UnmarkedOur pick
Pick Unmarked on a current Mac. It feels like part of macOS, gives reading its own mode and takes tables further through selection, rich copy and Word export. MarkText makes sense when the editor also has to run on Windows or Linux.
| Question | Unmarked | MarkText |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | A polished Markdown workflow on a current Mac | Free WYSIWYG Markdown across desktop platforms |
| Mac foundation | AppKit document windows and the Mac text system | Electron app shared across macOS, Windows and Linux |
| Writing | Styled Markdown with syntax revealed at the cursor | Continuous WYSIWYG editing plus Source Code mode |
| Reading | Dedicated Read mode | The WYSIWYG editor is the main rendered surface |
| Tables | Grid ranges, keyboard movement, structure controls and rich copy | WYSIWYG table editing with row and column commands |
| After writing | Present, PDF, editable Word, HTML and rich-text copy | HTML and PDF |
| Release state | Current Mac App Store and notarized release | Stable 0.17.1 from 2022. An active 0.20 rewrite is in release-candidate testing |
The Mac version is the product
Unmarked uses AppKit document windows, the Mac text system, system spelling and grammar, standard print and macOS full screen. It opens files from Finder and saves them in place. Those choices make the app familiar before you learn anything about it.
MarkText shares one Electron application across three desktop platforms. That matters when your work moves between operating systems. On a Mac-only workflow, Unmarked can be shaped around the platform instead of compromising across three.
The document remains clear while you edit
Write mode styles the Markdown in place and reveals syntax around the cursor. Read mode removes it. That separation keeps editing honest while giving the finished file a view with no source marks at all.
Themes come in five families, each with light and dark appearances. Reading and writing keep separate controls for font, size, spacing and width. The page can feel different when you settle in to read without changing how it feels while you type.
Tables and output are where Unmarked pulls ahead
Unmarked treats a table like a grid. Select a rectangle, move with Tab and Shift-Tab, replace a range, add or reorder rows and columns and copy the result as Markdown or rich text. The same component stays selectable in Read mode.
Present turns the open file into slides. Word export creates editable headings, lists, links, images and tables. PDF and self-contained HTML are built in too. Unmarked gives an ordinary Mac document a short, dependable path to the formats people use next.
Release state matters here. MarkText's stable release is from 2022, while its new editor is still being tested as a release candidate. The project is active. Unmarked is already a current released app on the Mac App Store.
Which one fits your work?
Choose Unmarked if
- You want an app that looks and behaves like it belongs on your Mac.
- You want separate places to write and read the same file.
- Your tables need direct selection, rich copy and Word output.
- You want a current released app with slides and built-in export.
Choose MarkText only if
- You need the editor on Windows or Linux too.
- Open source or rendered math is a requirement.