Free Markdown editors

The following list contains freely available Markdown editors. Some are open source, while others offer a free basic version. As projects and licensing models change, this list is updated periodically.

Last updated: October/November 2026

Editors that are discontinued, no longer available, or no longer free are crossed out. A warning (⚠️) identifies entries whose maintenance status, licensing, or platform availability should be checked before use.

Online only editors
Dillinger /
MarkTwo (discontinued; original website unavailable)
Aarrange Markdown Formatter (free browser-based Markdown formatter with live preview)
Minimalist Online Markdown Editor (unavailable)
StackEdit /
QuickMark Markdown Preview
Markpads (free browser editor)
Vayce Markdown to HTML (Markdown-to-HTML converter with live preview)
HedgeDoc / (self-hosted collaboration)

Cross-platform editors
Abricotine (unavailable)
Atom (discontinued)
Drafts (free basic version)
ghostwriter / (macOS: source build may be possible)		⚠️
Haroopad (original website unavailable)
Joplin /
KeenWrite (original repository unavailable; community fork)
Laverna (original website unavailable)
Left
Mark Text /
MindForger /
Moeditor ⚠️ / (maintenance status uncertain)
Nota ⚠️ (availability and platform support unverified)
Notable ⚠️ / (maintenance status uncertain)
Obsidian (free to use; proprietary)
PanWriter /
PileMd ⚠️ (maintenance status uncertain)
Phoenix Code / (code editor with Markdown support)
Pulsar / (Atom successor)
Quick Draft (free basic version; optional in-app purchases)
REMARKABLE ⚠️ (maintenance status uncertain)
Texts ⚠️ (licensing and availability unverified)
Typora (paid; free trial only)
Vim /
Visual Studio Code /
Zettlr /
Znote ⚠️ / (current platform support unverified)

Platform specific editors
MacDown ⚠️ (maintenance uncertain)
Mou ⚠️ (availability and licensing uncertain)
MultiMarkdown Composer ⚠️ (current free version unverified)
Notes Writer ⚠️ (availability unverified)
Markdown ⚠️ (availability and price unverified)
MarkPad ⚠️ (legacy project)
WriteMonkey ⚠️ (free-version terms unverified)
Apostrophe /
MarkMyWords ⚠️ (maintenance uncertain)
ReText
Markor /

Legend
	Online editor		Windows		Homepage link
	iOS		macOS		GitHub link
	Android		Linux		GitLab link
	Platform supported	⚠️	Uncertain or limited support	Strikethrough	No longer listed as freely available

Notes

Free vs. open source: Free software is not necessarily open source. Some editors are free to use but proprietary, others offer optional paid features.

Changes:

• Atom was discontinued in 2022. Pulsarꜛ is a community successor.
• ghostwriter moved to KDE (KDE ghostwriterꜛ).
• Typora is no longer permanently free.
• Phoenix Codeꜛ and HedgeDocꜛ are included as broader Markdown-capable tools, rather than dedicated writing applications.
• MarkTwo is no longer available through its original website. The source code remains accessible on GitHub.
• Quick Draft’s original website is unavailable, but the app remains available through the Apple App Storeꜛ.
• Aarrange Markdown Formatterꜛ was added as a free browser-based Markdown formatting and preview tool.

References

• Awesome Markdown Editors & (Pre)viewers ꜛ by Mundi Mark ꜛ
• 12 Best Markdown Editors for Linux ꜛ from bettertechtips.com ꜛ
• The Best Markdown Editor for Windows ꜛ from sitepoint.com ꜛ
• The Best Markdown Editors for Mac ꜛ from sitepoint.com ꜛ
• Top 7 Free and Open-source Markdown Editors for macOS ꜛ from medevel.com ꜛ
• List of different implementations of the Markdown parser ꜛ