NEWJoin 2M+ software buyers|Get Weekly Insights, Trends & Expert PicksSubscribe free →

Spotsaas logo
Last updated:

Best Ulysses Alternatives for Mac: 7 Compared in 2026

Explore 7 alternatives to Ulysses, vetted by our editors with real user reviews, pricing, and feature comparisons.

A quick look at the 7 best Ulysses alternatives

Quick answer

The best Ulysses alternatives to try first are Zoho Notebook, Bear and Microsoft OneNote. Zoho Notebook earns the highest SpotScore (9.1) and a 4.54★ rating. Compare all 7 on score, rating, and pricing below.

Maybe Ulysses costs too much, misses a feature you need, or just feels clunky. Whatever the reason, these 7 note taking software alternatives are the picks worth a closer look. We order them by SpotScore, a mix of verified user satisfaction and market presence, plus ratings and pricing. Use the table to compare at a glance, then dig into each below.

ProductSpotScoreRatingPricingBest for
Zoho NotebookOrganize your thoughts effortlessly.9.1★★★★★ 4.54(45)FreeFreemiumteams of all sizes
BearEffortlessly manage notes with secure productivity.9★★★★★ 4.61(42)Freefrom $2.49 per monthteams of all sizes
Microsoft OneNoteUnleash your productivity with OneNote.8.6★★★★☆ 4.47(1830)FreeFree Trial · One-time license · Subscription · Freemiumteams of all sizes
Standard NotesEffortless note-taking for a clutter-free mind.8.6★★★★☆ 4.04(14)Freefrom $4.17/moteams of all sizes
ScrapboxOrganize, customize, and share without the clutter.8.6★★★★☆ 3.68(12)Freefrom $10 /User/Monthteams of all sizes
AmanoteOrganize your thoughts, effortlessly.8.3★★★★★ 4.5(9)One-time license · Subscription · Quotation Basedsmall & mid-size businesses
NotabilityCapture, organize, and create with ease.8.2★★★★★ 4.61(40)Quotation Basedsmall & mid-size businesses

9.1

SpotScore

Zoho Notebook - Note Taking Software

Zoho Notebook

Organize your thoughts effortlessly.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Try for Free

4.5

45 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Zoho Notebook?

Zoho Notebook is a personal note-taking app best suited for individuals already within the Zoho ecosystem -- CRM, Mail, or Docs users -- who need a simple digital notebook for capturing ideas, lists, and tasks across devices. The free tier caps storage at 1 GB, while paid plans remove the ...

Read more about Zoho Notebook

9.0

SpotScore

Bear

Bear

Effortlessly manage notes with secure productivity.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.6

42 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Bear?

Bear is a dynamic software platform that empowers users to effortlessly generate, manage, and transfer their notes with ease. Whether it's creating documents swiftly and securely or encrypting them for heightened security, Bear offers a comprehensive toolkit to enhance productivity. Seamlessly ...

Read more about Bear
Free TrialTry Free →

Spotsaas Ads

Want your product up here? Put it in front of buyers the moment they're comparing your category.

Reach in-market buyersRank above rivals2M+ buyers a year
Advertise your product

8.6

SpotScore

Microsoft OneNote - Note Taking Software

Microsoft OneNote

Unleash your productivity with OneNote.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.5

1830 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Microsoft OneNote?

Microsoft OneNote is a digital notebook used by individuals and teams in the Microsoft 365 ecosystem -- knowledge workers, students, and project teams -- who need to capture and organize notes that sync across devices and integrate with Outlook, Teams, and SharePoint. It supports free-form ...

Read more about Microsoft OneNote
Free TrialTry Free →

8.6

SpotScore

Standard Notes - Note Taking Software

Standard Notes

Effortless note-taking for a clutter-free mind.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Try for Free

4.0

14 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Standard Notes?

Standard Notes is note-taking software that helps you write down your thoughts quickly and clearly.With the help of Standard Notes you can save any kind of text, video, image or audio clip very easily.It allows you to create notes with rich text formatting, lists, images and reminders. Its ...

Read more about Standard Notes

8.6

SpotScore

Scrapbox - Note Taking Software

Scrapbox

Organize, customize, and share without the clutter.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

3.7

12 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Scrapbox?

Scrapbox paperless note-taking software lets you select and organize media files on your computer, custom edit them using simple image and text editing tools, add audio commentaries, and present your research using a wide range of output formats. This features are aimed at being simple, ...

Read more about Scrapbox
Free TrialTry Free →·

Scrapbox offers custom pricing plan

8.3

SpotScore

Amanote - Note Taking Software

Amanote

Organize your thoughts, effortlessly.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

Get Pricing Details

4.5

9 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Amanote?

Amanote is your personal note taking software. It makes it easy to capture ideas as they come to you. Amanote puts your notes in the cloud and synchronizes them across all of your devices, so you're always able to access them from anywhere.It assists making your notes neat and clear, without ...

Read more about Amanote

Amanote offers custom pricing plan

8.2

SpotScore

Notability - Note Taking Software

Notability

Capture, organize, and create with ease.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

Get Pricing Details

4.6

40 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Notability?

Experience a new level of convenience and efficiency with Notability. Our all-in-one note-taking app allows you to seamlessly combine handwriting, photos, and typing in one place, bringing your projects to life. With a wide range of tools for note-taking and sketching, you can capture every ...

Read more about Notability

Notability offers custom pricing plan

The main Ulysses competitors

Ulysses competes with 7 other note taking software tools tracked on Spotsaas. The closest by feature overlap are Zoho Notebook, Bear and Microsoft OneNote. Each is compared against Ulysses on rating, pricing and feature coverage below.

Sites and apps like Ulysses

Searches for "sites like Ulysses" and "apps like Ulysses" land on the same set of options as "Ulysses alternatives" — the 7 options below cover both, whether you want a like-for-like replacement or something lighter.

The case for each pick

Zoho Notebook9.1Best for teams of all sizes

Easy to use and navigate, suitable for both personal and professional needs.

Watch for: Limited integration with external platforms like Google Drive, which could enhance file accessibility.

Bear9Best for teams of all sizes

Supports markdown for writing, blogging, and exporting, with syncing across devices.

Watch for: Some users may find the app overwhelming due to its rich feature set and customization options without sufficient guidance.

Microsoft OneNote8.6Best for teams of all sizes

Integrates with Outlook and other Office 365 tools for centralized organization.

Watch for: Feature parity across platforms is inconsistent, affecting cross-device experience.

Standard Notes8.6Best for teams of all sizes

Strong commitment to privacy and encryption, providing a secure platform for personal notes.

Watch for: Limited features in the free version, such as text formatting, which may require a paid plan for full functionality.

Scrapbox8.6Best for teams of all sizes

Simplified user interface for quick adaptation and efficient organization of ideas, suitable for team collaboration.

Watch for: Limited and outdated features like backlinks in blog posts may not meet the advanced needs of some users.

Amanote8.3Best for small & mid-size businesses

Cloud synchronization across devices

Watch for: Limited advanced features

Notability8.2Best for small & mid-size businesses

Combines handwriting and typing

Watch for: Limited to Apple devices

Why teams look for a Ulysses alternative

A few recurring complaints tend to drive the move off Ulysses:

  • Mac/iOS only
  • Subscription model may deter users
  • Limited collaboration features

What to prioritize in a Ulysses alternative

Stacked against each other, the 7 alternatives compare this way: 5 offer a free tier; paid plans run $2.49–$10, with Bear the cheapest entry point; and Bear is the highest rated at 4.61★ across 42 reviews.

Our scoring approach.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Stuck on something? We're here to help with all the questions and answers in one place.

The top-rated alternatives to Ulysses are Bear (4.6★), Notability (4.6★), Zoho Notebook (4.5★). Compare all 7 alternatives side-by-side above.

When evaluating alternatives to Ulysses, prioritize: Share Link, File Sharing, Real-time Collaboration, Version Control, transparent pricing, free trial availability, and integrations with your existing tools. Use the filters above to compare by feature, budget, and team size.

Migration difficulty depends on how deeply Ulysses is integrated into your workflows. Most alternatives offer data export/import tools and dedicated onboarding support. We recommend narrowing to 2–3 options, running a free trial, and checking each vendor's migration guides before committing.

Which Ulysses alternative makes sense for you?

  • On a budget / just exploring: start with a free tier — Zoho Notebook, Bear and Microsoft OneNote let you evaluate without paying upfront.
  • If real-user ratings matter most: Bear has the strongest star rating (4.61★) among the options with verified reviews.
  • Want the safest pick: Zoho Notebook has the highest Spotsaas Score (9.1) in this list — a strong default if you're unsure.

What switching from Ulysses takes

Moving away from Ulysses is lower-risk with a phased approach. Export your data, test that the new tool imports it, and verify your key workflows. Run a small pilot before the full switch, and don't drop Ulysses until the migration's complete. Free trials above help you test first.

Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].