UnmarkedOur pick
If Obsidian feels like too much app for a normal Markdown file, pick Unmarked. Read, Write and Split are ready as soon as the document opens, with visual tables, slides and direct export built in. Obsidian is the specialist choice when you are building a linked knowledge base.
| Question | Unmarked | Obsidian |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | One Markdown document at a time | A connected vault of notes |
| Getting started | Open a file from Finder | Open or create a vault |
| Views | Read, WYSIWYG Write and scroll-synced Split | Reading, Live Preview and Source modes inside the vault |
| Tables | Dedicated grid with cell ranges, direct controls and rich copy | Table controls inside Live Preview |
| Organization | Document outline and recent files | Vault-wide links, search and plugins |
| Handoff | Slides without deck setup, plus direct Word, PDF and HTML | PDF and core Slides |
Open the file. That is the setup.
Unmarked works like a Mac document app. Double-click a Markdown file in Finder and it opens where it already lives. Read it, edit it and close the window. There is no vault setup or plugin browser between you and the page.
The outline comes from the headings in that document. Recent files help you return. Your folders remain Finder's job. This is a much better fit for a README, a spec, a meeting note or a document an AI just wrote for you.
One document gets the whole window
Read mode shows the finished page without syntax or editing chrome. Write mode styles the source and reveals marks around the cursor. Split puts both together when the source needs inspection. The app changes with the task instead of keeping every panel available all the time.
You can set reading and writing typography separately, then choose from five theme families in light or dark. The result feels considered before you touch a setting and still leaves room to make the page yours.
The useful document tools are already there
Tables edit as grids with keyboard movement, rectangular selection, row and column controls, alignment and rich copy. YAML frontmatter appears as a two-column properties panel. Mermaid renders offline in Read and Present. None of those jobs needs a plugin search.
Present uses the headings already in the file. Word export creates a real document with editable tables. PDF and HTML are built in. These are fixed paths with predictable results, which is exactly what makes them easy to use.
For the document you need to finish now, Unmarked is the better fit. Obsidian earns the extra structure when the connections across many notes are the work.
Which one fits your work?
Choose Unmarked if
- You want a focused, beautiful Mac document app.
- The task begins with a file, not a vault.
- You want table, presentation and export tools without plugins.
- You prefer a clear set of modes over a configurable workspace.
Choose Obsidian only if
- Backlinks, cross-file search and graph views are the reason you use Markdown.
- You want plugins, community themes or a cross-platform knowledge base.