Ulysses Alternatives for Windows

Ulysses is not available for Windows but there are plenty of alternatives that runs on Windows with similar functionality. The best Windows alternative is Zettlr, which is both free and Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Ulysses and loads of them are available for Windows so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Windows alternatives to Ulysses are Typora, Microsoft Word, Scrivener and CherryTree.

Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard
Ulysses alternatives page was last updated

Alternatives list

  1. Zettlr icon
     266 likes

    Unified writing platform offering note-taking, easy citations with Zotero integration, LaTeX/Word templates, snippets, themes, dark modes, code highlighting, multi-language support, and knowledge management with Zettelkasten for seamless writing from notes to books.

    236 Zettlr alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
     
  2. Typora icon
     334 likes

    A minimalist Markdown editor offering cross-platform synchronization, live preview, and seamless export/import in various formats like PDF, DOCX, and LaTeX. Features include distraction-free Focus and Typewriter modes, file management with tree and articles panels, and content organization through an outline panel.

    203 Typora alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Electron
    • Visual Studio Code
     
    |
    1
    Typora vs Ulysses Comments
    Wonder Warthog
    Positive
    4

    Also features a handy files panel to the left. Display and editing is distraction free and very clean (cleaner than Ulysses).

    • Typora is Paid and ProprietaryUlysses is also Paid and Proprietary
    • Typora is a Note-taking Ulysses is a Novel Authoring Tool
    • Typora is Lightweight, Minimalistic and CustomizableUlysses is not according to our users
  3. Microsoft Word icon
     939 likes

    Microsoft's leading word processor, enables professional-quality document creation with SmartArt graphics, seamless PDF support, and extensive search capabilities. Compatible across desktop, online, and mobile platforms with necessary subscription or standalone purchase options.

    111 Microsoft Word alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
     
  4. Scrivener icon
     266 likes

    Tailored for extensive writing, this tool offers flexible structure and organization, integrates project outlines, supports various formats, and allows reorganization through drag and drop, ensuring research materials are within reach for efficient work.

    173 Scrivener alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    • PlayOnLinux - PlayOnMac
    • Wine
     
    |
    5
    Scrivener vs Ulysses Comments
    Top Negative Comment
    Guest
    4

    Ulysses is WYSIWYM, while Scrivener is WYSIWYG. It can be extremely time-consuming to set the font styling right in every dialog box that controls the fonts. Ulysses, on the other hand, has one font setting, then the styles dictate how the editor is displayed. It's much more focused on content than appearance.

    Guest
    Negative
    0

    Not convenient about keyboard shortcuts on formatting on windows platform

    Guest
    Negative
    0

    Scrivener is a terrible alternative to Ulysses. It's not a markdown editor, the interface is cluttered, and there are so many features that are cumbersome and unintuitive that it takes forever to figure them out. With Ulysses, it's more what you see is what you get. You can focus more on writing. You don't have to try to learn the app as much, and it's markdown, so you can focus on content, not formatting.

    3 of 5 comments
    • Scrivener is Paid and ProprietaryUlysses is also Paid and Proprietary
  5. CherryTree icon
     332 likes

    Hierarchical note-taking software that is free, open-source, cross-platform. Features include rich text, syntax highlighting, multi-level lists, embedded files, customizable interface, code execution, PDF export, spell check, images & tables, and comprehensive project management support.

    146 CherryTree alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Flatpak
     
  6. Manuskript icon
     175 likes

    Open-source software offering a hierarchical outliner, distraction-free editor, character management, plot tools, Snowflake method support, section multi-organization, customizable writing workflows, cross-platform availability, and export to standard formats.

    152 Manuskript alternatives

    Cost / License

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
     
  7. Blinko icon
     32 likes

    Open-source note-taking tool offering AI-enhanced retrieval with RAG technology, secure self-hosted data storage, Markdown support, and transparent community collaboration on GitHub for efficient, private, and effortless note management.

    120 Blinko alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • Self-Hosted
    • Docker
     
  8. HelixNotes icon
     20 likes

    HelixNotes is a local markdown note-taking app built with Rust, Tauri 2.0, and SvelteKit. Your notes are standard .md files on your filesystem - sync with whatever you want or nothing at all.

    146 HelixNotes alternatives

    Cost / License

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • F-Droid
     
  9. FocusWriter icon
     214 likes

    Simple but configurable and themeable, distraction-free text editor for writers. Open-source and available across desktop platforms.

    105 FocusWriter alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • PortableApps.com
     
  10. iA Writer icon
     99 likes

    iA Writer is a pro tool for focused writing in Markdown, a simple formatting language. It offers features like Focus Mode, Style Check, Syntax Highlight, Wikilinks, and cross-platform compatibility.

    135 iA Writer alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • iPhone
    • iPad
     
    |
    2
    iA Writer vs Ulysses Comments
    hildissent
    Positive
    6

    Solid application. I like the file browser in Ulysses better (tags are cool but can get messy), but iA Writer has some solid features like referencing files (write frequently used text once, update it at the source and be sure it is up to date anywhere it is used in the larger work) and using .csv files for tables. Also, they've avoided the subscription model. As long as there are alternatives, I'm not letting companies ding me for monthly fees.

    Guest
    Positive
    1

    I use iA Writer on Mac and mobiles and it is a first-class tool for handling notes and actual writing. In some ways I prefer it to Ulysses -- it's a proper Markdown editor and I can write jumps and anchors on long documents. I have a iA licence for Windows for when I use that platform.

    • iA Writer is Paid and ProprietaryUlysses is also Paid and Proprietary
    • iA Writer is a Note-taking Ulysses is a Novel Authoring Tool
    • iA Writer is Privacy focused and LightweightUlysses is not according to our users
  11. Marknote icon
     29 likes

    Marknote lets you create rich text notes and easily organise them into notebooks. You can personalise your notebooks by choosing an icon and accent color for each one, making it easy to distinguish between them and keep your notes at your fingertips.

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    • Snapcraft
     
  12. Dendron icon
     72 likes

    Dendron is an open-source, local-first, markdown-based, note-taking tool built on top of VSCode. It supports all the usual features you would expect like tagging, backlinks, a graph view, split panes, and so forth.

    238 Dendron alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Visual Studio Code
     
12 of 74 Ulysses alternatives