Textualize
Textualize was a private software company developing Textual, an open-source Python framework for terminal user interfaces, and Ishmael, a Mac novel-writing app. The company announced it would cease operations in May 2025.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- Headquarters—
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Textualize does
Textualize was a private software company, founded and led by Will McGugan, that operated as the corporate entity behind two open-source and consumer software products. Its flagship product, Textual, is an MIT-licensed Rapid Application Development framework for Python that enables developers to build sophisticated terminal-based user interfaces (TUIs) and web applications. The framework is built on top of the popular Rich library and provides a component-based architecture with a rich widget library (Button, Tree, DataTable, Markdown viewer, Tabs, etc.), CSS-based styling, reactive state management, a Worker API for concurrency, syntax-highlighted text editing, and the ability to deploy the same app in a terminal or in the browser via Textual Web. Textual is distributed free via GitHub and PyPI and has built a third-party ecosystem of applications including Bloomberg's Memray memory profiler, Toad (an AI-coding terminal), Posting (API client), Dolphie (MySQL analytics), and Harlequin (database client).
The company's secondary product, Ishmael, is a paid, distraction-free novel-writing application for macOS, sold via the Mac App Store at a $59.99 one-time launch price with a 14-day free trial. Ishmael targets novelists with chapter management, prose-aware editing, zen-mode, Reader mode, and export to EPUB, DOCX (Shunn Standard), HTML, and Markdown.
Textualize's go-to-market was primarily product-led growth through open-source developer adoption, supported by GitHub, comprehensive documentation, blog content, Discord community, and Twitter engagement. Ishmael employed a direct-to-consumer motion via the Mac App Store. The company operated with a small team split between Edinburgh, Scotland, and Thailand. In May 2025, Textualize announced it would wind down operations, stating the team could not identify a commercial problem worth building a paid business around; the Textual and Rich open-source projects will continue to be maintained by Will McGugan on an individual basis.
Textualize firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Textualize
- Legal name
- Textualize
- Website
- https://textualize.io
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Textualize was a private software company developing Textual, an open-source Python framework for terminal user interfaces, and Ishmael, a Mac novel-writing app. The company announced it would cease operations in May 2025.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Textualize industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Python Development Framework
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (513210)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Process & Case Management Low-Code Platforms (HDAEAKAE)
Keywords
Textualize business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Open Source Framework (Textual): Textual is open-source (MIT licensed) with no direct revenue model. The company was unable to find a shared problem to build a viable business around and announced it would be wrapping up in May 2025. Will McGugan will continue maintaining the projects individually.
- Ishmael App: Ishmael is a distraction-free novel-writing app sold via Mac App Store for $59.99 (launch offer). Represents the company's consumer/solo writer product.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Annual | Textual Framework - Open Source |
| One time/ perpetual license | Monthly | Ishmael Launch Offer |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Textualize product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Textualize develops and distributes the Textual Python framework, an open-source (MIT licensed) Rapid Application Development framework for building sophisticated Terminal User Interfaces (TUIs) and web-deployed applications using a component-based architecture, CSS-style styling, reactive state management, and a comprehensive widget library. The company also sells Ishmael, a paid distraction-free novel-writing application for macOS that includes chapter management, prose-aware editing, professional typography, and export to EPUB, Word, HTML, and Markdown formats.
Product overview
Textualize offers two main products: Textual, an open-source Python framework for building terminal and web-based applications with CSS styling and reactive patterns; and Ishmael, a distraction-free novel-writing application for Mac designed specifically for novelists with features like chapter management, beautiful typography, prose editing, and export to EPUB, Word, HTML, and Markdown formats.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Textual: A Rapid Application Development framework for Python that enables building sophisticated user interfaces in the terminal or web browser.
- Ishmael
Products and services
- Textual An open-source (MIT licensed) Python Rapid Application Development framework for building sophisticated Terminal User Interfaces (TUIs) and web-deployed applications. It provides a component-based widget system, CSS-based styling, reactive state management, a Worker API for concurrency, and the ability to run apps in the terminal or in the browser via Textual Web. It targets Python developers building CLI tools, internal dashboards, AI tool front-ends, database clients, log viewers, and other developer productivity applications.
- Ishmael A distraction-free novel-writing application for Apple Silicon Mac (macOS 11 Big Sur or later) that gives novelists a bespoke writing surface with configurable typography, chapter management with drag-to-reorder, prose-aware editing (sentence and paragraph navigation), zen mode, typewriter mode, smart highlighting, reader-mode preview laid out as a two-page spread, and export to EPUB, Word (.docx, Shunn Standard), HTML, and Markdown, with import support for existing projects. Sold via the Mac App Store with a 14-day free trial and a launch offer price of $59.99.
Quantifiable outcome
- 260K tasks per second creation/shutdown throughput measured
Companies that use Textualize
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Textualize technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Textualize partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Darren BurnscoreCore Textualize developer who built multiple Textual apps including Posting (API client), kumo (file manager), dunk (diff tool), and contributed to the framework itself.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Textualize competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Atticus: Cross-platform novel and book formatting app targeting self-publishing authors with export to EPUB/docx. Direct overlap with Ishmael's author-publishing focus.
- Ulysses: Mac-first distraction-free writing app with markdown editing, library management, and publication export. Competes head-on with Ishmael on Apple platforms for the novelist/author segment.
- prompt_toolkit: The leading Python library for building powerful interactive command lines and TUIs. Direct functional competitor to Textual with overlapping widget/prompt use cases among Python developers.
- Blessed: Python wrapper around terminal capabilities for building TUIs. Adjacent tooling frequently combined with prompt_toolkit, addressing the same ecosystem Textual serves.
- Scrivener: Industry-leading long-form writing software for novelists, with chapter management, corkboard, and manuscript export — the incumbent Ishmael directly competes with for distraction-free novel writing.
- py_cui: Open-source Python library for building CUI (console user interface) widgets. Targets the same developer persona building terminal tools as Textual.
- Urwid: Mature Python TUI library using immediate-mode widgets and a different architectural model than Textual. Competes for the same Python-developer TUI audience.
- Rich: Sister library to Textual from the same author (Will McGugan) providing rich-text and styling primitives in terminals — the foundation Textual is built upon and the most direct technical peer in the PyData/CLI space.
Emerging players
- Ink: React-based TUI framework offering similar component model for terminal apps. Comparable as an alternative RAD framework even though its language is JavaScript rather than Python.
- Textual (project continuation): Post-wind-down, the project will be maintained by Will McGugan as an individual open-source effort. Comparable as a community-maintained framework competing for the same contributor pool.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Textualize social profiles
Digital presenceTextualize financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Textualize leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Textualize funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Textualize 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 Textualize
What does Textualize do?
Textualize develops and distributes the Textual Python framework, an open-source (MIT licensed) Rapid Application Development framework for building sophisticated Terminal User Interfaces (TUIs) and web-deployed applications using a component-based architecture, CSS-style styling, reactive state management, and a comprehensive widget library. The company also sells Ishmael, a paid distraction-free novel-writing application for macOS that includes chapter management, prose-aware editing, professional typography, and export to EPUB, Word, HTML, and Markdown formats.
Is Textualize a public or private company?
Textualize is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Textualize founded?
Textualize was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
How does Textualize make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Open Source Framework (Textual) is the primary driver. The others are ishmael App.
Who are Textualize's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Atticus, Ulysses, prompt_toolkit, Blessed, Scrivener, py_cui, Urwid and Rich. Emerging players are Ink and Textual (project continuation).
Does Textualize have an API?
No public API is recorded for Textualize.
What industry is Textualize in?
Textualize's product category is Python Development Framework. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAEAKAE, Process & Case Management Low-Code Platforms. Its NAICS code is 513210 and its SIC code is 7372.