Softwr

Productivity · head to head

Tana vs Ulysses

Tana logo

Tana

Productivity

The everything app for your personal workspace

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 Tana has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Tana the free plan hosts only 5 meetings a month with AI transcripts and summaries; Ulysses subscription only at $5.99 a month or $39.99 a year, with no one off purchase option
  • They diverge on capability: Tana covers Outliner interface, Ulysses covers Distraction-free writing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Tana and Ulysses actually diverge.

Attributes where Tana and Ulysses differ
AttributeTanaUlysses
Starting priceFree$5.99/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, DesktopMacOS, IOS, IPadOS
Founded20202003

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 Tana

  • Outliner interface
  • Supertags
  • Live queries
  • AI integration
  • Graph views
  • Email capture
  • API
  • Zapier

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.

Tana

  • Structured note taking with a graph based supertag data modelnot Ulysses
  • Automatic meeting capture with AI transcripts and summariesnot Ulysses
  • Turning notes into queryable structured databasesnot Ulysses

Ulysses

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

Where each one falls short

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

Tana

  • The free plan hosts only 5 meetings a month with AI transcripts and summaries
  • The free plan connects only 1 calendar and allows 50 AI queries
  • Pro is $30 per user per month at standard price, with $20 shown as an early bird rate
  • Max is $120 per user per month at standard price, with $80 shown as an early bird rate
  • Integrations and full MCP require the Pro plan
  • Dedicated support and onboarding, and unlimited agents, skills and types, require the Max plan
  • The Business plan is custom priced, billed yearly and has no published rate
  • The free trial runs 30 days

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

Tana

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Core features
    • Supertags
    • Searches
  • Pro$10/month
    • Advanced AI
    • Priority support
    • Extended history

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 Tana if

  • You need outliner interface.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Desktop.
  • You also want supertags.
Tana 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 Tana or Ulysses better?
Neither clearly leads. Tana 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, Tana or Ulysses?
Tana has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Tana and $5.99/month for Ulysses.
Does Tana or Ulysses run on more platforms?
Tana runs on Web, Desktop. Ulysses runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS.
Can I use Tana for free?
Yes. Tana has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Ulysses starts at $5.99/month.
What is Tana best used for?
Tana is most often used for structured note taking with a graph based supertag data model, automatic meeting capture with ai transcripts and summaries, turning notes into queryable structured databases. Of those, structured note taking with a graph based supertag data model and automatic meeting capture with ai transcripts and summaries are not what Ulysses is typically brought in for.
What can Tana do that Ulysses cannot?
Tana covers Outliner interface, Supertags, Live queries, AI integration. Ulysses covers Distraction-free writing, Markdown support, Syntax highlighting, Organization with sheets and groups.
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