Markor vs Orgro (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Markor grades higher than Orgro: 2.8 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Markor grades higher on the free plan, features and ease of use. Orgro grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on value for money.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Orgro
Org Mode file viewer and editor for iPhone, iPad and Android
Free trial · from $4.99 one-time
Which one is for you
Pick Markor if
- Fits if you keep notes as Markdown or plain text and want an editor for them on Android
- Works for people who already run Syncthing or Nextcloud and keep their tasks in todo.txt
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you have an iPhone or want a desktop version, as it's Android only
- Not for you if you want sync that just works, because Markor stays offline and leaves that to another app
- Too light for encrypting everything, since only a file's text is covered, not pictures or attachments
- Watch out: Org-Mode gets highlighting and buttons only, with no rendered view, and encryption needs Android Marshmallow or newer
Pick Orgro if
- Fits if you keep notes in Emacs Org Mode and want to read them on a phone
- Works for people who tick off TODOs and checkboxes while out
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you don't already use Org Mode files
- Not for you if you want sync: the app opens and closes files, with none of its own
- Too light for structured editing, since only checkboxes and TODO keywords are toggled
- Watch out: the FAQ says saving may change parts of a file you didn't edit, so keep backups
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAMarkorGood | 2.2GPAOrgroFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree, open source under Apache 2.0, and no ads. There's no paid version at all, in a category whose middle plan is $6 a month. | A$4.99 once after a 7-day trial, under a year of the category's middle subscription and below its $12.99 one-time middle. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe whole app is free from F-Droid, GitHub or Google Play, with nothing held back and nothing nagging you, because there's nothing to upgrade to. | CA 7-day free trial of all features, then the one-time unlock. The pages don't say whether a card is needed, and there is no free plan. |
| Features | CHighlighting and buttons for Markdown, todo.txt, Zim wiki, AsciiDoc, Org-Mode and CSV, a preview, export to HTML or PDF and AES256 file encryption. The listing names its gaps: no sync of its own by design, encryption that skips pictures and attachments, and Org-Mode with no rendered view. | DOne narrow function: view and lightly edit Org files, toggle TODOs and checkboxes. It has no sync, and it only makes sense next to Emacs or other Org tools. |
| Ease of use | BInstall it and start typing into QuickNote: no account, nothing to configure. No store rating is on record to go by. Getting the files onto another device is the fiddly bit, since that takes a separate sync app. | CNo store rating on record. You point it at files in cloud storage, and need to know Org Mode. |
| Platforms and integrations | DAndroid and only Android. The README lists no iOS, desktop or web version. The files do open in any text editor elsewhere, if you move them yourself with Syncthing, Nextcloud or Dropbox. | CiPhone, iPad and Android only, opening files from iCloud Drive, Dropbox and Google Drive. No computer or web version. |
| Best for | plain-text notes and todo.txt on Android | opening Org Mode files on a phone |
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: Markor and Orgro. How we grade
Where they differ
- Markor also covers Markdown.
In commonAndroidOpen sourceWorks offlineNotesTasks
At a glance
| Markor | Orgro | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free trial |
| Starts at | Free | $4.99 one-time, after a 7-day free trial |
| Free plan | The whole app is free, with no ads. The code is licensed under Apache 2.0 and the README describes it as openly developed free software. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 7-day free trial of all features, then a one-time purchase unlocks the app. |
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Gregor Santner | Aaron Madlon-Kay |
| Price read from | github.com | orgro.org |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Markor
- Android only: the README describes Markor as a text editor for Android and lists no iOS, desktop or web version.
- There is no built-in sync. The README says Markor will stay an offline app and that a separate sync client has to move the files.
- Encryption covers a file's text only, not pictures or attachments, and needs Android Marshmallow or newer.
- Org-Mode support is limited to syntax highlighting and editing buttons; there is no rendered view for it.
Orgro
- Orgro has no sync of its own; files are opened from a storage provider and closed again.
- Structured editing is limited to toggling checkboxes and TODO keywords; everything else is raw-text editing.
- The FAQ advises keeping backups, because saving may alter parts of a file you did not edit.
- Links between Org files need a storage location that grants directory permissions, which many third-party apps do not.
Key features
Markor
- Plain-text files in many formats
- Markdown, todo.txt, Zim wiki text, AsciiDoc, Org-Mode, CSV and plain text get syntax highlighting and format-specific buttons, and the files open in any other text editor.
- Notebook, QuickNote and To-Do
- Notebook is the root folder for documents and can sit anywhere on the file system. QuickNote is a single Markdown file for fast capture and To-Do is a todo.txt file.
- todo.txt task lists
- Each line is a task, with @contexts and +projects for grouping. Finished tasks are marked with an x and can be moved to a separate done file.
- Preview and export to HTML or PDF
- Documents can be previewed, converted and shared as HTML or PDF. Markdown follows the CommonMark specification, with optional math rendering through KaTeX.
- Share Into
- Text and links shared from other apps can be appended to QuickNote, To-Do or a recent file, or saved to a new one, with URL tracking parameters removed.
- File encryption
- Text files can be encrypted with AES256 under a password set in the settings. The companion jpencconverter tool decrypts the same files on a desktop.
Orgro
- TODO and checkbox toggling
- Change TODO keywords on headlines and tick list checkboxes, with progress cookies updating.
- Plain-text editing
- Edit the raw Org markup in the app; saving recreates the file from an in-memory copy, which can change non-semantic whitespace.
- Agenda notifications
- Notifications for Org Agenda items, plus capture of text and links through the share sheet or org-capture:// links.
- Emacs-style viewing
- Narrowing, visibility cycling, reader mode, LaTeX rendering, tables and syntax highlighting for Org files.
- Org Crypt and Org Cite
- The App Store listing lists symmetric Org Crypt section decryption and encryption, and Org Cite bibliography support.
Plans
Markor
Markor$0
The full app from F-Droid, the GitHub releases page or Google Play. The project recommends F-Droid for installing and updating.
Orgro
Full unlock$4.99
one-time, after a 7-day free trial
One-time, permanent unlock of all features, per the App Store listing. The price is the one shown on the Orgro site.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Markor or Orgro?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Markor is free, and Orgro starts at $4.99 one-time, after a 7-day free trial.
Which has a free plan, Markor or Orgro?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Markor has a free plan. Orgro does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do Markor and Orgro run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Orgro lists an iOS app. Both list an Android 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.