OpenMark vs MarkEdit

Which native Mac markdown editor is right for you?

Both OpenMark and MarkEdit are native macOS apps built specifically for Markdown — no Electron, no cross-platform compromises. The difference: OpenMark is a full editor with live rendered preview, Mermaid diagrams, and LaTeX math. MarkEdit is a lightweight plain-text editor — think TextEdit, but for .md files.

Feature comparison

Feature
OpenMark
MarkEdit
Purpose
Markdown editor + live rendered preview
Plain-text editor — like TextEdit for Markdown
Live preview
Full rendered preview — HTML, diagrams, math
No built-in preview (requires third-party extension)
Pricing
$9.99 — one-time purchase on Mac App Store
Free and open-source (GitHub / Homebrew)
Platform
Native macOS — SwiftUI, Liquid Glass
Native macOS — AppKit, Swift
Mermaid diagrams
Built-in — flowcharts, sequence, Gantt, and more
Not supported
LaTeX math
Built-in KaTeX — no setup required
Not supported
Syntax highlighting
Built-in for 40+ languages in code blocks
Markdown syntax highlighting in the editor
App Store
Available on Mac App Store
Removed from Mac App Store — GitHub / Homebrew only
Export
PDF, HTML export built-in
Plain .md files only — no export formats
Design
Liquid Glass — macOS Tahoe design language
TextEdit-style — minimal, utilitarian UI

Which one should you choose?

Choose OpenMark if…

  • You want to see your Markdown rendered as you write — not just syntax-highlighted source
  • You use Mermaid diagrams, LaTeX math, or need syntax-highlighted code blocks
  • You want PDF and HTML export built into the app
  • You prefer installing from the Mac App Store with automatic updates

Choose MarkEdit if…

  • You want a completely free, open-source markdown editor
  • You prefer editing raw Markdown text without a rendered preview
  • You want a minimal, TextEdit-like experience with zero complexity
  • You like extending your editor with custom scripts and CodeMirror plugins

Try OpenMark — $9.99, one-time

Native macOS. Live preview. Mermaid diagrams. LaTeX math. No subscription.

Download on the Mac App Store

Also compare OpenMark with:

vs Obsidian →vs VS Code →vs Typora →vs iA Writer →vs Bear →vs MacDown →vs Ulysses →vs Mark Text →