Markdown Monster vs MarkText

Markdown Monster

• Windows users who write documentation or blog posts in Markdown
• Developers who want Git status and commits inside the editor
• Bloggers publishing to WordPress, Medium or Jekyll from Markdown files
• Buyers who prefer a perpetual license to a subscription

MarkText

• Writers who want Markdown rendered as they type, without a split preview
• People who want one free editor on macOS, Windows and Linux
• Technical notes with math, code blocks and diagrams

Markdown Monster

• Windows only: the download page gives Windows 10 or later as the requirement, and no Mac, Linux, mobile or web version is listed.
• A standard license covers one major version. Upgrading to the next costs about half the full price unless the license was bought within a year of its release.
• The AI features need your own API key from an OpenAI-compatible provider; the license includes no AI usage.
• The free evaluation has every feature but shows occasional notices, and the vendor requires a paid license for continued use.

MarkText

• Desktop only: no web, iOS or Android version is offered.
• macOS builds need macOS 11 or later and come as separate Apple Silicon and Intel installers; no universal build is published.
• Windows builds require Windows 10 or 11.
• Export covers PDF and HTML files only.

Markdown Monster

Editor with synced live preview

Syntax-colored Markdown editing beside a collapsible HTML preview that updates and scrolls as you type, with inline spell checking and word counts.

Image, table and code helpers

Paste images from the clipboard, capture and embed screenshots, edit tables in an interactive table editor and insert formatted code snippets.

Export and weblog publishing

Export to PDF or HTML, or publish to a WordPress, MetaWeblog, Jekyll or Medium blog, then edit and republish posts or download existing ones.

Git integration

Shows Git status on files and folders and has a commit dialog for reviewing and committing changes from inside the editor.

AI features with your own key

Chat, image generation, text suggestions, summaries, grammar checking and translation run on your own API key for OpenAI-compatible providers such as OpenAI, Azure, Gemini or Ollama.

.NET addins and command line

A .NET addin model lets extensions hook into the interface, editor, rendering and publishing, and a command line converts Markdown to HTML and PDF.

MarkText

Real-time preview

Markdown is rendered in place as it is typed, in a single pane with no split view. A source code mode shows the raw Markdown when full control is needed.

Extended Markdown

Supports the CommonMark and GitHub Flavored Markdown specs, plus tables, footnotes, KaTeX math, syntax-highlighted code blocks and YAML, TOML or JSON front matter.

Diagrams

Flowcharts and charts written in Mermaid, Vega or Vega-Lite are drawn inside the document.

Themes

Ships with 33 built-in light and dark themes. Each theme is plain CSS, so one can be copied and adjusted or replaced with a custom stylesheet.

Focus and typewriter modes

Focus mode dims everything except the line being written, and typewriter mode keeps that line centered in the window.

PDF and HTML export

Exports a document to PDF or to a self-contained HTML file with the chosen theme applied.

Markdown Monster

• Single User$99

  one-time purchase, per user, for version 4

  A perpetual license for one person on any number of machines, with free minor updates and a 60-day money-back guarantee.

• 5 User License$399

  one-time purchase for 5 users

  The same perpetual version 4 license for five users.

• Lifetime License$399

  one-time purchase, per user

  A single-user license that includes every future major-version upgrade at no further cost.

• 10 User License$749

  one-time purchase for 10 users

  The same perpetual version 4 license for ten users.

• 25 User License$1,899

  one-time purchase for 25 users

  The same perpetual version 4 license for twenty-five users.

• Site License$5,999

  one-time purchase, per organization

  Any number of users within a single organization, with a 5-year free upgrade guarantee.

MarkText

• Free$0

  The complete editor for macOS, Windows and Linux, with every feature and theme included and no account required.

Markdown Monster

• Lifetime license

  Lifetime single-user license for $399

  The Lifetime License includes all future major-version upgrades for one user, against $99 for a license tied to version 4.

• Other savings

  Upgrade from an earlier version for $49

  Holders of a version 1, 2 or 3 single-user license can move to version 4 for $49. Version 3 licenses bought on or after December 1, 2024 upgrade free.

• Other savings

  Free licenses for Microsoft MVPs and employees

  Microsoft MVPs, ASP.NET Insiders, Microsoft employees and staff of companies that give free tools to the MVP program can apply for a free license.

• Other savings

  Location-adjusted discount on application

  People in countries where the list price is prohibitive can apply for a discounted license, adjusted for their location using the Big Mac Index.

MarkText

No public discounts listed.