MacMD Viewer vs MD-Viewer: Free App Store Reader or Finder Preview (2026)
MD-Viewer is free on the Mac App Store, runs back to macOS 10.13 and exports PDF. It is also a 119 MB download with no Quick Look and no Mermaid. Both facts checked at the source.
MacMD Viewer is a native SwiftUI Markdown viewer — open any .md file and it renders instantly with Mermaid diagrams, syntax highlighting, and a QuickLook extension for Finder. No Chromium, no subscription, no account. $19.99 one-time.
Learn more about MD-Viewer on their official site, or see all MacMD Viewer features.
- Running on 250+ Macs
- Reviewed on Trustpilot
- On Homebrew & Setapp
MD-Viewer is free, it runs on Macs going back to High Sierra, and it exports PDF — if your Mac is too old for anything else, it is the answer and it costs nothing. MacMD Viewer is worth $19.99 over it only for what MD-Viewer does not advertise at all: Quick Look previews in Finder, Mermaid diagrams, and live reload while a file is being written.
How Does MacMD Viewer Compare to MD-Viewer?
| Feature | MacMD Viewer | MD-Viewer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $19.99 one-time | Free |
| Minimum macOS | 14.0 | 10.13, per its App Store listing |
| Download size | 5.4 MB DMG, 16 MB installed | 119.0 MB, per its App Store listing |
| Quick Look preview in Finder | Yes | Not advertised on its site |
| Mermaid diagrams | Yes — bundled, offline, also inside Quick Look | Not advertised on its site |
| Live reload | Yes — re-renders when an editor or an agent saves | Not advertised on its site |
| Document themes | 12 built-in | Dark mode with theme persistence |
| Table of contents | Document outline | Auto-generated sidebar |
| Search inside a document | Yes | Yes |
| Export | Print and PDF | PDF export |
| Syntax highlighting languages | ~34 | 100+, per its own homepage |
| Platforms | macOS only | macOS and Windows |
| Distribution | Direct DMG, Homebrew cask, Setapp | Mac App Store |
| Version and updates | 1.6.x | 1.2.1, updated 2026-06-17 |
$19.99 one-time · 14-day money-back · No subscription
What Does Each Tool Cost Over Time?
| Period | MacMD Viewer | MD-Viewer |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase price | $19.99 | Free (Mac App Store) |
| After 1 year | $19.99 | Free (Mac App Store) |
| After 3 years | $19.99 | Free (Mac App Store) |
Both MacMD Viewer and MD-Viewer are one-time purchases. No recurring costs.
What Are the Pros and Cons?
MacMD Viewer
Pros
- +Quick Look extension — select a `.md` file in Finder, press Space, read it rendered
- +Mermaid diagrams render, including inside the Finder preview, with no network
- +Live reload, so a document being written by an agent updates as you watch it
- +12 document themes rather than a light and dark switch
- +5.4 MB to download against a 119 MB App Store listing
- +Installs outside the App Store — direct DMG, Homebrew, Setapp
Cons
- -$19.99 against free
- -Requires macOS 14; MD-Viewer's listing goes back to macOS 10.13
- -~34 syntax highlighting languages against a claimed 100+
- -macOS only; MD-Viewer also ships for Windows
- -No App Store distribution, so no family sharing and no Apple-handled refunds
MD-Viewer
Pros
- +Free, with no tier and no upsell
- +Runs on macOS 10.13 and later, which covers Macs nothing else supports
- +On the Mac App Store, so installation, updates and refunds go through Apple
- +PDF export with formatting preserved
- +Auto-generated table of contents sidebar and in-document search
- +Dark mode with theme persistence
- +Also available for Windows
Cons
- -119.0 MB download for a Markdown viewer, per its own App Store listing
- -No Quick Look extension advertised, so Space in Finder still shows raw text
- -No Mermaid diagram rendering advertised anywhere on its site
- -No live reload advertised, so a file rewritten by an agent needs reopening
- -Theming is light and dark, not a set of document themes
When Should You Choose MD-Viewer vs MacMD Viewer?
Choose MD-Viewer if:
- →You need to write and edit Markdown files, not just read them
- →You work across Mac, Windows, and Linux
- →You prefer a WYSIWYG or split-pane editing experience
Choose MacMD Viewer if:
- →You primarily read and review Markdown files, not write them
- →You want QuickLook preview: press Space in Finder to see any .md file rendered
- →You need Mermaid diagram rendering without plugins or configuration
- →You want a native macOS app that launches instantly and uses minimal resources
$19.99 one-time · 14-day money-back · No subscription
MacMD Viewer vs MD-Viewer: which one should you install?
MD-Viewer is free, it is on the Mac App Store, and it installs on Macs going back to macOS 10.13. If either of those two facts is decisive for you — no budget, or an old Mac — stop reading and install it. Nothing below changes that.
I am Arthur, the solo developer of MacMD Viewer, $19.99 one-time. MD-Viewer is published by M25 and its App Store listing reports version 1.2.1, free, 119.0 MB, macOS 10.13 or later, first released 2025-12-01 and last updated 2026-06-17 (Apple's App Store API, checked 2026-08-11).
The two apps have similar names and are not related in any way.
Who MacMD Viewer is built for
"Mac users who read Markdown" is a category, not a segment. The people who buy MacMD Viewer and keep it are narrower, and their reviews say it plainly. One wrote: "I am not a developer and don't have other software on my computer besides TextEdit to work with MD files. Diving into the AI vibe coding world though…" Another: "I use MacMD Viewer to look at all the MD files Claude Code generates."
That is the segment — someone whose Mac filled up with .md files they did not write, who wants to read them the way they read a PDF: from Finder, at a glance, without learning a tool.
It matters here because that person's habit is the whole comparison. They select a file in Finder and press Space. If that gesture has to become "right-click, Open With, wait for a 119 MB app", the tool has already lost the moment it was bought for — and if it does not, MD-Viewer is free and this page costs you nothing to ignore.
What MD-Viewer does
Its homepage lists the feature set plainly: clean rendering with typography it describes as inspired by Claude's artifacts, dark mode with theme persistence, PDF export with formatting preserved, in-document search, an auto-generated table of contents sidebar, and syntax highlighting it claims for 100+ languages. There is a Windows build too.
That is a coherent, useful reader, and it costs nothing.
What it does not advertise
Three things, and they are the three that decide this comparison. Across its homepage, its features section and its support page, checked 2026-08-11, MD-Viewer's site does not mention:
- Quick Look. Space in Finder will still show you raw Markdown.
- Mermaid. If your documents carry diagram code fences, they stay as code.
- Live reload. A file rewritten by an editor or an agent needs reopening.
I am stating these as absences from its own marketing, not as tested absences — I have not installed it to prove a negative. If any of the three matters to you, check it yourself before choosing on the strength of this page.
The size difference, since it is unusual
MD-Viewer's App Store listing reports 119.0 MB. MacMD Viewer is a 5.4 MB download, about 16 MB installed.
For a free app, download size is often irrelevant — you install it once and forget it. It is worth a line here only because 119 MB for a document reader normally indicates a bundled runtime rather than a native one, and that shows up later as launch time and memory rather than as disk. Whether you notice depends on your Mac.
Where MD-Viewer wins outright
On price, obviously. On reach — macOS 10.13 covers Macs that no other app in this comparison supports, and MacMD Viewer needs macOS 14. On syntax highlighting breadth, if its 100+ figure holds against my ~34. And on distribution, if you want Apple to handle installation, updates, family sharing and refunds.
Where the $19.99 buys something
Finder. MacMD Viewer ships a Quick Look extension, so selecting a .md file and pressing Space renders it in place — headings, tables, syntax-highlighted code and Mermaid diagrams — with no app launch and no network. Then live reload, which matters specifically when a coding agent is writing the file you are looking at: the window re-renders on each save instead of showing you a stale document.
Those are narrow benefits. They are worth $19.99 to someone who reads Markdown out of folders all day, and worth nothing to someone who opens one file a week.
The recommendation
Install MD-Viewer if your Mac predates macOS 14, if you want to spend nothing, or if you want an App Store app with Apple handling updates.
Buy MacMD Viewer if you want Markdown rendered in Finder's Quick Look, Mermaid diagrams that draw offline, and live reload while an agent writes.
Related: MacMD Viewer vs MDHero · vs Meva · vs Markdown Better View · all comparisons
Both apps render CommonMark-compliant Markdown with GitHub Flavored Markdown extensions including tables and task lists.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is MacMD Viewer better than MD-Viewer?
MD-Viewer is free, it runs on Macs going back to High Sierra, and it exports PDF — if your Mac is too old for anything else, it is the answer and it costs nothing. MacMD Viewer is worth $19.99 over it only for what MD-Viewer does not advertise at all: Quick Look previews in Finder, Mermaid diagrams, and live reload while a file is being written.
How much does MD-Viewer cost?
MD-Viewer costs Free (Mac App Store). MacMD Viewer costs $19.99 one-time with no subscription.
Does MD-Viewer support Mermaid diagrams?
No, MD-Viewer does not support Mermaid diagrams. MacMD Viewer renders Mermaid flowcharts, sequence diagrams, state diagrams, and Gantt charts inline.
Can I use MD-Viewer and MacMD Viewer together?
Yes. Many developers write in MD-Viewer and use MacMD Viewer for reading and QuickLook preview. MacMD Viewer watches files live, so edits made in any other app appear instantly.
Does MD-Viewer support Apple Silicon natively?
MD-Viewer supports Apple Silicon natively. MacMD Viewer is also built with SwiftUI and runs natively on Apple Silicon.
Which is better for developers, MD-Viewer or MacMD Viewer?
It depends on your workflow. MD-Viewer is designed for previewing alongside your editor. MacMD Viewer is designed for reading. Open any .md file with rendered Mermaid diagrams, syntax highlighting, and a QuickLook extension. Most developers use both: an editor for writing and MacMD Viewer for reading.