UnmarkedOur pick
Pick Unmarked for individual Markdown documents on a Mac. It opens the original file, keeps the writing surface clear and adds a dedicated reader, direct GFM table work and full-screen slides at no charge. Ulysses earns the subscription when multi-sheet projects, writing goals or direct blog publishing are the work.
| Question | Unmarked | Ulysses |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Writing and finishing an individual Markdown document | Managing long-form writing across sheets and projects |
| File model | Open any supported Markdown file from Finder and save in place | Library by default, with external Markdown folders available |
| Writing | WYSIWYG Markdown with syntax revealed around the cursor | Markup-based editor using Markdown XL by default |
| Reading | Dedicated Read mode for the finished document | Editor and export preview |
| Tables | Ordinary GFM with rectangular selection, rich copy and direct controls | Visual table tools using Ulysses table markup |
| After writing | Present, editable Word, paginated PDF and self-contained HTML | Word, PDF, HTML, ePub and blog publishing |
| Price | Free | $5.99 monthly or $39.99 yearly in the US after a seven-day trial |
The document comes first
Unmarked starts with the file. Open it from Finder, work in its own window and close it when you are done. The source stays in place and remains ordinary Markdown for Git, a shared folder or the next app in your workflow.
Ulysses starts with a writing library made of sheets, groups and projects, and it can also work with Markdown in external folders. That structure suits a manuscript assembled over time. Unmarked gives one document everything it needs without asking you to adopt a writing system around it.
Writing and reading deserve different views
Write mode keeps the page quiet while preserving the Markdown underneath. Marks dim until the cursor reaches them. A compact formatting bar appears when you select text, and document elements are available from a short Insert menu.
Read mode clears the editing layer away. Links, tasks, code, images, tables and Mermaid diagrams behave like finished content. Reading and writing can use different fonts, spacing and widths, with five light and dark theme families to shape the window around each task.
A writing library helps when you are tracking a manuscript. It adds little when the job is to read, check or send one Markdown document. That is the part Unmarked is built around.
The table stays standard Markdown
Both apps provide visual table tools and carry tables into Word and PDF. In Unmarked, the table on disk remains standard GFM. Select several cells as a rectangle, replace the range, move rows and columns, change alignment and copy the result as Markdown or rich text.
Present turns headings into full-screen slides without creating a second deck. Word export makes editable headings, lists, links, images and tables. PDF provides real page controls, and HTML can keep its styling and images in one file.
Ulysses is the right exception for a book assembled from many sheets, a daily writing target or a post sent directly to WordPress or Ghost. For the Markdown document in front of you, Unmarked keeps the path shorter.
Which one fits your work?
Choose Unmarked if
- You want a beautiful Mac app that feels clear from the first file.
- You work directly with Markdown files instead of a writing library.
- A clean reading mode and direct GFM table editing matter to you.
- You want slides and document export without another subscription.
Choose Ulysses only if
- You are writing a book or another project spread across many sheets with goals and deadlines.
- Apple-device sync or direct publishing to a supported blog is central to your work.