Graphite

Graphite compared / Ulysses

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Graphite vs Ulysses

Ulysses is a subscription writing app for Mac, iPad and iPhone. It keeps your texts in its own library synced through iCloud, with goals, deadlines, backups and publishing to blogs. Graphite runs in any browser, is free to write, and keeps every document as a plain Markdown file in your browser, a folder or your own Google Drive.

Checked 17 October 2026 on ulysses.app. Prices are in US dollars, as each app lists them.

At a glance

FeatureGraphiteUlysses
PlatformsAny modern browser: Chrome, Edge, Arc, Safari and Firefox, on a computer, tablet or phone. Installs as an app (PWA). Native apps are coming soon.Mac, iPad and iPhone, from the App Store or Setapp.
PriceFree to write. Pro is $3.99 a month or $29 a year, or Pro Lifetime at $29 once (founding price until 13 November 2026, then $59) on up to 5 devices, with every 1.x update.Subscription: $5.99 a month or $39.99 a year in the US (local pricing may differ). Free trial on all devices, reduced pricing for students, Family Sharing included.
Files and where they livePlain Markdown files, in your browser, in a folder on your disk (Chrome, Edge and Arc) or in your own Google Drive.Its own library, written in Markdown XL, Ulysses’ markup. External Folders can hold Markdown files on Mac, and on iPhone and iPad from Dropbox or the Files app.
OfflineYes, once it has loaded. With Google Drive, edits are kept on the device and sync shortly after.Native apps on each device.
Account neededNo. A free account is optional, for Google Drive sync and Pro.Bought as a subscription through the App Store or Setapp.
Focus featuresFocus (sentence or paragraph), Typewriter and Zen. Syntax Highlight and Style Check with Pro.Typewriter options: fixed scrolling, and highlighting the current line, sentence or paragraph. Full screen, Hide Interface and Hide Toolbar. Goals and deadlines.
Version historyA snapshot every ten minutes: the latest 5 free, up to 40 with Pro. Compare any two versions, word by word.Automatic local backups: 24 hourly, 14 daily, 26 weekly and unlimited monthly. External Folders aren’t backed up automatically.
ExportMarkdown and web page free. PDF, Word and blog post with Pro.Plain Text, Rich Text, DOCX, HTML, ePub and PDF. Publishing to WordPress, Ghost, Micro.blog and Medium.
Sync and collaborationThrough your own Google Drive, free. Read-only share links. No real-time co-editing.iCloud sync across your devices, or Dropbox through External Folders. Collaboration is not covered on the pages we checked.

Choose Ulysses if…

  • You write on a Mac, iPad and iPhone and want a native app on each.
  • You publish to WordPress, Ghost, Micro.blog or Medium, or export ePub books.
  • You like a managed library with groups, goals and deadlines, and don’t need the files themselves.
  • You want automatic hourly, daily and weekly backups going back months.
  • A subscription that includes Family Sharing suits your household.

Choose Graphite if…

  • You want every document as a plain Markdown file you can open in any editor, without converting it.
  • You write on Windows, Linux, a Chromebook or Android as well as Apple devices.
  • You’d rather not subscribe: writing is free, and Pro Lifetime is one payment.
  • You keep your writing in Google Drive.
  • You want Focus, Typewriter and Zen, plus word targets with deadlines and Manuscript, without leaving plain Markdown.

Switching from Ulysses

  1. If you use an External Folder in Markdown, those files are already Markdown. Open that folder in Graphite with Open Folder… (Chrome, Edge or Arc), or bring copies in with Import Files or Backup….
  2. For sheets in the Ulysses library, export them as Plain Text and import the files into Graphite.
  3. Markdown XL tags that plain Markdown doesn’t have, such as comments and annotations, don’t carry over. Ulysses notes the same limit for its own Markdown folders.
  4. Graphite’s Markdown guide shows the formatting it understands.

Questions

Is Graphite a Ulysses alternative?

If you want plain Markdown files and a browser app that works on any computer, it can be. Ulysses has more for publishing, such as direct posting to blogs and ePub export, and native apps for Mac, iPad and iPhone.

Does Graphite need a subscription?

No. Writing is free. Pro is $3.99 a month or $29 a year if you want a subscription, or Pro Lifetime once, at $29 until 13 November 2026 and $59 after that.

Does Graphite have writing goals like Ulysses?

Yes. Set Word Target… gives a document a length and a deadline, and the status bar shows how many words a day you need. There’s also a daily goal and a writing streak.

Can I use Graphite on an iPad?

Yes, in Safari. Tap Share › Add to Home Screen to install it like an app.

Sources

Everything about Ulysses on this page comes from its own site, checked on 17 October 2026. If something has changed, write to us and we’ll fix it.

About Graphite: pricing and the guides. Other comparisons: iA Writer, Bear, Obsidian, Typora.

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