Side-by-side comparisons with the Mac Markdown apps you're probably choosing between. Pricing, memory footprint, native vs Electron, Mermaid support, QuickLook, and which ones are still maintained.
MacDown has no Apple Silicon build: last release Jan 2020, Homebrew cask disabled 1 Sept 2026, Rosetta ends after macOS 27. Here is what to run instead.
Compare MacMD Viewer and Marked 2 for Mac: MacMD has built-in Finder QuickLook and 12 document themes; Marked 2 has custom CSS, seven export formats, and writing stats.
MarkText is free, open source and back in active development since May 2026. MacMD Viewer is the native SwiftUI reader with Finder QuickLook, Mermaid 11.13.0 and a notarised install.
Obsidian is a 293 MB Electron vault app, free for any use; MacMD Viewer is a 16 MB native SwiftUI reader. Side by side, verified 29 July 2026.
QLMarkdown is free, open source and actively maintained in 2026. Here is where it wins, and where MacMD Viewer's standalone reading app earns its $19.99.
Telescopo's viewer is free, full access from $4.99/mo; MacMD Viewer is $19.99 once. Real gaps: QuickLook in Finder, macOS 14 support, no tier ladder.
Typora is a native Cocoa app, not Electron — verified 29 July 2026. The real split: Typora edits, MacMD Viewer reads with Quick Look in Finder.
Read the Best Markdown Viewer for Mac in 2026 roundup, or see all MacMD Viewer features.