7 Best Ulysses Alternatives for Windows

If you‘re a writer, you know that having the right tools can make a huge difference in your productivity and creative output. Many writers swear by Ulysses, a popular writing app for Mac and iOS that offers a clean, distraction-free interface, flexible document management, and powerful organization and export features.

Unfortunately for Windows users, Ulysses is not available outside the Apple ecosystem, and the company has stated they have no plans to create a Windows version. So what‘s an aspiring novelist, blogger, or academic writer to do?

Luckily, there are a number of excellent writing apps for Windows that can provide a similar writing experience to Ulysses. In this post, we‘ll take a look at seven of the best Ulysses alternatives, with a focus on the key features writers need to do their best work.

What to Look For in a Writing App

Before we dive into the apps themselves, let‘s briefly go over some of the most important features to look for as a writer:

Distraction-Free Writing Environment: Perhaps the most crucial feature in a writing app is the ability to provide a clean, focused writing space free of unnecessary clutter and distractions. Look for apps that offer full-screen modes and the ability to hide interface elements while writing.

Document Management: Writing projects can quickly become unwieldy, especially if you‘re working on a long-form piece like a book or dissertation. The best writing apps make it easy to organize and navigate between different sections of your document using a sidebar or "binder" view. Bonus points for being able to store multiple projects and sync them between devices.

Outlining & Research Tools: Speaking of organization, many writers like to plan out the structure of a document before diving in, as well as keep track of ideas, notes and reference material. Look for apps with outlining features, notecards, or other methods of structuring and visualizing your work.

Export & Publish Options: Once you‘re done writing, you‘ll likely need to share your work with others. Check to see what file formats the app can export to, and if it offers any special publishing features like outputting to popular blogging platforms or ebook formats.

With these key features in mind, let‘s take a look at some of the best Ulysses alternatives available for Windows:

1. Scrivener ($49)

Long considered Ulysses‘ biggest competitor, Scrivener is a heavyweight writing app that‘s a favorite of many professional authors and academics. Originally only available for Mac, a Windows version has been available for some time now.

Scrivener really shines when it comes to organizing long, complex writing projects. You can easily view an outline of your document‘s structure, and quickly jump between sections using the "binder" sidebar. It also offers a corkboard view, where each section is laid out like a notecard that you can rearrange by dragging and dropping.

Additionally, Scrivener includes a variety of research tools, such as a reference sidebar for storing notes, images and PDFs, as well as the ability to view two documents side-by-side. When it comes time to export, Scrivener can compile your work into a variety of formats suitable for printing, self-publishing, or sharing with editors and collaborators.

While it may not be quite as slick or intuitive as Ulysses, Scrivener for Windows is an excellent, full-featured option for serious writers. A standard license costs $49, and if you purchase now, you‘ll get a free upgrade to the upcoming Scrivener 3 for Windows when it‘s released.

2. Inspire Writer ($29.99)

If you love Ulysses‘ clean, minimal aesthetic, Inspire Writer may be just the Windows alternative you‘re looking for. It‘s clearly inspired by (or, one might argue, imitates) Ulysses‘ design, right down to the three-paned layout with a document browser on the left, editor in the center, and markup preview on the right.

Like Ulysses, Inspire Writer uses Markdown formatting by default, with a style that closely matches Ulysses‘ particular flavor of Markdown. One unique feature is the inclusion of a dark mode, which some writers may prefer for late-night writing sessions.

Under the hood, Inspire Writer includes many of the same features as Ulysses, including a library for organizing multiple writing projects, a distraction-free full screen mode, writing goals and statistics, and a variety of export options. It can also sync your library between multiple Windows PCs.

At $29.99, Inspire Writer is one of the more affordable options on this list. However, it‘s a relative newcomer and may not have the same track record of stability and support as more established apps. Nonetheless, it‘s definitely worth a look if you want the closest thing to Ulysses on Windows.

3. iA Writer ($29.99)

Another popular cross-platform Markdown writing app, iA Writer takes a more stripped-down, back-to-basics approach compared to Ulysses or Scrivener. iA Writer for Windows has been playing catch-up with its macOS counterpart, but has recently added new features like a file library, document outline, and improved PDF export.

Like the Mac version, iA Writer for Windows sports a simple, typography-focused interface, with a blue cursor and custom-tuned font that‘s optimized for readability and flow. While it lacks advanced features like Scrivener‘s research tools, it may be a good choice for writers who prefer a more lightweight, distraction-free writing experience.

4. FocusWriter (Free)

If you‘re on a budget, FocusWriter is a free, open-source writing app for Windows that provides a simple, distraction-free writing environment. While it lacks the advanced organization features of apps like Ulysses or Scrivener, it does support basic text formatting and includes some handy productivity tools like live word count, daily goals, and customizable themes.

One neat feature in FocusWriter is the ability to choose your own background image for your writing environment, or even use a solid color or "texture". This can be a nice way to personalize your workspace and get in the writing mood.

5. SmartEdit Writer (Free)

Formerly known as Atomic Scribbler, SmartEdit Writer is a free writing app for Windows that offers a variety of novel-writing tools. In addition to a clean, customizable writing interface, it includes a "Novel Assistant" that helps you create detailed character profiles and visualize your story‘s structure.

SmartEdit Writer also includes some handy editing tools, such as a built-in thesaurus and a "word cloud" feature that highlights overused words and phrases. When you‘re ready to export, it can output to popular file formats like DOCX and PDF.

6. Manuskript (Free)

Another free, open-source option for novelists, Manuskript is designed to be an all-in-one story development tool. It includes a number of features to help you plan and organize your story, such as a hierarchical "outline" view, storyboard-like index cards, and a distraction-free mode for writing.

One unique feature in Manuskript is its "Novel Assist" tool, which can help you develop your characters and guide you through the traditional three-act story structure. It also supports importing and exporting to a variety of formats, including OPML, HTML, and ePub.

7. Typora (Free)

A relative newcomer to the world of Markdown writing apps, Typora has quickly gained a following for its clean, streamlined interface. It uses a unique "WYSIWYG" (what you see is what you get) approach, where formatting and Markdown syntax is automatically hidden when you‘re not editing a given paragraph.

Other notable features include a distraction-free mode, a document outline, table and code block support, and MathJax support for rendering equations. It also supports a variety of themes, including several designed for focused writing.

While Typora may not be as fully-featured as some of the other apps on this list, its simplicity and intentional design constraints make it a great minimalist writing tool. And unlike some freemium apps, all of Typora‘s features are completely free while in beta.

Which Ulysses Alternative Is Right for You?

With so many great writing apps to choose from, the choice of which one to use will largely come down to your individual needs and preferences. If you want the closest thing to a feature-for-feature Ulysses clone on Windows, Inspire Writer is probably your best bet. For long-form projects that require lots of structure and planning, you can‘t go wrong with a powerhouse like Scrivener.

On the other hand, if you prefer a more lightweight, distraction-free writing experience, minimalist apps like iA Writer or Typora may be just what you need to focus on your words. And if you‘re on a budget or prefer open-source software, FocusWriter and Manuskript are both capable, free options.

Ultimately, the best writing app is the one that helps you get words on the page and make steady progress toward your writing goals. Don‘t be afraid to try out a few different options to see what fits your unique writing style and workflow. With a little experimentation, you‘re sure to find an app that can give Ulysses a run for its money, even on Windows.