Our take
Pick iA Writer if writers who will run the free trial while they finish a first Focus Mode page — then Mac at US$49.99 (and iPhone/iPad US$29.99 if they want that SKU), not Obsidian Sync $4 first unless they want a graph vault, and not if they need a PKM backlink graph (iA Writer is a focused page, not a wiki). Pick Ulysses if apple writers who will run the free trial while they file a first Hiker's Handbook sheet —
Best for
iA Writer A sentence you start at a public $
Ulysses A manuscript you start at a public $
Free plan
iA Writer No free plan
Ulysses No free plan
Lowest paid
iA Writer iPhone / iPad $29.99
Ulysses Monthly $5.99/mo
Next step up
iA Writer Mac $49.99
Ulysses Yearly $39.99
Watch out
iA Writer Major updates may cost
Ulysses Subscription after the trial
Last checked
iA Writer 2026-10-23 · ia.net/writer/buy
Ulysses 2026-10-23 · ulysses.app/pricing
writers who will run the free trial while they finish a first Focus Mode page — then Mac at US$49.99 (and iPhone/iPad US$29.99 if they want that SKU), not Obsidian Sync $4 first unless they want a graph vault, and not if they need a PKM backlink graph (iA Writer is a focused page, not a wiki).
Read the iA Writer pageapple writers who will run the free trial while they file a first Hiker's Handbook sheet — then US$39.99/yr (or US$5.99/mo), not iA Writer Mac US$49.99 first unless they want a one-time Focus Mode page, and not if they need Windows / a free-forever vault.
Read the Ulysses page
