However, Ulysses has significant features that make it the best writing app available on the Mac. Below, we’ll list some valid reasons for coming to that conclusion.
1. Clean and Simple Interface
To start, Ulysses has a great interface that isn’t overly complicated. When you are ready to start writing, you will notice that the editor is the central part of the app, and there is a sidebar that allows you to switch between different projects. The UI also supports light and dark modes in macOS. You can even have the app match your system’s appearance settings.
When it comes to the editor, it’s a simple blank page with a word count at the top-right corner, which is excellent if you need to hit or stay under a specific word count. The UI doesn’t have any distractions, allowing you to focus on your writing, which is very helpful since it can be easy to get distracted during the writing process.
Regarding the sidebar in Ulysses, you can create groups and organize them how you want so you can quickly and easily access your projects. You will easily get the hang of Ulysses’ UI and where everything is located, so you can start writing your next masterpiece.
2. Built-In Grammar and Style Check
If you often write, it’s helpful to have a program or feature that can check your spelling, grammar, and even style to help you produce the best work. Thankfully, Ulysses offers a similar feature built right in.
In the editor, the Revision button allows you to check what you wrote and provide suggestions to improve it. Ulysses can check for issues with spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and more. It can even help you achieve the specific tone you want your writing to have.
Ulysses’ grammar and spell check can also work with more than 20 languages, so you don’t only have to write in one language to use it. You don’t have to get another program like Grammarly or Microsoft Editor and copy/paste your content elsewhere; you can do it all from within the app.
3. The Dashboard
Another helpful feature for writers in Ulysses is the Dashboard. It provides you with information about what you have written, such as the number of characters, sentences, paragraphs, words, and more.
You can also add notes to your writing, which can be used in instances when you want to keep track of a thought you had when writing, take a break, and not forget it. In addition, the Dashboard lets you store attachments in the app and easily add multiple images to your writing.
You can even set goals for yourself, such as writing a certain amount of words or pages. If you want to get a detailed breakdown of your writing that can also help you set and achieve goals, Ulysses provides it.
4. You Can Publish Directly From the App
Ulysses allows you to export your sheets directly from the app. The ability to publish from the app is excellent if you use WordPress, Medium, Ghost, or Micro.blog. Other typical word-processing programs don’t offer this capability. You can also export your writing as a PDF, Word document, HTML, and more if you need the file to be in a specific format.
Ulysses even lets you preview the file, so you don’t have to look at it for the first time after you export it and realize it doesn’t look right.
5. Support for Multiple Devices
While Ulysses is great on Mac, it is also available for the iPhone and iPad. And the best part is that the mobile app isn’t a stripped-down version either; both apps still include the same features the Mac version of Ulysses provides.
You can access all of the groups and sheets you have on your Mac, use the Dashboard, and use revision mode to modify your writing on the go.
You can download the app from the iOS and Mac App Store, which is one of the ways you can install software on your Mac. Even though the MacBook Air is great for freelance writers who are on the go, having the app available on mobile devices can also be a big help.
6. iCloud Sync
Since the app is available for multiple Apple devices, Ulysses features iCloud support. If you are unsure what iCloud is, check out our article that covers iCloud and its features. iCloud integration allows you to start writing on one device and finish the piece on another. In addition to moving your writing between devices, your work stays in iCloud, so you never lose them if something happens to your device.
One scenario where having Ulysses available on multiple devices will be convenient is if you are in the middle of writing and your device runs out of battery. You can switch to your other device and pick up where you left off, thanks to iCloud. Your writing is synced effortlessly, so you don’t have to do anything on your end.
7. Back Up and Retrieve Old Writing Pieces
Anyone who has written a paper or an essay in Pages or Microsoft Word may have experienced anxiety around whether they remembered to save their work before they closed out of it.
Thankfully, Ulysses saves your work automatically by default. But it goes further; Ulysses backs up your library onto your Mac’s storage drive. Therefore, you can go back in the app to retrieve older writing pieces you may have deleted.
If you only need a paragraph or two from an old sheet, you can simply copy it to your clipboard and paste it into the editor. You don’t have to restore the whole thing just to retrieve a certain section.
Try The Best Writing App for Your Mac
Whether you are writing your next book, article, or that school paper you need to turn in, Ulysses can be the perfect writing tool you have been looking for on your Mac. You can try it for free, and if you enjoy it, you can pay for a subscription to get the most out of its features.
Even though Ulysses is an excellent app for multiple forms of writing, some apps may be better for journaling on the Mac if that is what you mainly intend to do.
