A free open-source Mac notepad that appears over the current app from a keyboard shortcut, formats Markdown as you type, and saves each note as a plain .md file in a folder you choose. Notes can live in an existing Obsidian vault, and tables, task lists, code blocks, images, wiki links, and full-text note search work without an account or cloud service.

Desktop app
macOS

Capturing quick plain-text notes over whatever app is already open on macOS

Freemium

Consilience

Connect Markdown documents through an AI knowledge graph.

A Markdown workspace that extracts concepts and relationships from documents for knowledge exploration and semantic search. Review connections alongside source evidence, edit the underlying notes, and use an AI agent across your workspace. Available in the browser and on macOS and Windows, with a free workspace tier and paid plans for additional agent usage.

Web app · Desktop app
Web · macOS · Windows

Inline live previewLocal files

Researchers and teams exploring relationships across a collection of Markdown documents

FreeOpen source

Embridge

A portable Markdown task format for people, agents, and apps.

An open-source specification and reference parser for task and item lists stored in ordinary Markdown files. Add stable IDs, metadata, nested tasks, comments, and attachments while keeping lists readable in a text editor. The project includes a browser validator and command-line tooling for validation and JSON conversion, helping apps preserve content when importing and rewriting files.

Library · CLI · Web app
Web · CLI

Raw source

Developers sharing plain-text tasks between editors, AI agents, and applications

Free

VanillaPad

A self-hosted Markdown notepad with file management and multi-cursor editing.

A browser-based notepad built with PHP and vanilla JavaScript that stores notes as plain-text files on your own server, without a database or build step. It combines Markdown preview, multi-cursor editing, search and replace, folder organization, file concatenation, and inline media. Free for personal, non-commercial, single-user use under a proprietary license. The public demo uses analytics; self-hosting requires a compatible PHP server.

Web app
Web

Raw sourceRendered reading

Personal Markdown notes and text files managed through a browser on your own PHP server

FreeOpen source

Markdown Preview Editor

Write Markdown beside a live preview in your browser.

A free, open-source browser editor with separate document tabs and a synchronized source-and-preview view. It renders GitHub-flavored Markdown, footnotes, syntax-highlighted code, KaTeX math, and Mermaid diagrams. Open local files or drop in a folder, then save Markdown, export a self-contained HTML file, or use the browser print dialog for PDF. The static app can also be self-hosted.

Web app
Web

Raw sourceSplit source + previewLocal files

Writing and previewing Markdown in a browser without an account or server-side document storage

Freemium

MD Flow

Browse and read local Markdown folders on Apple devices.

A native Markdown reader for Mac, iPhone, and iPad that opens folders already on your device. Its rendered view handles tables, syntax-highlighted code, math, Mermaid diagrams, and callouts, with a table of contents for long files. The free tier covers folder browsing and previews; a one-time Pro purchase adds cross-folder content search and PDF export.

Desktop app · Mobile app
macOS · iOS

Rendered readingLocal files

Reading existing Markdown folders across Mac, iPhone, and iPad without moving files into a note app

FreeSource available

Markify

Switch between rendered writing and Markdown source on one Mac page.

A native macOS Markdown editor with an in-place rendered lens and a source lens that retain your cursor position when switching. It works with ordinary local Markdown files and supports tables, task lists, footnotes, math, Mermaid diagrams, and PDF or HTML export. Apple Intelligence writing actions require a compatible Mac. The source is public under MIT with a Commons Clause restriction.

Desktop app · CLI
macOS · CLI

Raw sourceInline live previewLocal files

Mac writers who want direct rendered editing and quick access to the underlying Markdown source

FreeOpen source

Mark O Down

Edit local Markdown visually while preserving the original file's style.

A free, open-source desktop editor for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It edits headings, lists, links, images, and tables directly in a rendered document, while keeping unsupported Markdown constructs available as raw blocks. It detects external file changes, offers find and replace, imports HTML, and exports standalone HTML.

Desktop app
Windows · macOS · Linux

Visual (WYSIWYG)Raw sourceLocal files

People editing existing Markdown files visually across desktop platforms

Freemium

Strata

Write and review shared Markdown documents with people and agents.

A hosted collaborative document workspace built around Markdown. Teams organize documents into Spaces, edit together with presence and comments, review suggestions and history, and let connected agents read or change documents through MCP. A separate CLI can mount a Space as Markdown files on a local machine; the hosted service has free and paid plans.

Web app · AI agent plugin · CLI
Web · macOS · Windows · Linux · CLI

Raw sourceRendered reading

Teams whose Markdown documents need simultaneous human editing and agent access

Freemium

blackbear

Write private Markdown notes and share them when you choose.

A local-first workspace with a formatted Markdown notes editor, wiki-links, folders, tags, search, and note history. Import notes from other apps or Markdown exports, and export standard Markdown. The app works offline for free; optional paid Cloud plans add encrypted sync and hosted sharing. Shared notes can be edited together, while the wider workspace also includes tasks, calendars, and documents.

Web app · Desktop app
Web · macOS · Linux · iOS · Android

Inline live preview

People who want private Markdown notes with optional encrypted sharing and live collaboration

Freemium

Soot

Write calm notes in Markdown files you own.

Soot is a Mac and iPhone notes editor whose formatted writing surface keeps Markdown syntax out of the way. Each Mac note is a plain .md file in a folder you choose. The editor is free, while optional Soot Pro adds encrypted device sync. It is currently available through a TestFlight beta invitation requested on the official site.

Desktop app · Mobile app
macOS · iOS

Raw sourceInline live previewLocal files

People who want simple Mac notes that remain accessible as ordinary Markdown files

Free

Rook

Keep code notes in a native Mac app.

Rook combines formatted notes, code blocks, syntax highlighting, tables, and to-do lists in a local macOS app. It can import Markdown and export individual notes as Markdown or JSON. Its optional local MCP helper accepts new notes from supported AI clients. The app is free; the public MIT repository contains the website, helper, and community notes, while the compiled Mac app is proprietary.

Desktop app
macOS

Visual (WYSIWYG)Rendered reading

Mac developers who keep reusable notes and code snippets

An unlisted capability may be unverified. Pricing describes the product; individual features may require a paid plan.

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Editors

Focused apps for writing and previewing Markdown.

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Viewers & Preview

Read rendered Markdown and follow changes without opening a full editor.

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Knowledge bases and note-taking systems built around plain text.

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Shared Markdown workspaces for teams, classrooms, and communities.

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Tools that move Markdown between documents and publishing formats.

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Linters, parsers, and command-line tools for Markdown workflows.

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Turn Markdown files into documentation, books, and websites.

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