver an increasingly powerful and refined writing environment, with regular and substantive updates. If great apps like Byword or Apple’s Notes meet your level of writing needs, great: simple tools for simple needs. But, if you write a lot, I heartily recommend this app.