Lore & LilacComparison · reviewed October 2026
Lore & Lilac vs Ulysses
Ulysses is a long-established, beautifully made writing app for Apple devices, with a distraction-free editor for writers who want to think about the words first. Lore & Lilac is built for the whole novel, on every device: a story bible tied to the page, continuity checks that quote both passages, planning over the same scenes, co-authors writing live, and a free plan. Ulysses is cheaper by the year and has a grammar checker; this page sets out the rest, and how to use both.
The short version
Which one fits you?
Choose Lore & Lilac if…
- You write on Windows, Linux, Android or the web, not only Apple devices: every plan works on every device at once, with live editing (beta) across devices and with co-authors.
- You want a story bible where each detail cites the passage that established it, and is flagged "Source changed — review" when that passage is edited.
- You'd like an optional continuity scan that quotes both conflicting passages side by side.
- You want planning views built from the same scenes: list, board, timeline, plotlines, beat sheets and pacing.
- You want co-authors writing in the same scene, with named cursors; a co-author needs only a free account.
- You want private beta-reader links with reactions and consensus, and no reader account needed.
- You want a free plan: one active book with about 50,000 words of AI reading a month.
Choose Ulysses if…
- You want native Mac, iPad and iPhone apps with full iCloud sync and years of Apple-platform polish.
- You want a grammar and style check built in, in over 20 languages.
- You want to publish straight to WordPress, Ghost, Medium or Micro.blog.
- You want a lower yearly price ($39.99), with Apple Family Sharing and student pricing.
- You want plain Markdown text you own in your library.
Where we're ahead
What Lore & Lilac does better than Ulysses
Every device, not only Apple's
The browser, apps for Windows, macOS and Linux and an installable app for phones, tablets and Chromebooks work together on every plan, not only on Apple hardware.
Details that keep their source
Each story-bible detail cites the passage that established it and is flagged "Source changed — review" when that passage is edited.
Continuity with both passages
An optional continuity scan quotes both conflicting passages side by side, de-duplicates, and remembers what you marked as intentional.
Plan over the same scenes
Planning views — list, board, timeline, plotlines, beat sheets and pacing — are built from the scenes you actually write.
Write together, live
Co-authors type in the same scene with named cursors, and a co-author needs only a free account.
Beta readers by private link
Send a private reading link and see reactions and where several readers flagged the same passage.
Feature by feature
Side by side
| Capability | Ulysses | Lore & Lilac |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Mac, iPad and iPhone | Browser; Windows, macOS and Linux apps; installable app for phones, tablets and Chromebooks |
| Price | $39.99 a year or $5.99 a month (US) | Free plan (1 book); $12 or $24 a month, or $120 or $240 a year; one-time reading packs from $5 |
| Free plan | Free trial on all devices | AheadFree: 1 active book, about 50,000 words of AI reading a month |
| Editor | Distraction-free, markup-based (Markdown) | Rich text with chapters and scenes, focus mode; Markdown import and export |
| Story bible | Attachments keep notes, images and research at hand | AheadBuilt in; fills itself after a scan if you choose, every detail with its source passage |
| Continuity checks | Not advertised | AheadOptional AI scan quoting both passages; checks without AI |
| Planning | Not advertised (sheets and groups) | AheadList, board, timeline, plotlines, beat sheets, pacing |
| Co-writing | Not advertised | AheadLive editing (beta), named cursors; co-authors need only a free account |
| Beta readers | Not advertised | Private links, reactions, consensus |
| Grammar & style | AheadBuilt-in check in 20+ languages | No grammar checker; lexicon & style lens flags echoes and filter words |
| Export & publishing | AheadPDF, Word, ebook and blog posts; publishes to WordPress, Ghost, Medium and Micro.blog | DOCX, TXT, EPUB and print-ready PDF; no direct publishing |
| Writing goals | Goals, deadlines and daily goals; character limits as goals | Goals, streaks with rest days and sprints |
| Import from the other | Not applicable | Imports TextPack, Markdown, Word and more, with a fidelity report first |
| AI | Not advertised | Optional per book; never writes prose |
“Not advertised” means we couldn't find it on their public pages; it may still exist. Reviewed October 2026.
Fair is fair
Where Ulysses is ahead
- Native Apple apps and iCloud sync. Ulysses is a polished Mac, iPad and iPhone app with full iCloud sync and years of work behind it. We're a browser and desktop studio, and our phone app is installable from the browser rather than an App Store app.
- Grammar and style. Its built-in check works in over 20 languages. We don't have a grammar checker; our lexicon and style lens flags echoes and filter words, and a grammar tool you already like is still worth keeping.
- Publishing. It exports and publishes straight to WordPress, Ghost, Medium and Micro.blog. We export files; publishing is yours to do.
- Price and Family Sharing. $39.99 a year is below our Core at $120 a year, and Apple Family Sharing covers up to five other family members. Our Free plan and monthly option are ways in, but the yearly comparison favours Ulysses.
- Plain Markdown you own. Your library is plain Markdown text you control. We keep the book in the studio; Markdown files import and export.
About Ulysses
What Ulysses is good at
Ulysses is “The Ultimate Writing App for Mac, iPad and iPhone”, made since 2003 and an Apple Design Award winner. It is a distraction-free, markup-based (Markdown) text editor with a library of sheets and groups: long passages can be divided into chunks and reorganised, and excerpts, images and background information can be kept at hand as attachments. It includes a built-in grammar and style check in over 20 languages, writing goals, deadlines and daily goals (character limits can be goals too), and export to PDF, Word, ebook and blog posts with style switching and live preview, including publishing to WordPress, Ghost, Medium and Micro.blog. It is used for novels, articles, blogs and essays.
You don't have to choose
Using both
Export from Ulysses, import here, and keep one master copy — this is a one-way move per pass, not a sync.
In Ulysses, select the group or sheets you want to bring across.
Choose File → Export: TextPack for one sheet, or Markdown or Word (.docx) for a whole group.
Import the file here and read the fidelity report before anything is created.
Choose one master copy. Edits made here don't sync back to Ulysses; export again for the next pass.
Cost
What each one costs
Ulysses
$39.99 a year or $5.99 a month in the US; local pricing may differ. Free trial on all devices; works on all your Macs, iPads and iPhones with full iCloud sync; Apple Family Sharing with up to five other family members; reduced pricing for students and volume licensing for businesses.
Lore & Lilac
Free $0 with no end date (1 active book, 100 MB, the full writing workspace, story bible, planning, export and checks without AI; about 50,000 words of AI reading a month). Every new account starts with a guided trial, free for 14 days with no card (1 book, about 6 million words of AI reading once the email is verified). Core $12/month or $120/year (5 active books, 500 MB, about 900,000 words of AI reading a month). Studio $24/month or $240/year (20 active books, 2 GB, about 2.4 million words a month). One-time reading packs on any plan, Free included: about 420,000 words for $5, about 1.2 million for $12 or about 4.2 million for $29, each lasting 12 months and used after the monthly allowance. Billed via Gumroad; yearly plans still get their AI allowance month by month; cancel any time; no lifetime plan.
Ulysses prices as listed on their site in October 2026; check before buying. When AI reading runs out, nothing is spent and everything else keeps working; a one-time reading pack or a plan adds more. On Free, your books stay readable, editable and exportable. Details on our pricing page.
Before you start
Questions about Ulysses
Can I bring my Ulysses library?
Yes. Export a sheet as a TextPack, or a group as Markdown or Word, then import the file here. A ZIP of Markdown files is also imported as one chapter per file. Images in a TextPack aren't imported, and the fidelity report lists what came through before anything is created. Nothing syncs back, so export again for the next pass.
Is there a grammar checker?
No. We don't have a grammar checker. The lexicon and style lens flags echoes, filter and crutch words, readability and watch words; keep using a grammar tool you like. Ulysses includes a built-in grammar and style check in over 20 languages.
Does it work on my iPad?
Yes, in the browser, and you can install it from Safari to your Home Screen. It isn't an App Store app; the first launch needs a connection, and so do new scenes, exports and AI features.
Is it Markdown?
The editor is rich text with headings, emphasis, lists, quotes and scene breaks. Markdown files import and export, and a Ulysses TextPack is read with the same Markdown importer.
Which is better for a novel?
Ulysses is excellent for drafting on Apple devices, with a distraction-free editor and writing goals. Ours is built around a story bible tied to the page, continuity checks, planning over the same scenes, co-authors and beta-reader links. Many writers draft in Ulysses and revise here.
Sources
Where these facts come from
- Ulysses (official site) (opens in a new tab) accessed October 2026
- Ulysses pricing (opens in a new tab) accessed October 2026
Product names belong to their owners. This page isn't affiliated with or endorsed by them.
Other comparisons
See for yourself, on your own draft
Import your draft from Word, Scrivener, RTF, EPUB or Markdown, or start on a blank page. The 14-day trial needs no card, and your book is exportable from the first word.