UnmarkedOur pick
Pick Unmarked for a current Mac. It keeps the plain Markdown file while moving beyond source on one side and preview on the other. Read and Write each get the full window, tables edit as grids and Present and Word export are built in. MacDown 3000 remains for people who require open source or the classic split renderer.
| Question | Unmarked | MacDown and MacDown 3000 |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | A complete Markdown document workflow | Classic source editing with live HTML preview |
| Writing | WYSIWYG Markdown with syntax revealed at the cursor | Markdown source beside preview |
| Reading | Dedicated Read mode with no syntax | Rendered preview pane |
| Tables | Direct grid editing, cell ranges and row or column controls | Pipe syntax in source and rendered output in preview |
| After writing | Present, PDF, editable Word, HTML and rich-text copy | HTML and PDF-centered preview and export |
| Appearance | Light and dark themes with separate reading and writing typography | Configurable editor and renderer styles |
| Current Mac path | Mac App Store and notarized universal release | MacDown 3000 provides a current universal continuation |
Use Split when it helps, not all day
Source and preview side by side can be useful. Unmarked includes that view and keeps the two panes scroll-synced. It just does not make the split permanent.
Write mode styles the Markdown and reveals marks around the cursor. Read mode gives the finished document the full window. A shortcut moves between them, so you can inspect syntax for a minute and return to the cleaner view when the check is done.
Tables belong in the document
MacDown keeps a table as pipe syntax in the editor and renders it beside you. Unmarked lets you work on the table itself. Cells accept text directly, selections can cover a rectangular range and controls on the grid handle alignment, insertion, duplication, deletion and reordering.
Nothing proprietary is saved. The file still contains a normal GFM table. Read mode keeps the table selectable, rich copy pastes it into other apps and Word export creates an editable table instead of an image.
A current app should change more than compatibility
The original MacDown stable release, 0.7.3, dates to January 2020 and its Homebrew cask is disabled. MacDown 3000 now provides an active universal continuation for people who want the same source-and-preview model on a current Mac.
Unmarked takes the opportunity to rethink the job. It opens from Finder, saves in place and uses native document windows. Five theme families cover light and dark. Reading and writing typography can be set separately. Present turns the current file into slides, while PDF, Word and HTML handle the handoff.
MacDown 3000 exists for people who want to keep the classic MacDown model. Unmarked is the stronger choice when you want Markdown to feel like a finished Mac document.
Which one fits your work?
Choose Unmarked if
- You want a current Mac app with a clean, considered interface.
- You want syntax to appear only where you edit it.
- Tables should behave like tables and export as real tables.
- You present the file or hand it off as Word, PDF or HTML.
Choose MacDown only if
- Open source and renderer configuration are requirements.
- You want the classic source-and-preview layout as the main view.