Ulysses
Ulysses operates a subscription-based Markdown writing application for Apple platforms (Mac, iPad, iPhone). The bootstrapped Leipzig-based company serves authors, bloggers, students, and creative professionals with iCloud sync, native Apple integrations, and direct blog publishing.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersLeipzig, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Ulysses does
Ulysses GmbH & Co. KG operates a subscription-based Markdown writing application marketed under the trade name Ulysses, available exclusively on Apple's macOS, iPadOS, and iOS platforms. The company is headquartered in Leipzig, Germany, privately held, and bootstrapped, with no disclosed external funding; it is led by Managing Directors Max Seelemann and Marcus Fehn. The application has been in continuous development since 2003 and received the Apple Design Award.
The Ulysses application is a markup-based text editor that pairs a distraction-free writing interface with structured library management (sheets, groups, projects, keywords, filters), native iCloud synchronization across Apple devices, and direct publishing integrations with WordPress, Ghost, Medium, and Micro.blog. Distinctive technical components include the proprietary Ulysses Style Sheet language (ulss) for typography and export customization, LaTeX equation support, grammar and style checking in over 20 languages, internal links/backlinks for knowledge-base workflows, and Apple Intelligence-powered Writing Tools for proofreading, rewriting, and summarizing. Export targets include PDF, DOCX, ePub, and HTML. The product follows an Apple-platform-only strategy that aligns it tightly with platform features (Shortcuts, Siri, Family Sharing, Liquid Glass design, Face/Touch ID) but constrains addressable market to the Apple ecosystem.
Ulysses monetizes through individual subscriptions priced at $39.99 per year or $5.99 per month, a student tier at $10.99 per six months, and a B2B volume licensing channel at $49 per user per year sold directly outside the App Store via Paddle payment processing. The company also offers an affiliate program paying 25% commission and supplementary distribution through the Setapp subscription platform. Target segments are authors, bloggers, students, journalists, and creative professionals; named public users include published authors and media personalities (e.g., David Hewson, Rebekah Bastian, Matt Casamassina, Fangzhou Jiang), used primarily as storytelling/testimonial assets rather than enterprise contracts.
Ulysses firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ulysses
- Legal name
- Ulysses GmbH & Co. KG
- Website
- https://ulysses.app
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Ulysses operates a subscription-based Markdown writing application for Apple platforms (Mac, iPad, iPhone). The bootstrapped Leipzig-based company serves authors, bloggers, students, and creative professionals with iCloud sync, native Apple integrations, and direct blog publishing.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Ulysses is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Leipzig
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Ulysses business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Individual Subscription: Primary revenue stream from individual consumers subscribing to the Ulysses app on a monthly or annual basis. A single subscription unlocks Ulysses on all devices (Mac, iPhone, iPad) with full feature access including iCloud synchronization.
- Student Subscription: Discounted subscription for enrolled students in high school, vocational school, college or university. Provides 50% savings compared to regular pricing.
- Volume Licensing: B2B volume licensing sold directly outside the App Store for organizations. Priced at $49.00 per user/year with dedicated support for distribution to team members on Mac, iPad and iPhone.
- Affiliate Commission: Partners earn 25% commission for every subscriber brought in through the affiliate program, with quarterly payment cycles.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Individual Annual Plan |
| Subscription | Monthly | Individual Monthly Plan |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Student Plan |
| Subscription | Annual | Volume License (Business) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Setapp Subscription |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels11 records
Ulysses product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ulysses is a subscription-based writing application for Mac, iPad, and iPhone that provides a distraction-free, Markdown-based text editor with powerful project management features. The app synchronizes content across all Apple devices via iCloud, offers built-in grammar and style checking in over 20 languages, supports direct blog publishing to WordPress, Ghost, Medium, and Micro.blog, and enables export to PDF, DOCX, ePub, and HTML formats. Additional offerings include a discounted student subscription and a volume licensing program for businesses at $49 per user per year.
Product overview
Ulysses is a single, unified writing application for Mac, iPad, and iPhone that combines a distraction-free writing environment with powerful project management capabilities. The core Ulysses app provides markup-based text editing, library organization with sheets and groups, seamless iCloud synchronization across all Apple devices, built-in grammar and style checking in over 20 languages, blog publishing to WordPress, Ghost, Medium, and Micro.blog, and multi-format export (PDF, DOCX, HTML, ePub). Supporting offerings include Ulysses Styles & Themes (styles.ulysses.app) for custom export styles and editor themes, a free trial, subscription pricing at $39.99/year, student pricing at $10.99 per 6 months, volume licensing for businesses, a beta testing program via TestFlight, and an affiliate program with 25% commission.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Ulysses Writing App A distraction-free Markdown-based writing application for Mac, iPad, and iPhone offering project management with sheets and groups, iCloud and Dropbox synchronization, grammar and style checking in over 20 languages, direct blog publishing to WordPress/Ghost/Medium/Micro.blog, and multi-format export to PDF, DOCX, HTML, and ePub. Targeted at individual writers, authors, bloggers, and students.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1 million words written by power users like Fangzhou Jiang
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Ulysses
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Ulysses technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration13 records
AI capability3 records
Feature18 records
Ulysses partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ApplecoreDeep platform integration with Apple ecosystem including Mac App Store, iOS App Store, iCloud synchronization, Apple Intelligence/Writing Tools, Siri Shortcuts, Touch ID, and Apple Family Sharing. Apple Design Award winner.
- SetappminorUlysses is available through the Setapp subscription platform, allowing Setapp subscribers to access the app as part of their unified subscription.
- WordPresscoreDirect publishing integration allowing Ulysses users to upload blog posts to WordPress with tags, categories, excerpts, featured images, and scheduling. Supports WordPress 5.0 Gutenberg and REST API.
- GhostcorePublishing integration for Ghost blog platform, allowing direct upload and updating of posts from within Ulysses.
- MediumcorePublishing integration for Medium platform, allowing users to publish and sync posts directly from Ulysses.
- Micro.blogcorePublishing and post updating integration for Micro.blog, a blogging platform focused on short-form and indie blogging.
- PaddlecorePayment processor handling transactions for volume licensing purchases outside the App Store.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Ulysses competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- iA Writer: iA Writer is a focused, minimalist Markdown writing app for Mac, iPad, iPhone, and Windows. It is the closest direct competitor to Ulysses in the distraction-free, keyboard-driven writing category and overlaps strongly on Apple-platform positioning.
- Bear: Bear is a notes and writing app exclusively for Apple platforms, using a tagging system for organization. It targets the same writer/professional audience on Mac, iPad, and iPhone as Ulysses with overlapping Markdown and styling capabilities.
- Drafts: Drafts is an Apple-only text-capture and automation app for Mac, iPad, and iPhone with strong Shortcuts integration. It targets a similar Apple-ecosystem power-user base and overlaps with Ulysses on Markdown editing and automation workflows.
- Scrivener: Scrivener is the leading long-form writing tool for novelists and book authors, offering project-based organization for chapters and research. It directly competes with Ulysses in the 'writing a book' use case with a different, more desktop-oriented UX.
Broad incumbents
- Google Docs: Google Docs is the leading free, web-based collaborative word processor and competes with Ulysses for bloggers, students, and collaborative writers — particularly as Google layers in Gemini AI writing assistance.
- Microsoft Word: Microsoft Word is the dominant general-purpose word processor across Windows, Mac, web, and mobile. It is the broadest incumbent in the writing space and competes with Ulysses for students, academics, and professional writers on output formats (DOCX).
- Apple Pages: Apple's free word processor bundled with iOS and macOS is a broad incumbent that competes with Ulysses for casual writers, especially as Apple layers in Apple Intelligence Writing Tools across its first-party apps.
Emerging players
- Notion: Notion is a cross-platform productivity and writing workspace with built-in AI. While broader than Ulysses, it absorbs writing workflows through its docs feature and competing AI capabilities, particularly for bloggers and content teams.
- Obsidian: Obsidian is a Markdown-based knowledge-base and writing app built on linked notes and backlinks — features Ulysses itself has been adding. It is increasingly used by writers and competes for the same long-form, link-driven writing workflows on Mac.
- Day One: Day One is an Apple-platform journaling and writing app with iCloud sync and rich media support. It overlaps with Ulysses on the Apple-ecosystem writing subscription model and shares a similar premium, design-forward positioning.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Ulysses social profiles
Digital presenceUlysses financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ulysses leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Ulysses funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ulysses M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ulysses
What does Ulysses do?
Ulysses is a subscription-based writing application for Mac, iPad, and iPhone that provides a distraction-free, Markdown-based text editor with powerful project management features. The app synchronizes content across all Apple devices via iCloud, offers built-in grammar and style checking in over 20 languages, supports direct blog publishing to WordPress, Ghost, Medium, and Micro.blog, and enables export to PDF, DOCX, ePub, and HTML formats. Additional offerings include a discounted student subscription and a volume licensing program for businesses at $49 per user per year.
Is Ulysses a public or private company?
Ulysses is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Ulysses founded?
Ulysses was founded in 2003. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Ulysses based?
Ulysses is headquartered in Leipzig, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Ulysses make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual Subscription is the primary driver. The others are student Subscription, volume Licensing and affiliate Commission.
Who are Ulysses's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are iA Writer, Bear, Drafts and Scrivener. Broad incumbents are Google Docs, Microsoft Word and Apple Pages. Emerging players are Notion, Obsidian and Day One.
Does Ulysses have an API?
Yes. Ulysses supports x-callback-url integration on both macOS and iOS, allowing other apps to trigger actions within Ulysses such as creating new sheets, adding images, moving groups, and other operations. This enables automation workflows through apps like Shortcuts and Keyboard Maestro.