Comparison

Markdown Editor and Reader vs MDash

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Markdown Editor and Reader

Easily create, edit, and preview Markdown files on your mobile device. Import existing .md files and share them with others directly from the app.

Highlights
  • Create Markdown files
  • Edit existing .md files
  • Preview Markdown content
  • Import .md files
  • Share files
Features
Read full description

Write Markdown as easily as plain text. Markdown Editor opens in an instant – no account, no setup. For notes, READMEs, documentation, blog posts, to-do lists and anything that should look good. WRITE WITH SYNTAX HIGHLIGHTING Headings, bold, italic, code, links, lists and quotes are highlighted as you type. The Markdown characters step back so your words stay in focus – and the editor stays smooth even with long documents. FORMAT WITHOUT SEARCHING • A formatting bar above the keyboard: heading, bold, italic, lists, checklists, links, code, quotes, tables and images in one tap • Lists continue by themselves when you press Return • Keyboard shortcuts ⌘B, ⌘I and ⌘K on iPad PREVIEW AND READ One tap on the eye shows your document beautifully formatted – with tables, checklists, nested lists, code blocks and images. On iPad, see your text and the live preview side by side. Documents can also open straight in the preview, perfect for reading. REAL FILES, NOTHING LOCKED IN Your documents are plain .md files in the Files app under “On My iPhone › Markdown Editor”. Open Markdown and text files from iCloud Drive or other apps and edit them right where they are. ORGANIZED YOUR WAY • Folders with their own color and icon • Pin what matters to the top • Sort by date, name, or your own order with drag and drop • Search finds every word across all your documents • Find and replace, word count, reading time, printing MARKDOWN EDITOR PRO For when you want more – as a monthly or yearly subscription: • No ads • iCloud sync between iPhone and iPad • Export to PDF and HTML, beautifully formatted • Eight designs, from warm paper to deep black midnight • Widgets for your Home Screen and Lock Screen • Version history: bring back any earlier draft • App lock and a private folder with Face ID Payment is charged to your Apple Account. The subscription renews automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel it anytime in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://jlau.netlify.app/markdown-editor/privacy/ Markdown Editor is built by an independent developer. If you enjoy it, a rating means a lot!

About

MDash

This app is a plain text Markdown editor for your notes, offering live preview and local rendering of diagrams. It syncs optionally via iCloud and supports various import and export formats. Organize your notes with folders, tags, and smart folders.

Highlights
  • Live Markdown preview
  • Local Mermaid diagram rendering
  • Optional iCloud sync
  • Folder and tag organization
  • Full-text search
  • Import from other apps
  • Export to various formats
Features
Read full description

MDash is a Markdown editor that keeps your notes as plain text on your device. No lock-in, no account, no sync you did not ask for. Write on iPhone, iPad and now Mac — the full workspace on every screen. MARKDOWN, RENDERED LIVE Type plain Markdown and watch the preview update as you type: headings, lists, task checkboxes, tables, code blocks with syntax awareness, links and images. Show the text, the preview, or both side by side. MERMAID DIAGRAMS — FREE FOR EVERYONE Describe a flowchart, sequence diagram, Gantt chart, class diagram or state machine in plain text and MDash draws it instantly. Rendering is built into the app: no network, nothing leaves your device. ON MAC AND APPLE WATCH The complete MDash workspace runs on macOS — a three-column library, keyboard-first editing and the same live preview and Mermaid rendering. On Apple Watch, browse your library and read any note on your wrist. One purchase covers iPhone, iPad, Mac and Watch. YOUR LIBRARY, ORGANIZED • Pinned notes, Last 7 Days, and Trash with restore • Full-text search across every note, with jump to match • In-document find and replace with match highlighting • Attach photos to notes; files stay ordinary Markdown • Folders keep related notes together; create one right from the sidebar • Tags under the title, a Tags section in the sidebar, and search by tag • Smart folders collect notes automatically from the tags you choose • Scan documents into a note, and search the text inside photos and scans — on device, free • Import from Obsidian, Bear, Apple Notes, TextBundle or any folder of Markdown files — free • Version History keeps earlier versions of every note on device, ready to restore — free EXPORT AND SHARE • Export Markdown and plain text — free • Copy as rich text for mail and documents • PDF, HTML, Word (DOCX), ePub, RTF, JPG and TextBundle export with MDash Pro MDASH PRO — LIFETIME OR MONTHLY MDash Pro unlocks iCloud sync across your devices, export to PDF, HTML, Word, ePub and more, and watermark-free Mermaid diagrams. Choose a one-time lifetime purchase or a monthly subscription — both unlock exactly the same features. The monthly subscription renews automatically until cancelled; manage or cancel it anytime in your App Store account settings. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Notes are stored on device; sync is optional and uses your iCloud. Mermaid rendering is local. There is no tracking and no account. Questions or ideas? Leave a review or reach out through the App Store page — MDash is built by an independent developer and shaped by user feedback. Terms of Use: https://nightcodeapps.com/apps/markdown-editor/terms/ Privacy Policy: https://nightcodeapps.com/apps/markdown-editor/privacy/

Screenshots

Markdown Editor and Reader4 screens
MDash4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: MDash at 80% against Markdown Editor and Reader's 15%. MDash also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 4 days vs fortnightly). Markdown Editor and Reader's advantage is monetization model (free vs freemium). On price and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Markdown Editor and Reader sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and MDash sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Markdown Editor and Reader ships an update fortnightly, MDash every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Markdown Editor and Reader versus MDash: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMarkdown Editor and ReaderMDash
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.2 (5 ratings) — better
Positive reviews15.4% of reviews80.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings—5 — better
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 4 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Watch, Vision Pro — better
Requires iOS26.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB65 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJulian LauArtur Gorbaczewski

Customer experience

Markdown Editor and Reader

Written reviews13 reviews
Positive15.4%
Neutral7.7%
Negative76.9%

MDash

All ratings5 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Markdown Editor and Reader

Subscriptions2
  • Markdown Editor Pro7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Markdown Editor Pro Yearly7 Days trial$17.991 Year
3 purchases

MDash

Subscriptions2
  • MDash Pro Monthly$1.991 Month
  • MDash Pro Yearly7 Days trial$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • MarkdownEditor Pro Lifetime$24.99

Questions

Is Markdown Editor and Reader free?
Markdown Editor and Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is MDash free?
MDash is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Markdown Editor and Reader or MDash have ads?
Markdown Editor and Reader shows ads; MDash does not.
Which is updated more often, Markdown Editor and Reader or MDash?
Markdown Editor and Reader ships an update fortnightly, and MDash every 4 days. Most recently, Markdown Editor and Reader was updated on November 3, 2026 and MDash on November 13, 2026.

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