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Any.do vs Ulysses

Any.do logo

Any.do

All industries

To do list & planner

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Ulysses logo

Ulysses

Productivity

Distraction-free writing application for creative professionals

From
$5.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Any.do has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Any.do bare-bones free plan: lacks recurring tasks and third-party integrations available only in paid plans; Ulysses subscription only at $5.99 a month or $39.99 a year, with no one off purchase option
  • They diverge on capability: Any.do covers Task lists, Ulysses covers Distraction-free writing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Any.do and Ulysses actually diverge.

Attributes where Any.do and Ulysses differ
AttributeAny.doUlysses
Starting priceFree$5.99/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS, AndroidMacOS, IOS, IPadOS
CategoryAll industriesProductivity
Founded20112003

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Any.do

  • Task lists
  • Calendar integration
  • Reminders
  • Daily planner
  • Voice input
  • Drag and drop
  • Smart suggestions
  • Focus mode

Only in Ulysses

  • Distraction-free writing
  • Markdown support
  • Syntax highlighting
  • Organization with sheets and groups
  • iCloud sync
  • Dark and light themes
  • Full-screen mode
  • Search and filter

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Any.do

  • Personal task managementnot Ulysses
  • Daily planningnot Ulysses
  • Shopping listsnot Ulysses
  • Project managementnot Ulysses
  • Team collaborationnot Ulysses

Ulysses

  • Long form writing and drafting across Mac, iPad and iPhonenot Any.do
  • Managing a library of drafts with markdown and export to publishing formatsnot Any.do

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Any.do

  • Bare-bones free plan: lacks recurring tasks and third-party integrations available only in paid plans
  • Short planning window: only allows planning up to seven days ahead, limiting long-term project planning
  • Limited desktop performance: web and desktop versions struggle with functionality and responsiveness
  • Slow customer support: email support takes approximately 48 hours to respond
  • Missing drag-and-drop: inability to drag tasks between lists creates workflow friction

Ulysses

  • Subscription only at $5.99 a month or $39.99 a year, with no one off purchase option
  • The apps stop being usable as a writing tool when the subscription lapses, since there is no perpetual licence to fall back on
  • The student discount is mentioned without a figure on the pricing page

Pricing, plan by plan

Any.do

Free
  • Premium$7.99/month
    • Recurring tasks
    • Location reminders
    • WhatsApp reminders
  • Family$9.99/month
    • All Premium features
    • Family sharing space
    • Up to 4 members

Ulysses

$5.99/month
  • Monthly$5.99/month
    • All features
    • iCloud sync
    • Cross-platform access
  • Annual$49.99/year
    • All features
    • iCloud sync
    • Cross-platform access

Which should you pick?

Choose Any.do if

  • You need task lists.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android.
  • You also want calendar integration.
Any.do review

Choose Ulysses if

  • You need distraction-free writing.
  • You work on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS.
  • You also want markdown support.
Ulysses review

Questions people ask

Is Any.do or Ulysses better?
Neither clearly leads. Any.do starts at Free and Ulysses at $5.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Any.do or Ulysses?
Any.do has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Any.do and $5.99/month for Ulysses.
Does Any.do or Ulysses run on more platforms?
Any.do runs on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android. Ulysses runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS.
Can I use Any.do for free?
Yes. Any.do has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Ulysses starts at $5.99/month.
What is Any.do best used for?
Any.do is most often used for personal task management, daily planning, shopping lists, project management. Of those, personal task management and daily planning are not what Ulysses is typically brought in for.
What can Any.do do that Ulysses cannot?
Any.do covers Task lists, Calendar integration, Reminders, Daily planner. Ulysses covers Distraction-free writing, Markdown support, Syntax highlighting, Organization with sheets and groups.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Any.do: Does Any.do have a free version?

Yes, Any.do offers a free plan with no time limit or credit card required. The free plan includes basic tasks, lists, calendar sync, and daily planner features. Premium features like recurring tasks, location reminders, and AI features require a paid subscription starting at $4.99/month.

Source
Any.do: Can you share tasks with other users?

Task sharing is limited on Any.do. With a single-user license, you cannot share personal tasks. Team collaboration requires purchasing additional licenses at $5 per user per month on top of your base plan.

Source
Any.do: Does Any.do integrate with Google Calendar?

Yes, Any.do syncs with Google Calendar, Outlook, and iCloud. However, users report some difficulties with the depth of Google Calendar integration compared to competing products.

Source
Any.do: Does Any.do work offline?

Any.do is primarily a cloud-based application and does not have robust offline functionality. The web and desktop versions sometimes struggle with performance when offline.

Source
Any.do: What platforms does Any.do support?

Any.do is available across desktop (Mac and Windows), web browsers, iOS, and Android, providing cross-platform access to your tasks and calendar.

Source
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Related pages

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