Free vs Paid Markdown Viewers on Mac: When Free Is Enough

Yes, you can read Markdown on a Mac for free. QLMarkdown adds formatted .md previews to Finder's Quick Look, and Readdown, MDViewer and MDHero are free viewer apps (the last two also edit) that render Mermaid diagrams. If you write Markdown too, MacDown 3000 and Obsidian are free. Typora isn't: since version 1.0 it needs a license, today $14.99 once, after a 15-day trial. A paid viewer is worth it only when you read Markdown every day and want the extras a free app doesn't bundle in one place.

I make MacMD Viewer, a paid one ($19.99 once). So weigh what follows with that in mind: I list the free options first, with what each does well, and say where I think free is enough. Every app fact here comes from the app's own site, repository or the Homebrew API, read on November 5, 2026.

The free options, by what they do best#

QLMarkdown: free Quick Look in Finder#

QLMarkdown is a Quick Look extension: select a .md file in Finder, press Space, and it appears formatted. It handles Mermaid and math, it's GPL-3.0, and its README says the build is notarized and signed. Install it with brew install --cask qlmarkdown (macOS 12 or later), then launch the app once so macOS finds the extension. Its author says it isn't meant to be a standalone viewer: it lives in Finder. More detail in QLMarkdown vs MacMD Viewer.

Readdown: a free reader with Quick Look#

Readdown is free, version 1.19, for macOS 13 or later. Its site lists a Quick Look preview, Mermaid diagrams and math equations, and says your Markdown never leaves your Mac. Install it from the site or with brew install --cask nataliarsand/tap/readdown. See Readdown vs MacMD Viewer.

MDViewer: free, open source, built for AI-agent output#

MDViewer is MIT licensed and was written for reading the .md files Claude Code or Codex leave behind. Its README lists Mermaid diagrams, a split-view editor, and a "Signed & notarized" build. It needs macOS 14 or later and runs on Apple Silicon and Intel. Version 1.11.0 shipped on October 29, 2026.

MDHero: free, open source, Apple Silicon only#

MDHero is MIT licensed and under 8 MB. Its site lists a Quick Look extension, Mermaid, math, and an editor with View, Split and Edit modes. It needs macOS 12 or later and runs on Apple Silicon only for now; Intel support is listed as planned. Current version 0.2.10. See MDHero vs MacMD Viewer.

MD Viewer: free on the Mac App Store#

MD Viewer is free on the Mac App Store, with a table of contents sidebar, dark mode, search and PDF export. See MD-Viewer vs MacMD Viewer.

Free editors that also show the result#

• MacDown 3000: free, MIT, source and live preview side by side, universal, macOS 11 or later, notarized. brew install --cask macdown-3000.
• MarkEdit: free, MIT, "just like TextEdit on Mac but dedicated to Markdown". A source editor; its current release needs macOS 26.
• Obsidian: "free without limits", no sign-up, and a commercial license is optional. A notes app built on Markdown files; Sync ($4 a month billed yearly) and Publish are the paid parts.
• MarkText: free and MIT, with Typora-style editing, but its macOS builds are unsigned, so macOS blocks the first launch. Here's how to open MarkText.

The original MacDown is still free too, but its last build is from 2020 and macOS blocks it: see MacDown won't open.

Is Typora free?#

No. Typora was free while in beta. Its 1.0 release notes (November 23, 2021) say that "from v1.0, typora is finally out of beta, and therefore, you will need to buy a license code". Today it costs $14.99 once, before tax, for up to 3 devices, after a 15-day free trial. If you want Typora's way of hiding the syntax while you type without paying, MarkText is the closest free match, unsigned build included. The Typora comparison has the rest.

Coming in macOS 27.3: Quick Look renders .md files#

Apple released the first beta of macOS 27.3 on November 3, 2026. According to 9to5Mac and MacRumors, Quick Look in that beta shows .md files formatted, with no extension installed. It's a beta: I haven't tested it, Apple hasn't documented what the renderer supports, and features can change before release. If it ships, the most basic need on this page, a formatted preview when you press Space, will be free and built in on macOS 27.3.

When free is enough#

• You open a README or a spec now and then. QLMarkdown or Readdown covers it, and so will Quick Look on macOS 27.3 if the beta feature ships.
• You write the Markdown yourself. A free editor already shows the result: MacDown 3000, or Obsidian for notes.
• You need math. Readdown, QLMarkdown, MDHero and MacDown 3000 render it. MacMD Viewer doesn't.
• Your Mac runs an older macOS. QLMarkdown and MDHero start at macOS 12, MacDown 3000 at 11. MacMD Viewer needs 14.

What a paid viewer adds#

Here's what my $19.99 buys, from MacMD Viewer's own feature list. Some free apps have a few of these. The difference is having them together in one native app that I maintain, with support by email.

• Live reload when an editor or a coding agent saves the file, and auto-open of Markdown written by Claude Code, Cursor or Windsurf via a setup script.
• Reading tools: a document outline sidebar, 12 document themes, an adjustable text column, word count and reading time.
• Output: PDF export as one continuous page that keeps Mermaid diagrams and highlighted code, Copy as Markdown (⌥⌘C), and Open in your editor (⇧⌘E).
• Mermaid files (.mmd, .mermaid) open as a diagram, in the app and in Quick Look.
• The purchase itself: $19.99 once, before tax, with free updates within the current major version and a full refund within 14 days on direct purchases. It runs on macOS 14 or later, on Apple Silicon and Intel, and it's notarized.

It's read-only by design: it never modifies your files, and you keep writing in the editor you already use. If that matches how you work, see pricing. If it doesn't, one of the free apps above is the right call. The Markdown viewers for Mac guide compares 16 of them in one table.

Frequently Asked Questions#

Is there a free Markdown viewer for Mac?#

Yes. QLMarkdown (Quick Look in Finder), Readdown, MDViewer, MDHero and MD Viewer are free. Free editors such as MacDown 3000 and Obsidian also show rendered Markdown. Checked November 5, 2026.

Is Typora free?#

No. Typora was free during its beta and became paid with version 1.0 on November 23, 2021. It costs $14.99 once, before tax, for up to 3 devices, after a 15-day free trial.

What is the best free Markdown editor for Mac?#

MacDown 3000 for source and preview side by side: free, MIT licensed, notarized, macOS 11 or later. MarkEdit if you are on macOS 26 and want a plain source editor. Obsidian if you want linked notes. The Markdown editor comparison covers eight editors.

Can macOS preview Markdown files without an app?#

Not in a released version as of November 5, 2026. The first beta of macOS 27.3, released November 3, 2026, renders .md files in Quick Look, per MacRumors and 9to5Mac. Until it ships, Quick Look shows Markdown as plain text unless an extension such as QLMarkdown is installed.

Is MacMD Viewer free?#

No. MacMD Viewer is a one-time purchase of $19.99, before tax, and there is no free trial. Direct purchases can be refunded within 14 days.

Sources#

All read on November 5, 2026: QLMarkdown · Readdown · MDViewer · MDHero · MD Viewer · MacDown 3000 · MarkEdit · Obsidian pricing · MarkText releases · Typora and Typora 1.0 release notes · 9to5Mac and MacRumors on macOS 27.3 beta 1 · Homebrew API for minimum macOS versions.