Markdown Monster vs Typora

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

Typora

• People who write Markdown and want to see formatted text as they type
• Technical notes that mix code blocks, math and Mermaid diagrams
• Buyers who prefer a low one-time price to a subscription

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.

Typora

• Desktop only: downloads are offered for macOS, Windows and Linux, with no mobile or web version listed.
• A license covers one person on up to 3 devices at a time, and no bulk or organization-wide license is offered.
• Under the license agreement, free updates do not include major updates such as a move from 1.x to 2.x.
• Typora is file-based and does not store documents; syncing between devices is left to services such as Dropbox or iCloud.

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.

Typora

Live preview editing

Formats Markdown in place while typing, with no separate preview window or mode switch, so the document looks the same when writing and when reading.

Tables, code, math and diagrams

Tables resize by dragging, code fences highlight around 100 languages, MathJax handles equations, and flowchart, sequence and Mermaid diagrams are drawn from text.

Image handling

Images are inserted by drag and drop and shown inline, can be resized with an img tag, and on macOS can be uploaded to a cloud server through the iPic service.

File tree and outline panels

A file tree and an article list organize files in any folder, and an outline panel lists a document's headings for jumping to a section.

Import and export

Exports to PDF with bookmarks, and imports or exports other formats including docx, OpenOffice, LaTeX, MediaWiki and Epub.

Focus mode, typewriter mode and themes

Focus mode blurs every line but the current one, typewriter mode keeps the active line in the middle of the window, and themes are configured with CSS.

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.

Typora

• Typora license$14.99

  one-time purchase, per user, before tax

  Activates Typora on up to 3 devices for one person across macOS, Windows and Linux, with no expiry, subscription or renewal fee.

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.

Typora

No public discounts listed.