JotterPad vs Ulysses
We give JotterPad a 3.6 GPA and Ulysses a 3.0, out of 4.0. JotterPad grades higher on the free plan and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
JotterPad
Markdown and Fountain editor for books, papers and screenplays
Ulysses
Markup-based writing app for Mac, iPad and iPhone
How we grade them
| 3.6GPAJotterPadExcellent | 3.0GPAUlyssesVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | APro Cloud is $29.99 a year on the US App Store, or $3.33 a month billed annually on the web. That's well under the $10 a month paid writing tools typically start at, and it unlocks every platform. Paying monthly on the App Store is $6.99. | A$39.99 a year, or $5.99 a month. Paid writing apps typically start around $10 a month, so the yearly plan is about a third of that. One subscription covers all your Macs, iPads and iPhones, and Family Sharing with up to five others is included. |
| Free plan and trial | BFree covers Markdown editing, file import and Unsplash images. But PDFs print with a watermark and there's no cloud sync, and Fountain and LaTeX files, Word and Final Draft export and blog publishing all need a paid plan. | CNo free plan. Every plan starts with a free trial that's fully functional, sync and export included, but Ulysses doesn't say how many days it runs. After that it's $5.99 a month or $39.99 a year. |
| Features | AMarkdown, Fountain and LaTeX (labelled beta), with templates that lay out an APA or MLA paper, a novel or a screenplay. Add BibTeX citations, export to Word, PDF, Final Draft and ePub, and publishing to Ghost, WordPress or Tumblr. Plugins bring mind maps and diagrams. | AYou format by typing markup, so your hands stay on the keys. One library holds everything, split into projects you can reorder. A proofreader covers grammar and style in more than 20 languages. It exports PDF, Word, ebooks and HTML, and posts straight to WordPress, Ghost and Micro.blog. |
| Ease of use | BThere's no App Store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. You write in plain markup and it shows formatted as you type. Working out what to buy is the fiddly part: the App Store alone lists two purchases named Pro. | B4.58 from about 2,100 App Store ratings, a whisker under our line for an A. Formatting is done in Markdown XL, Ulysses' own markup language, which takes a little learning if you've never typed markup before. |
| Platforms and integrations | AAndroid, iPhone, iPad, Mac and a web editor, syncing through Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive and iCloud, with publishing to WordPress, Ghost and Tumblr. No Windows or Linux app is listed, so those computers get the web editor. | CMac, iPad and iPhone only, with no Windows, Android or web version. Inside Apple it's strong: texts sync automatically, the features match across macOS and iOS, and it publishes to WordPress, Ghost and Micro.blog. |
| Best for | Markdown and Fountain writing on every device | writing anything long on Apple devices |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: JotterPad and Ulysses. How we grade
Where they differ
- JotterPad starts at $29.99 per year on the App Store; $3.33 per month billed annually on the web. Ulysses starts at $39.99 per year, or $5.99 per month.
- JotterPad has a free plan. Ulysses does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only JotterPad lists a web app.
- Only JotterPad lists an Android app.
- JotterPad can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- JotterPad also covers templates and citations.
- Ulysses also covers grammar & style.
At a glance
| JotterPad | Ulysses | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $29.99 per year on the App Store; $3.33 per month billed annually on the web | $39.99 per year, or $5.99 per month |
| Free plan | Free with limited access: Markdown editing, importing .md, .fountain and .fdx files, Unsplash images, and printing Markdown to PDF with a watermark. No cloud sync. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | Every plan includes a free, fully functional trial with sync and export. The site does not state how long it lasts. |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Two App Studio Pte. Ltd. | Ulysses GmbH & Co. KG |
| Price read from | jotterpad.app | ulysses.app |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Who each one suits
JotterPad
- Writers who draft in Markdown or Fountain across a phone, a tablet and a computer
- Students formatting APA or MLA papers with BibTeX citations
- Screenwriters who need Final Draft (.fdx) export
Ulysses
- Writers who work only on Apple devices and want their texts on all of them
- Bloggers publishing to WordPress, Ghost or Micro.blog
- Novelists and students keeping many texts in one library
Worth knowing
JotterPad
- Cloud sync, Fountain and LaTeX files, Word and Final Draft export and blog publishing need a paid plan, and free PDFs carry a watermark.
- No Windows or Linux app is listed: there are apps for Android, iPhone, iPad and Mac, and a web editor for other computers.
- Prices depend on where you buy: the website lists $3.33 a month billed annually, the US App Store $29.99 a year or $6.99 a month.
- The vendor says canceled subscriptions and the lifetime purchase are not refunded.
Ulysses
- The site and App Store listing cover Mac, iPad and iPhone only; no Windows, Android or web version is offered.
- The pricing page lists subscriptions only: $5.99 a month or $39.99 a year once the trial ends.
- The trial is described as fully functional, but the site does not say how many days it runs.
- Volume licenses are priced in euros and cover one Mac, one iPad and one iPhone per user.
Key features
JotterPad
- Markdown, Fountain and LaTeX editing
- Documents are written in lightweight markup and shown formatted as you type. LaTeX support is labeled beta, and Fountain files need a paid plan.
- Templates for papers, books and scripts
- Templates lay a document out as an APA or MLA paper, a novel, a screenplay, a report, a letter or presentation slides when it is printed to PDF.
- Cloud sync and offline work
- Pro Cloud syncs files with Google Drive, Dropbox and OneDrive, plus iCloud on Mac and iOS. The apps keep working offline and sync once back online.
- Citations with BibTeX
- Citations are added by uploading Bib files or pasting BibTeX into a Markdown document, then printed as references in APA, MLA, Chicago or AMA style.
- Export and blog publishing
- Exports to Word, PDF, Final Draft (.fdx), HTML and ePub, and can send a piece to Ghost, WordPress or Tumblr as a draft or a published post.
- Plugins and Wizard A.I.
- Plugins add mind maps, Mermaid diagrams, music notation and TeX or chemistry equations. Wizard A.I., built on GPT-3, drafts outlines, summaries and paraphrases.
Ulysses
- Markup-based editor
- Text is formatted by typing markup in Markdown XL, Ulysses' own markup language, so headings, lists and emphasis never require leaving the keyboard.
- Unified library
- Everything is stored in one library and organized into projects, so scenes and chapters can be split into chunks and reordered.
- Sync across Apple devices
- Texts sync automatically between Mac, iPad and iPhone, and the vendor describes feature parity across macOS and iOS.
- Grammar and style check
- A built-in proofreader for more than 20 languages suggests fixes for capitalization, punctuation, semantics, redundancy and style.
- Export and publishing
- Exports PDFs, Word documents, ebooks and HTML with switchable styles, and posts directly to WordPress, Ghost and Micro.blog with images and tags.
- Writing goals
- Set a character limit, a deadline or a daily goal for a text and track progress against it.
Plans
JotterPad
Free$0
Limited access: Markdown editing, file import and Unsplash images. PDFs print with a watermark, and cloud sync and Fountain files are not included.
Pro Cloud (App Store)$29.99
per year, or $6.99 per month, as an in-app purchase
The Pro Cloud subscription bought inside the iPhone, iPad and Mac app, at the prices on the US App Store listing.
Pro Cloud (web)$3.33
per month, billed annually
Sold on jotterpad.app. Unlocks the Android, iOS, Mac and web apps with cloud sync, Fountain and LaTeX files, and Word and Final Draft export.
Pro$24.99 - $49.99
in-app purchase on the App Store; basis not shown
Two purchases named Pro on the US App Store listing. The help center describes Pro and Creative as lifetime licenses for one platform, without cloud sync.
Pro Cloud (Lifetime)$159.99
one-time purchase
Pro Cloud without a subscription, sold on jotterpad.app. The vendor says it cannot be canceled or refunded.
Ulysses
Yearly Plan$39.99
per year
Ulysses on all your Macs, iPads and iPhones with full sync. Apple Family Sharing with up to five other family members is included.
Monthly Plan$5.99
per month
The same app and sync on every Mac, iPad and iPhone, paid month to month.
Volume licensing€39.00
per user / year, plus VAT if applicable
Licenses for businesses and organizations, bought outside the App Store. Covers one Mac, one iPad and one iPhone per user.
Ways to pay less
JotterPad
- Lifetime license
Pro Cloud lifetime purchase for $159.99
The Pro page sells Pro Cloud (Lifetime) as a single $159.99 payment in place of the subscription. It cannot be canceled or refunded.
- Annual discount
About 64% less with annual billing on the App Store
The US App Store listing prices Pro Cloud at $29.99 per year or $6.99 per month, which comes to $83.88 over twelve months.
Ulysses
- Annual discount
Yearly plan costs about 44% less than monthly
The yearly subscription is $39.99, against $71.88 for twelve payments on the $5.99 monthly plan.
- Education
Student offer: $10.99 per 6 months
Students enrolled at a high school, vocational school, college or university can apply from inside the app with a valid student ID.
- Other savings
Apple Family Sharing included
One subscription can be shared with up to five other family members through Apple Family Sharing.
- Lifetime license
Perpetual License listed in the App Store
The US App Store listing shows a Perpetual License in-app purchase at $199.99 alongside the subscriptions. The pricing page does not describe its terms.
