Scrivener vs. Ulysses: Which Writing Tool Should You Buy?

Should you buy Scrivener or Ulysses? That’s a tough question that many writers, students and educators ask themselves.

If you’re serious about writing and want to take your writing skills to the next level, you may want to consider investing in paid wiring tools like Scrivener or Ulysses. Both of these writing softwares boost a good reputation among writers owing to the wide array of writing features they offer, which makes your life as a serious writer MUCH easier! 

However, since all writing apps have their flaws, both Scrivener and Ulysses are not flawless. Additionally, since they differ in many aspects, different writers with different tastes will not agree on one of them. For this reason, we’re comparing these two distinct (yet comparable) writing tools to help you figure out which one is better for your own needs. And at the end of the article, we’re going to tell you which app we believe has the most perks compared to the other, and you can then choose whichever one you think is the perfect fit for you.

Why am I qualified to write about Ulysses and Scrivener?

Before we just into my side-by-side comparison of Ulysses and Scrivener, I wanted to first let you know why I think I'm qualified to talk about these. As a multi-bestselling author in both fiction and nonfiction, I know what authors need.

Furthermore, I have used both of these programs extensively to write a book in each (although when you get to the bottom to see which one wins, there is one that I've written more books in). So, unlike other reviews out there, I know the ins and outs of both very well.

So, Scrivener vs. Ulysses, which one is better for writing?

1. Price

Ulysses is not the cheapest writing app available, costing $49.99 per year and $5.99 each month if you choose to pay monthly. However, when compared to the other existing apps, Ulysses provides a wealth of writing features that not all writing apps do. If you want to test the waters before subscribing to Ulysses, you can sign up for a 14-day free trial. Moreover, academic staff and students are both eligible for an educational discount from Ulysses. You can find pricing information on Apple's App Store. The Ulysses app description includes all of the various subscription choices. To apply for the Ulysses student discount, you must provide proof of identity. Ulysses also accepts any documentation that proves you are a member of academic staff or a student.

It’s worth noting that although Ulysses has more features, not all writers can afford it, especially since many similar features are available for free or at least at a better price in other apps. Don’t get us wrong, though, we believe Ulysses is worth investing in, but before making a decision, be sure you actually need to use its extra features and that there is no other cheaper software that can provide you with everything you need; otherwise, Ulysses provides good value for money!

As for Scrivener, it doesn’t require you to subscribe and pay each month or yearly like Ulysses does. Instead, you only have to buy it once, and it’s yours forever! Windows or macOS licenses cost $49. Similar to Ulysses, Scrivener offers students an educational discount, so they can get a license for $41.65. Moreover, if you own an iPod touch, iPad, or iPhone, you can get Scrivener for $19.99.

While Ulysses has a free trial of only 14 days, Scrivener offers a free trial of 30 days for macOs and Windows users only, giving you a better opportunity to explore and use all of its features before you can decide to purchase the software. Even better, since Scrivener's trial period only includes the days on which you used the app, you can only use Scrivener 3 times a week (instead of daily), extending the free trial to 10 weeks! 

So, while Ulysses offers great features, most people would prefer paying only once to get a writing app instead of having to pay each month or year, unless you only want to use the app for a month or two, in this case, Ulysses would be a better option. 

Winner: Scrivener 

PLUS: If you would like a discount on Scrivener, click the button below and enter in the discount code upon purchasing to save 20% – the highest discount given:

2. Ease of Use

The biggest complaint I have with Scrivener is that it is incredibly hard to use and not intuitive. To prove this point, even though Scrivener costs $59.99, people sell over $100 courses on how to use it. I wish Scrivener would either improve the software's user experience, or at least create great tutorials that help to learn the program.

Ulysses on the other hand isn't the easiest, but when it compares to Scrivener, it is hands down much easier. So, if you aren't super techy or don't want to spend hundreds of dollars learning how to use a software, then Ulysses wins this hands down.

Winner: Ulysses

3. Device Compatibility

Ulysses can only be used by Apple users, which is one of its biggest drawbacks that prevents many non-Apple users from using it. But Scrivener is available on macOS, iOS, and Windows. So almost everyone can buy and enjoy the features that Scrivener offers. Another point for Scrivener! 

Winner: Scrivener 

4. Book & eBook Formatting Capability

If you intend to write a book, instead of just writing, then you might want to reconsider between the two of these options since they both don't perform well.

Scrivener does have a formatting capability. However, it is so complex that course creators sell courses ($50 and up) on teaching you how to use that feature. And even then, it isn't very useful. You can't see real time what your book will look like. Plus if you need to make a change, you have to start all over on the formatting process.

Ulysses sadly doesn't have any formatting capability. Instead you'll need to buy another software, or pay an professional to format for you and is very costly.

Winner: Neither…however

5. Distraction-free Environment

Writers detest distractions— if they’re going to choose a certain writing tool, it just has to be distraction-free. Distraction can reduce the quality of your writing and potentially lengthen the time it takes to complete the task. There are some writing apps that display too many tools and notifications on the UI that don’t help you focus on your project, which is extremely frustrating and can reduce the overall quality of your work.

Ulysses has a modern, minimalistic user interface that is designed to help you focus while writing. Ulysses also enables you to change almost every feature they offer to ensure you’re comfortable in your working environment. Thanks to its typewriter mode, dark mode, minimal mode, and full screen mode, Ulysses allows you to focus on your work without distractions. Dark mode is a godsend for individuals who stay up late working on large projects with a lot of words. Fullscreen mode is also super useful since it isolates you from everything else and allows you to focus just on your project. 

Another great feature of Ulysses is typewriter mode, which is pretty effective in helping you focus only on the piece you're writing—it highlights the paragraph, sentence, or line you're working on. Ulysses’s Fixed Scrolling feature is also a great way to eliminate distractions; it keeps the line you're working on fixed – whether at the bottom, middle, or top of your screen – while you scroll. Plus, Ulysses allows you to hide and show any extra pane you find distracting by swiping right or left.

As for Scrivener, it offers a Distraction Free Mode that can help you focus more on your work. If you want to remove any distractions from your screen, such as notifications, icons, menus, or tabs, you can also turn on Full-Screen mode. This mode is particularly useful when you find yourself in the middle of your work surrounded with unnecessary distractions and want to get rid of them at the touch of a button.

Scrivener likewise has a minimalist design, but it has additional features. . You can also ensure that you’re working in a comfortable environment by changing the font, its size and its color to your taste, as well as text alignment, among other things.

While both apps are great when it comes to providing a distraction-free working environment, Ulysses is more rich in features that allow you to relax and focus while working on your project.

Winner: Ulysses

4. Organizational Features

Your Apple device also has something similar to folders called Groups, which enables you to save similar projects in one spot. We highly recommend that you use Groups to organize the projects that you work on using Ulysses. Groups can also contain subgroups if you want to be extra organized. For instance, a Group that is called ‘Romeo and Juliet’ can include other Draft subgroups, allowing you to edit and finish your project in the form of drafts temporarily until you finish it and save it in the Published subgroup.  

Scrivener does not work the same as Ulysses does. Scrivener organizes your work based on your projects, meaning that you can save the documents you want within the project you create. Scapple, Scrivener’s sister product, is a great service that’s designed to make you the brain maps you need to be productive. The main disadvantage of Scapple is that it’s not a built-in feature that comes with Scrivener— it requires you to spend more money to enjoy its features. 

So, while Ulysses enables you to organize your work with groups and subgroups, the structure that Scrivener offers is better organized and enables you to navigate more smoothly through your work.

Winner: Scrivener 

5. Backup & Sync

The backup option is important in any app because it may prevent your valuable project from being lost forever. Ulysses automatically saves the words you wrote every 12 hours, 7 days, and 6 months, allowing you to quickly restore them anytime you want. Any backup you require can be found in your Mac's Library. Ulysses has an automatic backup option to ensure that your work is always protected. One of Ulysses' useful features is version history, which saves every word you type. This function allows you to easily restore any word that you deleted or altered hours or even days ago.

Scrivener also protects your work using an automatic backup. If you close your work, Scrivener saves everything you wrote by default as a backup. You can find the backup files on Windows by choosing AppData>Local>LiteratureAndLatte>Scrivener>Backups. You can also find them on your Mac by going to the home folder and selecting Library>Application Support>Scrivener>Backups. However, you need to close the project first to enable the backup feature, which is not great for people who work on long projects and don’t close them very often.

Winner: Ulysses

6. Collaboration & Version Control

All writers can relate to this — you spend a lot of time working on a certain part of your text and suddenly realize it doesn’t look as good as you thought, making you want to restore an older version of that part. It’s frustrating, but both Ulysses and Scrivener have you covered in this area! 

On the one hand, you get to benefit from Scrivener's ‘Snapshot' feature to have versions of your content locked. This feature works flawlessly on both Windows and Mac devices.

Ulysses, on the other hand, is a different story. While you get to save your work’s previous versions, this feature is only available on the Mac device, and is not available on the mobile version.

Scrivener does not come with a sharing feature, which prevents you from smoothly using any third party services or sharing your work. Plus, you cannot use Scrivener on more than one device. As a result, it isn’t an excellent option for collective work. While Ulysses also does not come with a sharing feature, it still offers a smooth integration with third party services that makes sharing text and folders easy. Sadly, though, collaborating with another person through Ulysses is not possible. 

Despite the fact that this was a close contest, Ulysses outperforms Scrivener when it comes to providing a better version control feature and sharing content through third-party services.

Winner: Ulysses

7. Images & Notes

When it comes to supporting image inclusion and note taking, both Ulysses and Scrivener are reliable. In both apps, you can use features that help you take notes while working, as well as import them from other locations.

There are several places where you can store your references and notes. Ulysses and Scrivener allow you to make new documents and folders to store all items you need, including notes. There’s also an additional sidebar besides the primary one in each app that you can quickly hide if you don't think you’re going to use it soon. A great method to add links, notes, quotes, and references, to a particular part of your project is through this additional sidebar. This enables you to store them and use them when you need too

You may sometimes need to add images to your work, which is super useful when you have a certain picture of your locations and characters in mind and want to show it in your project. Luckily, including and importing images is available in both Ulysses and Scrivener.

It’s clear that both Ulysses and Scrivener offer almost the same quality when it comes to supporting image inclusion and note taking.

It’s a tie

The Final Verdict: Scrivener vs Ulysses?

In the ends, Ulysses wins 4-3 on the above grading scale. However, I personally still prefer Scrivener over Ulysses. Wait…what?

Yup, because, while the above shows on a point-by-point basis that one overpowers the other, my personal preferences create more weighted value on certain criteria above. For example, it is INCREDIBLY important to me that I own the software, and don't have to pay a subscription to use the software. If I am going to put my books on something, I need to know that my books are safe.

Furthermore, organization is very important to me as well. Writing lots of nonfiction and fiction, I personally like how Scrivener helps in this department. So, because of this, my vote is on Scrivener as the better between the two.

Important: If you do choose to get Scriviner, make sure to use the button below and the coupon code inside. This will get you 20% off, and save you:

But I Don't Use Either!!!

As I've mentioned, there is a better option. Over the years I preferred Scrivener. However, I hated having to spend extra money on a formatter or on another formatting software.

Furthermore, I got fed up having to constantly retake the courses I paid for to remember how to use something in the program. But the final straw that broke the camels back was when I had to pay again for Scrivener when they upgraded to 3.0. Because of these three things, I decided to build a software that did everything I wanted: Write, collaborate and format using any device.

So, I use Atticus for all of my writing and formatting needs. If you haven't heard of it, you should check out a fully review of its capability and features.