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Productivity · head to head

Supernormal vs Ulysses

Supernormal logo

Supernormal

Productivity

AI meeting notes captured from the desktop app without sending a bot into the call

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 Supernormal has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Supernormal credit consumption varies by task complexity and no rate card is published, so a team cannot forecast whether fifty credits covers a month of work until it has spent one, which makes the paid tiers hard to size.; Ulysses no free tier available
  • They diverge on capability: Supernormal covers Bot-free desktop capture, Ulysses covers Distraction-free writing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Supernormal and Ulysses actually diverge.

Attributes where Supernormal and Ulysses differ
AttributeSupernormalUlysses
Starting priceFree$5.99/month
Pricing modelPer month by creditssubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, macOS, Windows, ChromeMacOS, IOS, IPadOS
FoundedUnknown2003

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 Supernormal

  • Bot-free desktop capture
  • Structured notes
  • Custom templates
  • Generated work output
  • Credit rollover
  • Admin governance
  • Sharing and search
  • Multi-platform capture

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.

Supernormal

  • Client-facing consultants whose customers refuse to admit a recording bot but who still need an accurate record of what was agreednot Ulysses
  • A recruiter running back-to-back interviews who wants structured notes per candidate without an extra participant appearing to the candidatenot Ulysses
  • A small team that wants meeting output turned directly into a document or deck rather than into a transcript someone must rewritenot Ulysses
  • A regulated organisation needing SSO, audit logs and retention controls over meeting records without deploying an enterprise suitenot Ulysses

Ulysses

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

Where each one falls short

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

Supernormal

  • Credit consumption varies by task complexity and no rate card is published, so a team cannot forecast whether fifty credits covers a month of work until it has spent one, which makes the paid tiers hard to size.
  • Team and Business include the same fifty credits, so the higher tier buys governance rather than capacity, and a heavy user hitting the ceiling gains nothing by upgrading.
  • Capturing without a visible bot removes the prompt that reminds participants they are being recorded, but not the legal consent obligation in two-party consent jurisdictions, and the product makes that omission easy.
  • Desktop capture depends on the application running on the meeting host's machine, so a participant joining from a phone, a locked-down corporate laptop or a browser without the extension gets nothing.
  • The category is crowded with better-funded competitors bundled into Zoom, Microsoft and Google subscriptions customers already pay for, which puts sustained pressure on a small independent vendor and on the value of standardising a team on it.

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

Supernormal

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 15 credits a month
    • Maximum 5 credits a day
    • Desktop meeting capture without bots
  • Team$20/month
    • 50 credits a month
    • No daily credit cap
    • Credit rollover
  • Business$40/month
    • 50 credits a month, the same allowance as Team
    • SSO
    • Audit logs

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 Supernormal if

  • You need bot-free desktop capture.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, macOS, Windows, Chrome.
  • You also want structured notes.
Supernormal 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 Supernormal or Ulysses better?
Neither clearly leads. Supernormal 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, Supernormal or Ulysses?
Supernormal has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Supernormal and $5.99/month for Ulysses.
Does Supernormal or Ulysses run on more platforms?
Supernormal runs on Web, macOS, Windows, Chrome. Ulysses runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS.
Can I use Supernormal for free?
Yes. Supernormal has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Ulysses starts at $5.99/month.
What is Supernormal best used for?
Supernormal is most often used for client-facing consultants whose customers refuse to admit a recording bot but who still need an accurate record of what was agreed, a recruiter running back-to-back interviews who wants structured notes per candidate without an extra participant appearing to the candidate, a small team that wants meeting output turned directly into a document or deck rather than into a transcript someone must rewrite, a regulated organisation needing sso, audit logs and retention controls over meeting records without deploying an enterprise suite. Of those, client-facing consultants whose customers refuse to admit a recording bot but who still need an accurate record of what was agreed and a recruiter running back-to-back interviews who wants structured notes per candidate without an extra participant appearing to the candidate are not what Ulysses is typically brought in for.
What can Supernormal do that Ulysses cannot?
Supernormal covers Bot-free desktop capture, Structured notes, Custom templates, Generated work output. Ulysses covers Distraction-free writing, Markdown support, Syntax highlighting, Organization with sheets and groups.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Supernormal: Does Supernormal join my meeting as a bot?

No. It captures from the desktop application, so no additional participant appears in the call. That is its main differentiator.

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
Supernormal: How much does it cost?

Free gives 15 credits a month capped at 5 a day. Team is $20 a month and Business is $40 a month, both with 50 credits.

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
Supernormal: What does a credit buy?

Credits are consumed by tasks and usage varies with complexity. The vendor does not publish per-task rates, which is the weak point of the pricing model.

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
Supernormal: Do I still need consent to record?

Yes. Removing the visible bot does not remove the legal requirement in jurisdictions that require all parties to consent. Treat the absence of a prompt as a compliance risk, not a feature.

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
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