Craft vs Ulysses: Which Is Better in 2026?
A side-by-side comparison of Craft and Ulysses — what each does, who it's best for, and how to choose between them.
Quick verdict
Craft is a productivity tool and Ulysses is a writing & content tool — they're built for different jobs, so start with the problem you're solving. Pick Craft if you want A beautifully designed document and note-taking app for creating elegant docs, notes and knowledge bases. Pick Ulysses if you want A distraction-free writing app for Apple devices with project management, goals and one-click publishing.
Craft
A beautifully designed document and note-taking app for creating elegant docs, notes and knowledge bases.
- Category
- Productivity
- Rating
- Not yet rated
- Best for
- docs, notes, writing
Ulysses
A distraction-free writing app for Apple devices with project management, goals and one-click publishing.
- Category
- Writing & Content
- Rating
- Not yet rated
- Best for
- writing app, distraction-free, markdown
| At a glance | Craft | Ulysses |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A beautifully designed document and note-taking app for creating elegant docs, notes and knowledge bases. | A distraction-free writing app for Apple devices with project management, goals and one-click publishing. |
| Category | Productivity | Writing & Content |
| Type | Software | Software |
| Best for | docs, notes, writing, collaboration | writing app, distraction-free, markdown, apple |
What is Craft?
Craft is a beautifully designed document and note-taking application focused on creating elegant, well-structured documents, notes and knowledge bases. It stands out for its exceptional attention to design and user experience — documents in Craft look polished and feel delightful to create — making it a favorite among people who care about the craft of their writing and the aesthetics of their tools. It blends the flexibility of block-based editing with a refined, native feel across devices.
The app lets you build documents from blocks — text, images, lists, cards, links and more — that you can arrange and style into clean, attractive pages. It supports linking documents together to form a connected knowledge base, real-time collaboration for teams, and a smooth, fast experience particularly praised on Apple devices, though it's broadly available. Whether you're writing personal notes, project documentation, meeting notes, or a polished document to share, Craft makes the result look professional with minimal effort, and it has added AI features to assist with writing and content.
Craft appeals to writers, professionals, students and teams who want their documents and notes to be both well-organized and beautiful, and who appreciate software that's a pleasure to use. Its emphasis on design sets it apart from more utilitarian tools, attracting people who find that a beautiful environment helps them think and write better. It works well for individual knowledge management and for teams creating shared documentation. As people increasingly value the quality and experience of their productivity tools, well-crafted apps like Craft have found a devoted audience. For anyone who wants to create elegant documents, notes and knowledge bases in a beautifully designed, enjoyable app — for personal use or team collaboration — Craft offers a refined, capable and genuinely lovely solution.
What is Ulysses?
Serious writing needs two things a generic text editor rarely provides: a calm, focused space to actually write, and the organizational muscle to manage a big project without losing the plot. Ulysses delivers both — billed as 'the ultimate writing app for Mac, iPad and iPhone,' it's a longtime favorite of authors and bloggers.
Distraction-free, but powerful
Ulysses combines a genuinely distraction-free, markup-based editing interface with the productivity features writers actually need. You write in a clean, focused environment, but behind that calm surface sits real capability: managing large writing projects, organizing many pieces of text, and syncing seamlessly across all your Apple devices. That balance — minimal on the surface, powerful underneath — is exactly what long-form writers want. It sits alongside other elegant Apple writing tools like Bear, with a stronger emphasis on managing big projects.
Manage whole books and blogs
Ulysses shines on large projects. You can break a novel or a blog into manageable pieces and keep everything organized in one library, with goal-setting and progress tracking to keep you moving toward a word count or deadline. For anyone writing a book, that combination of focus and project management is the difference between finishing and floundering.
Polish and publish
Ulysses includes a built-in grammar and style checker in over 20 languages, so you can tighten your prose without leaving the app, and it exports to PDF, Word and ebook formats. It even offers one-click publishing to WordPress, Ghost and Medium — so bloggers can go from draft to published without copy-pasting and reformatting. That end-to-end flow, from first word to live post, is a real time-saver.
Craft you can feel
Like the best Apple-native apps, Ulysses is polished and pleasant in a way that makes writing feel good — a subtle but real factor in actually sitting down to do the work.
Who it's for
Ulysses suits writers of all kinds — novelists working on books, bloggers and journalists publishing articles, students handling coursework — anyone who wants a professional yet elegant writing environment across Apple devices.
Pricing
Ulysses is subscription-based with a free trial available on all devices, so you can experience the focused writing environment and project tools before subscribing. The single subscription covers Mac, iPad and iPhone with full sync.
Bottom line: Ulysses is a distraction-free yet powerful writing app for Apple users — focused editing, real project management, goals and one-click publishing — making it a longtime favorite for authors and bloggers tackling serious writing.
Key differences at a glance
- Purpose: Craft is A beautifully designed document and note-taking app for creating elegant docs, notes and knowledge bases. Ulysses, by contrast, is A distraction-free writing app for Apple devices with project management, goals and one-click publishing.
- Category & type: Craft is Productivity, while Ulysses is Writing & Content, and both are offered as software.
- Best suited for: Craft leans toward docs, notes, writing, whereas Ulysses leans toward writing app, distraction-free, markdown.
- Community rating: Craft is not yet rated vs Ulysses is not yet rated. Ratings are community-submitted and change over time.
Craft vs Ulysses: which should you choose?
Craft (Productivity) and Ulysses (Writing & Content) are built for different jobs, so think first about which problem you're solving. Choose Craft if you want A beautifully designed document and note-taking app for creating elegant docs, notes and knowledge bases. Choose Ulysses if you want A distraction-free writing app for Apple devices with project management, goals and one-click publishing.The smartest move is to try each one's free tier or trial on a real task — that's the fastest way to feel the difference and pick the tool you'll actually stick with.
Frequently asked questions
Is Craft better than Ulysses?
It depends on what you need. Craft is A beautifully designed document and note-taking app for creating elegant docs, notes and knowledge bases. Ulysses is A distraction-free writing app for Apple devices with project management, goals and one-click publishing. They serve different needs (Productivity vs Writing & Content), so compare them against your specific use case.
What's the main difference between Craft and Ulysses?
Craft focuses on A beautifully designed document and note-taking app for creating elegant docs, notes and knowledge bases. while Ulysses focuses on A distraction-free writing app for Apple devices with project management, goals and one-click publishing. Read the full breakdown above and check each tool's site for current features and pricing.
Can I use both Craft and Ulysses?
In many cases, yes — teams often use complementary tools together. Whether it makes sense depends on overlap in functionality and your budget. Try the free tier or trial of each to see how they fit your stack before committing.
Which is cheaper, Craft or Ulysses?
Pricing changes often, so check each tool's pricing page for the latest. Many tools offer a free tier or trial, which is the best way to evaluate value for your specific usage before you pay.