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Ulysses alternatives · Writing

Open-source alternatives to Ulysses

Ulysses is not described as open source on its own site. 12 of the 67 other writing tools in this directory are open source, according to their own sites.

Ulysses is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $39.99 per year, or $5.99 per month. All of them are free or have a free plan.

12 tools · Listings checked up to Oct 9, 2026 · Where the facts come from

How each one differs from Ulysses

  1. Zettlr

    Free, open-source Markdown editor for academic writing

    • Zettlr is free. Ulysses starts at $39.99 per year, or $5.99 per month.
    • Zettlr has a free plan. Ulysses does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Zettlr lists Windows and Linux apps.
    • Only Ulysses lists an iOS app.
    Zettlr pricing and details

  2. Manuskript

    Free, open-source novel planner with an outliner and index cards

    • Manuskript is free. Ulysses starts at $39.99 per year, or $5.99 per month.
    • Manuskript has a free plan. Ulysses does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Manuskript lists Windows and Linux apps.
    • Only Ulysses lists an iOS app.
    Manuskript pricing and details

  3. novelWriter

    Free, open-source plain-text editor for writing novels

    • novelWriter is free. Ulysses starts at $39.99 per year, or $5.99 per month.
    • novelWriter has a free plan. Ulysses does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only novelWriter lists Linux and Windows apps.
    • Only Ulysses lists an iOS app.
    novelWriter pricing and details

  4. LanguageTool

    Grammar and style checker for more than 30 languages

    • LanguageTool starts at $4.99 per month on a 2-year plan ($119.80); $69.90 billed annually. Ulysses starts at $39.99 per year, or $5.99 per month.
    • LanguageTool has a free plan. Ulysses does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only LanguageTool lists a web app.
    • Only LanguageTool lists a Windows app.
    LanguageTool pricing and details

  5. LibreOffice Writer

    Free, open-source word processor for Windows, macOS and Linux

    • LibreOffice Writer is free. Ulysses starts at $39.99 per year, or $5.99 per month.
    • LibreOffice Writer has a free plan. Ulysses does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only LibreOffice Writer lists Windows and Linux apps.
    • Only Ulysses lists an iOS app.
    LibreOffice Writer pricing and details

  6. Typst

    Markup-based typesetting system with a collaborative web app

    • Typst starts at $7.99 per month, billed monthly ($79.99 billed yearly). Ulysses starts at $39.99 per year, or $5.99 per month.
    • Typst has a free plan. Ulysses does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Typst lists a web app.
    • Only Typst lists Windows and Linux apps.
    Typst pricing and details

  7. ghostwriter

    Free, open-source Markdown editor from KDE for focused writing

    • ghostwriter is free. Ulysses starts at $39.99 per year, or $5.99 per month.
    • ghostwriter has a free plan. Ulysses does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only ghostwriter lists Windows and Linux apps.
    • Only Ulysses lists macOS and iOS apps.
    ghostwriter pricing and details

  8. MarkText

    Free, open-source Markdown editor with in-place live rendering

    • MarkText is free. Ulysses starts at $39.99 per year, or $5.99 per month.
    • MarkText has a free plan. Ulysses does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only MarkText lists Windows and Linux apps.
    • Only Ulysses lists an iOS app.
    MarkText pricing and details

  9. bibisco

    Novel planning and writing software built around characters

    • bibisco starts at $3.49 per month for Everywhere sync; desktop Supporters Edition is $69 one-time. Ulysses starts at $39.99 per year, or $5.99 per month.
    • bibisco has a free plan. Ulysses does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only bibisco lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
    • bibisco is open source, according to its own site.
    bibisco pricing and details

  10. Trelby

    Free, open-source screenwriting program for desktop

    • Trelby is free. Ulysses starts at $39.99 per year, or $5.99 per month.
    • Trelby has a free plan. Ulysses does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Trelby lists Windows and Linux apps.
    • Only Ulysses lists an iOS app.
    Trelby pricing and details

  11. Beat

    Free, open-source Fountain screenwriting app for Mac and iOS

    • Beat starts at $11.99 one-time for the iOS app. Ulysses starts at $39.99 per year, or $5.99 per month.
    • Beat has a free plan. Ulysses does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Beat is open source, according to its own site.
    • Ulysses also covers Markdown and grammar & style.
    Beat pricing and details

  12. FocusWriter

    Free distraction-free word processor for Windows and Linux

    • FocusWriter is free. Ulysses starts at $39.99 per year, or $5.99 per month.
    • FocusWriter has a free plan. Ulysses does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only FocusWriter lists Windows and Linux apps.
    • Only Ulysses lists macOS and iOS apps.
    FocusWriter pricing and details

Common questions

Is there an open-source alternative to Ulysses?

Yes. Zettlr, Manuskript, novelWriter, LanguageTool, LibreOffice Writer, Typst, ghostwriter, MarkText and 4 more are open source, according to their own sites.

Is Ulysses open source?

Ulysses is not described as open source on its own site. The listing was checked on Oct 9, 2026 against the pages it cites.

When was this checked?

Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 5, 2026 to Oct 9, 2026. Vendors change prices and plans without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.

This page is built from the listings. A tool is here because its listing says so, and the order is how close each is to Ulysses: the alternatives its listing names first, then the tools that share the most features with it.