MacDown

Mac

Freedom report

Two barsScore 6.5

Free tierA free tier is on its own pricing page
Open codeNo open-source code on record
Runs widely1 of 6 device platforms
DocumentedPlans, terms and facts published

MacDown is ranked #13 of 31 in markdown editors on Freedom251, made by MacDown (Taipei, Taiwan). It runs on macOS. There is a free plan.

MacDown plans and pricing

All plans

MacDown Free macOS Markdown editor · MIT License macdown.uranusjr.com · 5 Oct 2026

Compared on markdown editors

Free plan: Yes
Supported platforms: macOS
Export formats: HTML, PDF
Markdown flavor: custom
Cloud sync: No
Local file support: Yes

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The record

Product: MacDown is an open source Markdown editor for macOS released under the MIT License.
Live preview: It uses Hoedown to render Markdown into HTML and provides a configurable live preview.
Rendering options: Additional rendering tools support TeX-like math syntax, GFM task lists, and Jekyll front matter.
Code highlighting: Fenced code blocks with language identifiers are highlighted using Prism.
Auto-completion: MacDown includes customizable auto-completion that can be turned off.
Download: The site offers MacDown version 0.7.3 as a 19.9 MB download and gives a Homebrew Cask install command.
GFM support: The FAQ says MacDown can be configured for GFM compatibility with tables, fenced code blocks, strikethrough, autolinks, and task lists, with minor structural differences in resulting HTML.
Platform support: The FAQ says the author does not currently have time to build ports for other platforms.
System requirements: The FAQ identifies macOS versions earlier than 10.8 as outside its promised backward compatibility.
Security: The FAQ says MacDown has no registered Mac developer certificate, so macOS may warn that it is from an unidentified developer when opened.
Support: The FAQ directs users to report product issues and suggestions on the project's GitHub issue page.
Donations: The FAQ describes donations as tipping only and says donors receive nothing in return.
Maker: The site identifies the author as Tzu-ping Chung and says he lives in Taipei, Taiwan.
Compatibility limit: The FAQ says MacDown does not support VIM edit mode because implementing it would require rebuilding the editor from the ground up.
Price from: Free

Where it ranks on Freedom251

Best Markdown Editors in 2026#13 of 31

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Sources

macdown.uranusjr.com· checked 5 Oct 2026
macdown.uranusjr.com/features/· checked 5 Oct 2026
macdown.uranusjr.com/faq/· checked 5 Oct 2026