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Markd.ly vs Joplin — an honest answer

Looking for a Joplin alternative? Here is an honest Markd.ly vs Joplin comparison. Markd.ly is a native markdown editor, built with SwiftUI on Mac, WPF on Windows and GTK on Linux, that keeps your writing as plain .md files wherever you keep them. On the desktop it locks any document with AES-256-GCM and exports Word, EPUB, LaTeX and reveal.js slides. Joplin is a free, open-source notes organizer with notebooks, a web clipper and end-to-end encrypted sync; if that system is what you want, Joplin is the right tool.

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$19.99 once, no subscription. Try it free for 24 hours first, no card.

Where Markd.ly and Joplin each win

Pick Joplin if

  • It is free and open source. The Joplin app costs nothing, and Joplin Cloud sync is optional, from €2.99 a month.
  • A synced notes system. Joplin syncs notes across Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, iPad and Android through Joplin Cloud, Dropbox or OneDrive, or your own Joplin Server, Nextcloud, WebDAV or S3, with end-to-end encryption. Markd.ly has no automatic sync.
  • Capture and organization. Joplin has notebooks and tags, a web clipper for Chrome and Firefox, and, with Joplin Cloud, a web app, note publishing and shared notebooks. Markd.ly has none of these.
  • Two editors, plugins and AI tools. Joplin offers a Rich Text editor as well as Markdown with a side-by-side viewer, a plugin system, and, in beta on the desktop, an AI chat panel and an MCP server that stay off until you turn them on; Markd.ly has one markdown editor, no plugins and no AI features.

Pick Markd.ly if

  • You want a native editor. Markd.ly is built with SwiftUI on Mac, WPF on Windows and GTK on Linux; Joplin's desktop app runs on Electron.
  • You want plain .md files. Markd.ly edits ordinary markdown files wherever you keep them; Joplin keeps notes in its own database and exports them as Markdown.
  • You want the file itself encrypted. On Mac, Windows and Linux, Markd.ly locks a document with AES-256-GCM, so the file on disk can't be read without your passphrase; Joplin's end-to-end encryption protects notes as they sync.
  • You ship documents. On Mac, Windows and Linux, Markd.ly exports Word, EPUB, LaTeX and reveal.js slides as well as HTML and PDF; Joplin exports Markdown, HTML and PDF out of the box.

Who should use which: Markd.ly or Joplin

Two different tools for two different jobs. Verified ; source linked at the bottom.

What you wantMarkd.lywhat we do hereJoplinwhat they do here
CategoryMarkdown document editorNotes organizer with sync
Price$19.99 onceFree and open source; optional Joplin Cloud from €2.99/mo
Cross-device syncNot automatic: tap Add to Cloud, then open it on your other devicesYes, end-to-end encrypted, through Joplin Cloud, Dropbox, OneDrive and other services
Runs onMac (macOS 14 or later), Windows 10 (1809) or later, Linux (x64), iPhone and iPad (iOS 17 or later), Android 8.0 or laterMac (macOS 12 or later), Windows 10 or later, Linux (x64), iPhone and iPad (iOS 15.6 or later), Android 7.0 or later; also a terminal app, and a web app with Joplin Cloud
Account neededYes: one Bravely Account sign-in (Apple, Google or email)No: an account only for Joplin Cloud sync
Notebooks and tagsNoYes
Web clipperNoYes (Chrome and Firefox)
EditorsOne markdown editor: Editor, Preview and Split viewsRich Text, or Markdown that styles formatting as you type, with a side-by-side viewer
PluginsNoYes
AI chat for your notesNoYes, beta, desktop: Joplin Cloud AI or your own AI provider, off until you turn it on
Native desktop appYes (SwiftUI, WPF, GTK)No (Electron)
Where your writing livesPlain .md files, wherever you keep themJoplin's own database; exports Markdown
EncryptionAES-256-GCM on the document file (desktop)End-to-end encryption on sync
Pandoc export (DOCX/EPUB/LaTeX/Reveal.js)Yes (desktop): Linux converts on your computer; Mac and Windows convert on our server, so they need a connectionNot built in (exports Markdown, HTML, PDF and JEX; a community plugin adds Word)
Vim modeYes (desktop)Yes (desktop Vim keyboard mode)
Mermaid diagrams and LaTeX mathYes (every platform)Yes

The honest take on Markd.ly and Joplin

Pick Joplin if you want a free, open-source home for all your notes that syncs itself. Pick Markd.ly if you want a native document editor: plain .md files wherever you keep them, AES-256-GCM encryption on the file itself, and Word, EPUB, LaTeX and slide export on Mac, Windows and Linux, for $19.99 once. Markd.ly runs on the same six platforms as Joplin, iPhone, iPad and Android included, and renders Mermaid diagrams and math on every one. The two meet at encryption and plain markdown; past that, Joplin is a notes system and Markd.ly is an editor for the documents you send.

Should you leave Joplin for Markd.ly? Yes, if the editor is what you want to change; no, if it's the notes system around it.

Markd.ly vs Joplin FAQs

Is Markd.ly free like Joplin?

No. $19.99 once unlocks Markd.ly on Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, iPad and Android, and you can try every feature free for 24 hours first, with no card.

What encryption does Markd.ly use?

AES-256-GCM, on the document file itself. On Mac, Windows and Linux, a passphrase locks the file, and without it nobody can open the file, not even us.

Can I open Joplin notes in Markd.ly?

Yes. Export them from Joplin as Markdown, and Markd.ly opens the .md files as they are, with no import step.

Does Markd.ly have vim mode like Joplin?

Yes. On Mac, Windows and Linux, vim mode covers normal, insert and visual modes, the motions and operators you reach for, counts, dot-repeat and :w and :q.

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Markd.ly

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$19.99 once, no subscription. Try it free for 24 hours first, no card.

Pricing verified . Joplin pricing source. Subject to change.