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Markd.ly vs MacDown — honest comparison

Looking for a MacDown alternative? Here is an honest Markd.ly vs MacDown comparison. Markd.ly is a MacDown replacement that runs natively on Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, iPad and Android for $19.99 once. On the desktop it adds vim mode, Word, EPUB, LaTeX and reveal.js slide export, AES-256-GCM encrypted documents and snippets, and its Mac app is signed and notarized, with its latest release on September 21, 2026. MacDown's latest stable release is v0.7.3, from January 2020. If you want a free, open-source editor for one Mac, MacDown or its community continuation, MacDown 3000, is the pick.

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

Markd.ly vs MacDown at a glance

At a glanceMarkd.lyMacDown
Entry price$19.99 one-timeFree
Next plan up$0 for 7 days, then $95.99/yrFree
Lifetime license$399 onceFree and open-source (MIT). Latest stable release v0.7.3, Jan 3 2020 (verified github.com/MacDownApp/macdown, 2026-09-24)
PlatformsMac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, iPad, AndroidMac

Where Markd.ly and MacDown each win

Pick Markd.ly if

  • Every platform, one purchase. $19.99 once unlocks Markd.ly on Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, iPad and Android; MacDown is Mac-only.
  • Signed, notarized and current. Markd.ly's Mac app is signed with Developer ID and notarized by Apple, and its latest release shipped September 21, 2026. MacDown's latest stable download, v0.7.3 from January 2020, is not signed, and macOS Gatekeeper rejects it.
  • Tools MacDown doesn't have, on Mac, Windows and Linux: vim mode, Word, EPUB, LaTeX and reveal.js slide export, AES-256-GCM encrypted documents, snippets and folder-wide search.
  • Math that renders offline, on every device. Mermaid diagrams and LaTeX math render in Markd.ly's preview even offline; MacDown loads its math engine from the web.

Pick MacDown if

  • Free and open source. MacDown costs nothing and is MIT-licensed.
  • A simple two-pane editor. MacDown puts your markdown beside a live preview, with 15 editor themes, 6 preview styles and room for your own CSS.
  • Graphviz as well as Mermaid. MacDown renders Graphviz diagrams, alongside Mermaid and TeX math. Markd.ly has no Graphviz.
  • A Terminal command. MacDown ships a macdown command that opens files from the Terminal; Markd.ly's Mac app has no Terminal command.

Markd.ly vs MacDown, feature by feature

Verified . Source linked at the bottom.

FeatureMarkd.lyMacDown
Price$19.99 onceFree, open source (MIT)
PlatformsMac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, iPad & AndroidMac only
Latest public releaseMac 1.6.16, Sep 21 2026v0.7.3, Jan 3 2020
Signed and notarized for macOSYes — Developer ID and Apple notarization, with automatic in-app updatesNo: the v0.7.3 download is not signed, and Gatekeeper rejects it
Runs natively on Apple siliconYes, universal (Apple silicon and Intel)No: v0.7.3 is Intel-only and runs through Rosetta
Runs on older MacsNo: macOS 14 Sonoma or laterYes: OS X 10.8 or later (MacDown 3000: macOS 11 or later)
Account neededYes: one Bravely Account sign-in (Apple, Google or email)No
Dual-pane previewSplit view, plus Editor and PreviewYes (its signature)
File formatPlain .md on diskPlain .md
Mermaid diagrams and LaTeX mathYes, on every device, even offline (Mermaid 11.4.1 on Mac)Mermaid 6.0.0 (2017), Graphviz and TeX math (math loads from the web)
Themes and CSSThree preview themes plus your own CSS (desktop)15 editor themes and 6 preview styles, plus your own CSS
Vim mode (normal/insert/visual, core motions + operators)Yes (desktop)No
HTML and PDF exportYes (desktop)Yes
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 connectionNo
Encrypted documents (AES-256-GCM)Yes (desktop)No
Snippet library (date, time, cursor placeholders)Yes (desktop)No
Folder-wide searchYes (desktop; current folder, plain text)No
Open sourceNoYes

Markd.ly vs MacDown FAQs

Is MacDown still maintained?

No. Its last commit was in April 2021 and its latest stable release, v0.7.3, came out on January 3, 2020. A community continuation, MacDown 3000, released version 3000.0.7 on July 13, 2026 (macdown.app).

Is Markd.ly free like MacDown?

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.

Does Markd.ly run on Windows?

Yes. Markd.ly runs natively on Windows 10 and 11, and on Linux, iPhone, iPad and Android as well as Mac, all for the same $19.99.

Can I open my MacDown files in Markd.ly?

Yes. MacDown writes plain .md files, and Markd.ly opens them as they are, with nothing to convert.

Does MacDown run on Apple silicon Macs?

Only through Rosetta. MacDown 0.7.3 is built for Intel only, and Apple says that from macOS 28 Rosetta will run only certain older games. MacDown 3000 is a universal app that runs natively. Markd.ly for Mac is universal too.

Why won't MacDown open on my Mac?

The 0.7.3 download isn't signed, so Gatekeeper blocks it by default, and Homebrew disabled its macdown package on 2026-09-01 for failing that check. MacDown 3000 and Markd.ly for Mac are signed and notarized.

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Pricing verified . MacDown on GitHub. Subject to change.