Is FigJam or Ulysses better?

Neither clearly leads. FigJam 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, FigJam or Ulysses?

FigJam has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for FigJam and $5.99/month for Ulysses.

Does FigJam or Ulysses run on more platforms?

FigJam runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android. Ulysses runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS.

Can I use FigJam for free?

Yes. FigJam has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Ulysses starts at $5.99/month.

What is FigJam best used for?

FigJam is most often used for teams running collaborative brainstorming and whiteboarding sessions bundled into an existing figma plan. Of those, teams running collaborative brainstorming and whiteboarding sessions bundled into an existing figma plan is not what Ulysses is typically brought in for.

What can FigJam do that Ulysses cannot?

FigJam covers Infinite whiteboard, Real-time collaboration, Sticky notes, Drawing tools. Ulysses covers Distraction-free writing, Markdown support, Syntax highlighting, Organization with sheets and groups.

Productivity · head to head

FigJam vs Ulysses

FigJam

Productivity

Free online whiteboard for teams

From: Free
Rated: -

Full review Website

Ulysses

Productivity

Distraction-free writing application for creative professionals

From: $5.99/month
Rated: -

Full review Website

The short version

Only FigJam has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
Each has a real cost: FigJam organization and Enterprise tiers are billed annually only, with no monthly billing option; Ulysses no free tier available
They diverge on capability: FigJam covers Infinite whiteboard, Ulysses covers Distraction-free writing.
Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which FigJam and Ulysses actually diverge.

Attributes where FigJam and Ulysses differ
Attribute	FigJam	Ulysses
Starting price	Free	$5.99/month
Pricing model	freemium	subscription
Free tier	Yes	No
Platforms	Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android	MacOS, IOS, IPadOS
Founded	2012	2003

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

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 FigJam

Infinite whiteboard
Real-time collaboration
Sticky notes
Drawing tools
Shapes
Widgets
Templates
Voting

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.

FigJam

Teams running collaborative brainstorming and whiteboarding sessions bundled into an existing Figma plannot Ulysses

Ulysses

Writing and editing on Apple devicesnot FigJam
Cross-device document synchronizationnot FigJam
Markdown-based writingnot FigJam

Where each one falls short

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

FigJam

Organization and Enterprise tiers are billed annually only, with no monthly billing option
Free Starter plan caps AI credit usage at 150 credits per day and 500 per month, well below the 3,000 monthly AI credits on a Professional full seat

Ulysses

No free tier available
Only subscription model, no one-time purchase option
Family Sharing limited to 5 additional members (6 total users)

Pricing, plan by plan

FigJam

Free

FreeFree
- Unlimited editable boards
- Basic tools
- Unlimited viewers
Paid$5/month
- Everything in Free
- Advanced templates
- Moderation tools

Ulysses

$5.99/month

Annual Subscription$39.99/year
- Ulysses on all Macs, iPads, and iPhones
- Full iCloud synchronization
- Frequent improvements and updates
Monthly Subscription$5.99/month
- Ulysses on all Macs, iPads, and iPhones
- Full iCloud synchronization
- Frequent improvements and updates

Which should you pick?

Choose FigJam if

You need infinite whiteboard.
You want to start without paying.
You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android.
You also want real-time collaboration.

FigJam 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 FigJam or Ulysses better?: Neither clearly leads. FigJam 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, FigJam or Ulysses?: FigJam has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for FigJam and $5.99/month for Ulysses.
Does FigJam or Ulysses run on more platforms?: FigJam runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android. Ulysses runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS.
Can I use FigJam for free?: Yes. FigJam has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Ulysses starts at $5.99/month.
What is FigJam best used for?: FigJam is most often used for teams running collaborative brainstorming and whiteboarding sessions bundled into an existing figma plan. Of those, teams running collaborative brainstorming and whiteboarding sessions bundled into an existing figma plan is not what Ulysses is typically brought in for.
What can FigJam do that Ulysses cannot?: FigJam covers Infinite whiteboard, Real-time collaboration, Sticky notes, Drawing tools. Ulysses covers Distraction-free writing, Markdown support, Syntax highlighting, Organization with sheets and groups.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

FigJam: Is FigJam included with Figma or sold separately?

FigJam is included at no additional cost with all Figma plans, from the free Starter plan through Enterprise.

Source

Ulysses: What are Ulysses pricing options?

Ulysses costs $39.99 per year (annual) or $5.99 per month (monthly). Student discounts are available. Volume licensing is available for businesses through their licensing portal.

Source

FigJam: How many AI credits does each Figma plan include for FigJam?

The Professional plan includes 3,000 AI credits per month, Organization plan includes 3,500 AI credits per month, and Enterprise plan includes 4,250 AI credits per month. Starter (free) does not include AI features.

Source

Ulysses: Does Ulysses include Family Sharing?

Yes, both annual and monthly Ulysses subscriptions include Apple Family Sharing, allowing up to five additional family members to use Ulysses on their devices at no extra cost.

Source

FigJam: What can I do with FigJam's open sessions feature?

FigJam allows anyone to join open sessions for 24 hours without needing a Figma account, and you can create unlimited open sessions across your team.

Source

Ulysses: Can I get Ulysses through a subscription service?

Yes, Ulysses is available through the Setapp subscription service as an alternative to direct subscription. Volume licensing is also available for businesses and organizations through their licensing portal.

Source

FigJam: What diagramming capabilities does FigJam include?

FigJam includes advanced shapes for technical diagramming such as AWS, GCP, Azure, and Kubernetes components, plus standard diagramming tools and connectors. All these features are available on every paid plan.

Source

Ulysses: Does Ulysses pricing vary by location?

Prices listed apply to the U.S., and local pricing may differ in other regions. Check your regional App Store for exact pricing.

Source

FigJam vs Ulysses

FigJam

Ulysses

The short version

Where they differ

What each one covers

Only in FigJam

Only in Ulysses

What people use each for

FigJam

Ulysses

Where each one falls short

FigJam

Ulysses

Pricing, plan by plan

FigJam

Ulysses

Which should you pick?

Choose FigJam if

Choose Ulysses if

Questions people ask

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Related pages

More on FigJam

More on Ulysses

Keep looking

Other head to heads