My favorite markdown editor for Mac after months of testing
Over the last few months, I’ve been searching for the perfect markdown editor to help me with work.
My favorite markdown editor for Mac after months of testing
Photo by Lasse Jensen on Unsplash
Over the last few months, I’ve been searching for the perfect markdown editor to help me with work.
You might ask why…as there are so many decent word processing tools already out there. But you see, I’m often juggling writing blog posts, organizing notes, putting together social content, and I just want one tool that’s clean and distraction-free.
Alright, so before I get going…
Quick definition for the uninitiated: Markdown is a simple **markup language** used for formatting plain-text documents. It was meant as a tool for writers to style plain-text documents and automatically convert them to HTML when published
My Markdown winner is…
Right, so my winner for the best markdown editor for macOS is this…
My genuine top pick is Ulysses. Why? Well, it’s a real minimalist’s dream. A writing environment that lets me focus without distractions.
It has native Markdown support, so I can style it with a few keyboard shortcuts. When I’m happy with my text, I can publish it to WordPress or Medium right from the app. Not only that, but there’s the option to export PDFs and other text-based formats, too.
What I loved: Manual file sorting within the library and the fact that I could use iCloud sync across all my devices to work on the go.
There are a couple of other tools I think worth noting…
iA Writer: Minimalism that actually helps you focus
Another pick I wanted to highlight is iA Writer. Now, I’ll say from the outset, this doesn’t support inline images, custom fonts, or complex library file structures. (It does have three of its own in-house fonts, though…)
But it does have a great focus mode and a file library. Basically, I think it keeps the essential features of Markdown while minimizing clutter, so I can write without distractions.
What I loved: The integrated file library that syncs over iCloud
What I didn’t like: No in-text support for images and no collaboration features. You also need to pay to use the tool.
Bear: Beautiful notes that feel effortless
My final choice is Bear, as I wanted to test an app that would work well for notes. It lets me write everything in Markdown while visually changing the text as I style it.
I ended up with great-looking plain-text notes that gave the native Mac notes app a run for its money.
It has a built-in library with support for tags, and it offers image cropping, note outlines, sketches, locked notes, and custom themes for its users. While I wouldn’t use it outright as a word processing tool, as a note taker, it was super.
What I loved: Image support, which other apps lack.
What I didn’t like: Your notes are locked and encrypted, and at the moment, it’s only available for Apple devices.
My markdown tools bring all the words to the page…
My all-around favorite is Ulysses. To be honest, I always come back to it for its versatility and ability to cover all bases. For me, clutter-free writing is key, and it’s such a clean tool.
But that’s not to say iA Writer and Bear aren’t good; they’re both great to use, but don’t have the overarching capabilities that my pick of the bunch does. Ultimately, it all depends on what you need as a writer and creator.
Write like a pro with me
If you like this post, then you’re in luck, as I’ve put together other articles on pro writing tips. Why not click through and have a look?
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