Ulysses Problems & Issues

Ulysses is exclusive to Apple devices (macOS, iOS, iPadOS). There are no Windows, Android, or Linux versions and no plans to create them. Writers with cross-platform needs or who work in mixed environments are completely excluded.

Long-time users say updates are mostly bug fixes and minor integrations rather than major features. Recent 2026 releases did add project templates, Siri/AI support and longer backup retention, so the complaint has softened, but the perception persists among subscribers.

An experienced author who produced nine books found Ulysses 'deeply flawed' for print publication, particularly with paragraph indentation handling. Not ideal for writers targeting traditional print formats.

The current version requires macOS 15.4+ and iOS/iPadOS 26+. Owners of older Macs or iPads can only get an older compatible build if they previously installed Ulysses on that OS with the same Apple Account; those builds miss new features.

Features are poorly explained, if at all, and menus and buttons feel hidden. Users must rely on trial and error to discover functionality. The learning curve is steeper than the clean interface suggests.

Native tables arrived in version 27 (2022), but the (tbl) tag only works with the Markdown XL markup - not plain Markdown, Minimark or Textile'd - and tables don't export to RTF. Users on other markups think tables are missing; images and links still feel awkward compared with WYSIWYG editors.

Users who bought Ulysses at full price ($45-70) lost their perpetual license when developers switched to subscription. The backlash was significant - long-time users felt betrayed paying again for software they already owned.

Ulysses costs $5.99/month or $39.99/year in the US (official pricing page, App Store). For writers who only need a focused editor, a recurring fee compares badly to one-time purchases such as Scrivener or iA Writer. Family Sharing (up to 5 extra members) softens it for households.

In 2026 Ulysses added a one-time Perpetual License ($199.99 in the App Store) with no trial. Users on Mac Power Users (Oct 2026) call it expensive and say they don't trust a 'lifetime' promise after the 2017 switch that moved earlier one-time buyers to subscriptions; the help page itself says new features can't be guaranteed indefinitely.

The iPhone experience is subpar - menus look small and sheets appear cluttered. While iPad with keyboard works well, there's no saving grace for iPhone. Not ideal for mobile-first writers.

Forum users report whole groups or book content vanishing from the library, usually tied to iCloud sync conflicts. Built-in backups are local to each device and are not iCloud backups; version 41.2 (Oct 2026) now keeps monthly backups indefinitely and retains more hourly/daily/weekly ones.

Sync relies entirely on Apple's iCloud Drive background services, so Ulysses can't force a sync. Mac Power Users threads report groups with sheets that never download, duplicated groups after conflicts and scene order breaking; fixes range from toggling iCloud to signing out of iCloud on all devices. Some users switched apps after repeated failures.

Publishing to self-hosted WordPress uses XML-RPC, which many hosts and security tools (fail2ban, security plugins, nginx rules) block. Users then get 'Failed to connect. Please verify the URL of your blog' and must enable XML-RPC or use a workaround file.