Is tldraw or Ulysses better?

Neither clearly leads. tldraw 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, tldraw or Ulysses?

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

Does tldraw or Ulysses run on more platforms?

tldraw runs on Web, Browser, React. Ulysses runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS.

Can I use tldraw for free?

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

What is tldraw best used for?

tldraw is most often used for collaborative whiteboarding for distributed teams (internal tool alternative to miro), developer sdk for building custom design tools and diagramming platforms, wireframing and ux prototyping applications, integrating drawing capabilities into larger applications (cms, collaboration tools, learning platforms). Of those, collaborative whiteboarding for distributed teams (internal tool alternative to miro) and developer sdk for building custom design tools and diagramming platforms are not what Ulysses is typically brought in for.

What can tldraw do that Ulysses cannot?

Ulysses covers Distraction-free writing, Markdown support, Syntax highlighting, Organization with sheets and groups.

Productivity · head to head

tldraw vs Ulysses

tldraw

Productivity

Open-source infinite canvas whiteboard and React SDK for drawing applications

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 tldraw has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
Each has a real cost: tldraw production SDK use requires a license key; the dual licensing model means open-source development is free but commercial deployments are not; Ulysses no free tier available
Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which tldraw and Ulysses actually diverge.

Attributes where tldraw and Ulysses differ
Attribute	tldraw	Ulysses
Starting price	Free	$5.99/month
Pricing model	freemium	subscription
Free tier	Yes	No
Platforms	Web, Browser, React	MacOS, IOS, IPadOS
Founded	Unknown	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 tldraw

Nothing recorded that Ulysses does not also cover.

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.

tldraw

Collaborative whiteboarding for distributed teams (internal tool alternative to Miro)not Ulysses
Developer SDK for building custom design tools and diagramming platformsnot Ulysses
Wireframing and UX prototyping applicationsnot Ulysses
Integrating drawing capabilities into larger applications (CMS, collaboration tools, learning platforms)not Ulysses
AI-powered drawing assistants and generative design toolsnot Ulysses
Educational applications and interactive learning environmentsnot Ulysses

Ulysses

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

Where each one falls short

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

tldraw

Production SDK use requires a license key; the dual licensing model means open-source development is free but commercial deployments are not
Limited ecosystem of community plugins; third-party extensibility less mature than some competitors
Multiplayer functionality requires custom backend implementation; real-time sync is not fully managed by tldraw
Mobile touch experience is functional but less optimised than desktop; precision drawing on tablets is challenging

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

tldraw

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the tldraw 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 tldraw if

You want to start without paying.
You work on Web, Browser, React.

tldraw 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 tldraw or Ulysses better?: Neither clearly leads. tldraw 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, tldraw or Ulysses?: tldraw has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for tldraw and $5.99/month for Ulysses.
Does tldraw or Ulysses run on more platforms?: tldraw runs on Web, Browser, React. Ulysses runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS.
Can I use tldraw for free?: Yes. tldraw has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Ulysses starts at $5.99/month.
What is tldraw best used for?: tldraw is most often used for collaborative whiteboarding for distributed teams (internal tool alternative to miro), developer sdk for building custom design tools and diagramming platforms, wireframing and ux prototyping applications, integrating drawing capabilities into larger applications (cms, collaboration tools, learning platforms). Of those, collaborative whiteboarding for distributed teams (internal tool alternative to miro) and developer sdk for building custom design tools and diagramming platforms are not what Ulysses is typically brought in for.
What can tldraw do that Ulysses cannot?: Ulysses covers Distraction-free writing, Markdown support, Syntax highlighting, Organization with sheets and groups.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

tldraw: Is tldraw free to use?

The tldraw web application is free and open-source. SDK development (creating applications using tldraw) is free in development; production deployments require a license key purchased from tldraw Labs.

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

tldraw: Can I host tldraw on my own servers?

Yes. tldraw can be self-hosted. The web application is open-source; multiplayer functionality requires you to implement or host your own backend (e.g., WebSocket server for real-time sync).

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

tldraw: Can I embed tldraw into my application?

Yes. The tldraw SDK is a React library providing drawing capabilities for custom applications. Development is free; production use requires a license key from tldraw Labs.

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

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

tldraw vs Ulysses

tldraw

Ulysses

The short version

Where they differ

What each one covers

Only in tldraw

Only in Ulysses

What people use each for

tldraw

Ulysses

Where each one falls short

tldraw

Ulysses

Pricing, plan by plan

tldraw

Ulysses

Which should you pick?

Choose tldraw if

Choose Ulysses if

Questions people ask

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Related pages

More on tldraw

More on Ulysses

Keep looking

Other head to heads