iA Writer vs MacDown (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, iA Writer and MacDown share a 2.8 GPA, and only MacDown has a free plan.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
iA Writer grades higher on platforms. MacDown grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
iA Writer
Minimal plain-text Markdown writing app with Focus Mode
Which one is for you
Pick iA Writer if
- Fits if you want a Markdown editor with no toolbars and would rather pay once
- Works for seeing which words you typed and which you pasted in from AI
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you write on Android or in a browser: the Android app was pulled in 2024 and no web version is planned
- Not for you if you want one purchase to cover every device, since Mac, Windows and iPhone and iPad are bought separately
- Watch out: there's no trial on iPhone and iPad, and Mac and Windows get 7 days
- Watch out: the one-time price covers the current version, and major updates may cost extra
- Too light for long projects that need notes, an outliner or manuscript tools
Pick MacDown if
- Fits if you write Markdown on a Mac and want a preview beside it
- Works for blog or Jekyll writers
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you're not on a Mac, as other platforms aren't planned
- Watch out: the latest release is 0.7.3 and the footer says 2014 to 2021, so updates are infrequent
- Watch out: the app is unsigned, and macOS asks you to open it manually the first time
- Too light for long documents, as it's an editor with a preview
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAiA WriterGood | 2.8GPAMacDownGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | APaid once: $19.99 for iPhone and iPad, $29.99 for Windows, $49.99 for Mac. The middle of this category is $8.33 a month, so even the Mac app is under half a year of a typical rival and then yours. Each platform is a separate purchase, and major updates may cost extra. | AFree under the MIT License, with no account. |
| Free plan and trial | CNo free version. Mac and Windows get a 7-day trial with no credit card asked for, which is the shortest a trial can be and still count. No trial is listed for iPhone and iPad at all, so there you pay the $19.99 first. | AThe whole app is free and open source, with nothing to cap. |
| Features | CFocus Mode fades all but the sentence you're on, Authorship colours text pasted from AI, Style Check flags clichés and filler, and Markdown previews and exports to HTML, PDF or Word. Bare on purpose and complete at it, but that is a small job: no notes, no outliner, no manuscript tools. | CLive preview, syntax highlighting, math, task lists and Jekyll front matter. A Markdown editor and not a full writing suite. |
| Ease of use | B4.56 on the App Store from 1,538 ratings, which is a B because an A wants 4.7. There are no toolbars or buttons to learn, just the text, though the formatting is Markdown that you type yourself. | BNo store rating on record, but it's a Mac app with a preview pane and nothing to set up. macOS asks you to open it manually the first time. |
| Platforms and integrations | BComputers and a phone: Mac, Windows, iPhone and iPad, with WordPress and Medium named as export targets. No web version, which iA says isn't planned, and the Android app was pulled from sale in September 2024. | DMac only, and the FAQ says other platforms are not planned. |
| Best for | distraction-free Markdown writing, paid for once | a Markdown editor for Mac |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: iA Writer and MacDown. How we grade
Where they differ
- iA Writer can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- MacDown is open source, according to its own site.
- iA Writer also covers grammar & style.
At a glance
| iA Writer | MacDown | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free |
| Starts at | $19.99 one-time (iPhone and iPad); $29.99 Windows, $49.99 Mac | Free |
| Free plan | None | MacDown is open source under the MIT License and free to download, with no account. |
| Free trial | 7-day free trial for Mac and Windows, no credit card required. No trial is listed for iPhone and iPad. | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Information Architects AG | Tzu-ping Chung |
| Price read from | ia.net | macdown.uranusjr.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
iA Writer
- Each platform is a separate purchase: Mac, Windows, and iPhone and iPad are bought individually.
- The Android app was removed from sale in September 2024, and iA says it is not planning a web-based version.
- A one-time payment covers the current version; minor updates are free, but major updates may cost extra.
- The 7-day free trial is offered for Mac and Windows only.
MacDown
- It runs on macOS only; the FAQ says other platforms are not planned for now.
- The latest release on the site is 0.7.3 and the footer says 2014 to 2021, so updates have been infrequent.
- The app is not signed with an Apple developer certificate, so macOS asks you to open it manually the first time, according to the FAQ.
Key features
iA Writer
- Focus Mode
- Highlights the sentence or paragraph being written and fades the rest of the document, in an interface with no buttons or title bar.
- Authorship
- Tracks what was typed and what was pasted. Your own words stay black and white, AI text appears in color and other authors in subtle tones.
- Style Check
- Flags clichés, fillers and clutter and leaves the decision to cut them with the writer. The check runs on the device.
- Plain text with Markdown
- Documents are plain text formatted with Markdown. A Preview shows the styled result using a template, and links, pictures and tables can be embedded.
- Export
- Copies a document as HTML or exports it to PDF or Microsoft Word. The iPhone and iPad listing also names WordPress and Medium as export targets.
MacDown
- Live preview
- Hoedown renders Markdown to HTML as you type, and the rendering options can be changed in Preferences.
- Syntax highlighting
- Fenced code blocks with a language name are highlighted using Prism.
- Math and task lists
- It renders TeX-like math such as $$...$$ blocks and GitHub-style task lists.
- Jekyll front matter
- Jekyll front matter is among the additional rendering tools the features page lists.
- Auto-completion
- The features page describes auto-completion built for the author's own needs, and says it can be turned off.
Plans
iA Writer
iPhone & iPad$19.99
one-time payment, App Store only
The iPhone and iPad app, sold only through the App Store. Requires iOS 15 or later.
Windows$29.99
one-time payment
Bought directly from iA and usable on more than one Windows PC. Requires Windows 10 or later.
Mac$49.99
one-time payment
Bought directly from iA or on the Mac App Store. Requires macOS 10.15 or later.
MacDown
Free$0
The full Markdown editor for macOS, also installable with Homebrew.
Ways to pay less
iA Writer
- Education
20% educational discount on direct purchases
iA offers a 20% educational discount on the Mac and Windows versions bought directly from it. App Store copies get education pricing on 20 or more licenses through Apple School Manager.
MacDown
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, iA Writer or MacDown?
As of Nov 12, 2026, iA Writer starts at $19.99 one-time (iPhone and iPad); $29.99 Windows, $49.99 Mac, and MacDown is free.
Which has a free plan, iA Writer or MacDown?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only MacDown has a free plan. iA Writer does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do iA Writer and MacDown run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only iA Writer lists Windows and iOS apps. Both list a macOS app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.