SiYuan vs MarkPDF
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SiYuan
A privacy-focused personal knowledge management system that allows offline use and encrypted data synchronization. It combines blocks, outlines, and bidirectional links to help users organize and refine their thoughts.
- Privacy-first design
- Offline data storage
- End-to-end encrypted sync
- Block-based organization
- Outline structuring
- Bidirectional linking
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SiYuan is a privacy-first personal knowledge management system that supports complete offline use, as well as end-to-end encrypted data sync. Fuse blocks, outlines, and bidirectional links to refactor your thinking.
MarkPDF
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Turn Markdown documents into polished, shareable PDFs. MarkPDF is a focused document conversion tool for reports, technical notes, meeting minutes, handouts and other Markdown-based content. Open a file, check the formatted result, adjust the layout and export a PDF in a straightforward workflow. KEY FEATURES • Open .md and .markdown files • Switch between the Markdown source and formatted result • Render headings, emphasis, strikethrough, lists, task lists, quotes, links, images, tables, code and more • Choose from six PDF styles for different document types • Select A4, A5, Letter or Legal paper • Use portrait or landscape orientation • Choose narrow, standard or wide margins • Adjust text size and line spacing • Add a document title or custom header • Add page numbers or custom footer text • Set the starting page number • Save and share multi-page PDFs • Copy the Markdown source or save it as a file • Reopen recent documents and clear individual or all history entries • Display documents containing local images GREAT FOR • Reports and assignments written in Markdown • Technical documentation with code and tables • Meeting notes and handouts that need a consistent layout • Anyone who wants flexible PDF formatting without complex typesetting DESIGNED FOR A SIMPLE WORKFLOW Select a Markdown file, review the result and export. Layout options can be changed for each PDF, while the original Markdown remains available to copy or save separately. Conversion runs locally on your device and can be used without an internet connection. PRIVACY No account is required. Your selected documents and PDF conversion stay on your device; document content is not sent to an external server. File access is limited to items you choose.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: SiYuan at Free against MarkPDF's $3.99. MarkPDF's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
SiYuan is free to download; MarkPDF costs $3.99 up front. SiYuan sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. MarkPDF asks for nothing beyond the download.
| Parameter | SiYuan | MarkPDF |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $3.99 |
| Rating | 4.0 (29 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 70.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 29 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Weekly | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 363 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Yunnan Liandi Technology Co., Ltd. | Moca LLC |
In-app purchases
SiYuan
- PRO Features$79.99
- Subscription$188.99
MarkPDF
No in-app purchases









