Popular 'Ulysses' Writing App for Mac Expands to the iPad, Gets Major Update [iOS Blog]

Soulmen's popular Markdown text editor designed for writers, Ulysses, has long been available on the Mac and is one of the more popular Mac-based writing apps due to its clean, text-focused distraction-free interface and it's organizational system. As of today, Ulysses for Mac is getting a major update and it's also expanding to the iPad.

For those of you unfamiliar with the app, Ulysses sets itself apart from other similar writing apps with a three-paned sidebar that lets users see all of their files in one place and its ability to organize files using groups and filters. Writing takes place on sheets, and files are stored locally on the Mac or in iCloud. Markdown text written in Ulysses can be exported in several different file formats, including PDF, ePub, and HTML.

The newest version of Ulysses for Mac includes a new name (dropping the former III) and a new icon -- a butterfly. It's been updated with a Yosemite-style redesign that includes an attachment bar, Favorites on the sidebar, and a new Dark Mode. Quick Export and Preview have been updated, adding TXT and ePub previews, plus export optimizations.

Ulysses for Mac
The biggest change to Ulysses for Mac, aside from the redesign, is its integration with the new Ulysses app for iPad. The Mac app fully syncs with the iPad app via iCloud, making it easy to begin work on one device and pick up on another. Handoff support is also built in.

"Our ideal conception has always been to make Ulysses a universal tool that authors can use for any writing task, at any time and everywhere. Bringing it to iPad means a great leap forward towards turning this into reality", explains Max Seelemann, head of development and co-founder of The Soulmen.

Ulysses for the iPad will be immediately familiar to anyone who has used Ulysses for Mac, as the interface and feature set are nearly identical. The iPad app uses a three-paned setup, and panes can be open or closed with swipes. A button row above the keyboard has been added to make it easier to format text, with access to special characters and shortcuts for creating headings, lists, paragraph blocks, and more. An info bar displays word count, sentences, characters, lines, and pages.

Ulysses for iPad supports filters much like the Mac version, and attachments like notes and images can be added. It also exports to all of the standard file formats the Mac app exports to, including Plain Text, HTML, ePub, PDF, and RTF. When an external keyboard is attached, Ulysses for iPad supports all standard shortcuts, and the look of the app can be customized with Themes, found in the Settings menu.


Both of the new apps are available for download today. Those who already own a copy of Ulysses for Mac can upgrade at no cost. The new Mac app is, however, exclusive to Yosemite -- it won't run on older versions of OS X.

Ulysses for iPad can be downloaded from the App Store for $19.99. [Direct Link]

Ulysses for Mac can be downloaded from the Mac App Store for $44.99. [Direct Link]