Best Markdown Editors: Online, Desktop and Code

There is no single best Markdown editor, because people use Markdown for very different things: quick notes, README files, long reports, a personal wiki. This page sorts editors into three types, explains what to look for, and points you to the right one for the job.

What to look for

• Preview style: a side-by-side preview shows the Markdown and the result; a render-as-you-type editor hides the symbols.
• Where files live: plain .md files you can open anywhere are the safest choice for long-term notes.
• Export: HTML, PDF or Word output if you share documents with people who do not use Markdown.
• Platform and offline use: check that it runs where you work.
• Licence and price: free, open source and paid options all exist.

1. Online editors

Nothing to install, and they work on any computer.

• Markdown Viewer Online (this site): open or paste Markdown, preview it, copy, download or print it. There are no accounts, sync or collaboration features, which keeps it quick. Try the editor.
• StackEdit: a browser editor that can sync documents with services such as Google Drive and GitHub.
• Dillinger: a simple online editor with cloud storage connections.
• HackMD / CodiMD: real-time collaboration on Markdown documents.

2. Desktop apps

• Typora: render-as-you-type, polished, paid after the trial.
• MarkText: open source, similar style. Check its recent release activity.
• Zettlr: open source, citation support, good for academic writing.
• Obsidian: a notes app with links between notes, stored as plain Markdown files.
• iA Writer: a focused writing app, paid.

Platform guides: Linux, Mac and Windows.

3. Code editors

• VS Code: free, built-in preview, a large extension library. See Markdown preview in VS Code.
• Vim and Neovim: plugins add preview and formatting if you already live there.
• Sublime Text: packages add Markdown highlighting and preview.

A quick way to decide

Writing a README specifically? See How to write and preview a README.md.