Productivity · head to head
Microsoft OneNote vs Ulysses
Microsoft OneNote
Productivity
Microsoft's free-form notebook, free with a Microsoft account and synced through OneDrive
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Ulysses
Productivity
Distraction-free writing application for creative professionals
- From
- $5.99/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Microsoft OneNote has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Microsoft OneNote notes live in a proprietary notebook format on OneDrive or SharePoint and the only exports are a OneNote file, a PDF or a Word document, produced section by section, so a large notebook is effectively unmovable to any other tool.; Ulysses no free tier available
- They diverge on capability: Microsoft OneNote covers Free-form page canvas, Ulysses covers Distraction-free writing.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Microsoft OneNote and Ulysses actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft OneNote | Ulysses |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $5.99/month |
| Pricing model | freemium | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows | MacOS, IOS, IPadOS |
| Founded | 1975 | 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 Microsoft OneNote
- Free-form page canvas
- Notebook hierarchy
- Indexed handwriting
- Audio recording
- Web clipper and Outlook capture
- Shared notebooks
- Cross-platform clients
- Tags and cross-notebook search
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.
Microsoft OneNote
- Handwritten notes on a pen tablet that you still need to find months later by searching for a word you wrote.not Ulysses
- Lecture or meeting notes where a recording needs to line up with what you were typing at the time.not Ulysses
- A team already inside Microsoft 365 that needs a shared notebook without buying anything or seeking approval.not Ulysses
- Collecting mixed material such as screenshots, clippings and sketches on one page, where a document editor would force a linear structure.not Ulysses
Ulysses
- Writing and editing on Apple devicesnot Microsoft OneNote
- Cross-device document synchronizationnot Microsoft OneNote
- Markdown-based writingnot Microsoft OneNote
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Microsoft OneNote
- Notes live in a proprietary notebook format on OneDrive or SharePoint and the only exports are a OneNote file, a PDF or a Word document, produced section by section, so a large notebook is effectively unmovable to any other tool.
- Personal notebooks consume OneDrive quota, which is 5 GB on a free Microsoft account, so a notebook full of scans, images and recordings quietly exhausts the whole account including the space Outlook needs for mail.
- Sync happens at section level and conflicts are resolved by placing both versions on the page, so simultaneous edits to a large or media-heavy section produce duplicated content that somebody has to merge by hand.
- Search behaves differently across clients, so what the Windows desktop app finds inside handwriting, images and attachments is not necessarily what the browser or mobile version finds, and the same query gives different answers on different devices.
- There is no relational structure, no database and no properties, so anything that needs a table of records with fields has to be maintained by hand or moved elsewhere, and OneNote's own tables cannot be queried or filtered.
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
Microsoft OneNote
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Microsoft OneNote review.
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 Microsoft OneNote if
- You need free-form page canvas.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows.
- You also want notebook hierarchy.
Choose Ulysses if
- You need distraction-free writing.
- You work on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS.
- You also want markdown support.
Questions people ask
- Is Microsoft OneNote or Ulysses better?
- Neither clearly leads. Microsoft OneNote 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, Microsoft OneNote or Ulysses?
- Microsoft OneNote has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Microsoft OneNote and $5.99/month for Ulysses.
- Does Microsoft OneNote or Ulysses run on more platforms?
- Microsoft OneNote runs on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows. Ulysses runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS.
- Can I use Microsoft OneNote for free?
- Yes. Microsoft OneNote has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Ulysses starts at $5.99/month.
- What is Microsoft OneNote best used for?
- Microsoft OneNote is most often used for handwritten notes on a pen tablet that you still need to find months later by searching for a word you wrote., lecture or meeting notes where a recording needs to line up with what you were typing at the time., a team already inside microsoft 365 that needs a shared notebook without buying anything or seeking approval., collecting mixed material such as screenshots, clippings and sketches on one page, where a document editor would force a linear structure.. Of those, handwritten notes on a pen tablet that you still need to find months later by searching for a word you wrote. and lecture or meeting notes where a recording needs to line up with what you were typing at the time. are not what Ulysses is typically brought in for.
- What can Microsoft OneNote do that Ulysses cannot?
- Microsoft OneNote covers Free-form page canvas, Notebook hierarchy, Indexed handwriting, Audio recording. Ulysses covers Distraction-free writing, Markdown support, Syntax highlighting, Organization with sheets and groups.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Microsoft OneNote: Is OneNote really free?
Yes. The application is free with a Microsoft account, with no time limit and no feature gate. What you may end up paying for is the OneDrive storage the notebooks consume.
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.
SourceMicrosoft OneNote: Can I keep notebooks off Microsoft's cloud?
The Windows desktop app can keep local notebooks, but they will not sync to other devices and any shared access requires OneDrive or SharePoint.
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.
SourceMicrosoft OneNote: How do I get my notes out?
Section by section as a OneNote file, a PDF or a Word document. A OneNote package preserves a whole notebook but only for another copy of OneNote. Third-party converters exist and the page layout usually does not survive them.
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.
SourceMicrosoft OneNote: Which version should I install?
Microsoft consolidated onto a single OneNote application on Windows after retiring the Store version, so install the one distributed with Microsoft 365 rather than looking for an alternative.
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.
SourceRelated pages
More on Microsoft OneNote
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- Ulysses vs Alfred
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