Comparison

Daily Markdown vs Etched

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

Head to head
About

Daily Markdown

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Daily Markdown is a minimalist journaling app designed for one simple purpose: write every day. SIMPLE BY DESIGN One note per day. No folders, no tags, no complexity. Just open the app and start writing. Yesterday's notes become read-only, keeping you focused on today. MULTIPLE TABS Organize each day with separate tabs - To-Do, Notes, Ideas. Create custom tabs on-the-fly to structure your thoughts however you like. MARKDOWN, YOUR WAY Write in familiar Markdown – bold, italic, headers, lists, checkboxes, and code blocks. Switch between Rich and Plain mode with a single click: Rich renders headings, emphasis, and lists as you type for distraction-free reading; Plain shows every Markdown character for precise editing. Your files stay plain .md either way. FOCUS MODE Hide distractions and enter a clean, minimal writing environment. Just you and your words. EVERYWHERE YOU ARE Available on Mac, iPhone, and iPad. Your notes sync automatically via iCloud across all your devices. Start on your Mac, continue on your iPhone, finish on your iPad. FEATURES • One note per day format • Multiple tabs per day • Rich and Plain Markdown modes with live syntax highlighting • Distraction-free focus mode • Pin important notes for quick access • Full-text search across all notes • iCloud sync across Mac, iPhone, and iPad • Light, dark, and auto themes • Multiple accent colors • Daily task templates • Word and character count • Keyboard shortcuts Daily Markdown respects your privacy. Your notes stay on your devices and in your personal iCloud. We never see your data. Start your daily writing habit today.

About

Etched

Features
Read full description

Stop losing your own notes. Etched finds what you wrote by meaning — not just by keyword. Ask for "the note about slowing down to think" and it surfaces, even if those exact words were never written. Everything runs on your device. Write in plain markdown and watch it render as you type — no symbols, no preview pane, no modes. What you see is the file. Your notes stay portable .md, yours forever. FREE, and complete: • On-device semantic search — find notes by meaning • Live WYSIWYG markdown — bold, headings, lists, quotes, code • Tables, callouts, code blocks, footnotes, highlights, links • iCloud sync across your devices • Export to .md (raw or with rendered images), PDF, plain text ETCHED PRO — one-time purchase, yours forever: • Flashcards + spaced repetition — turn notes into memory • Diagrams from plain text (flowcharts, sequences, mind maps) • Typeset math and chemistry (LaTeX) • Charts from a few rows of data • Sheet music from ABC notation • Handwriting / sketches • Present mode — turn a note into full-screen slides • Per-note themes Reading every format is always free — Pro unlocks creating them. No subscription, ever. Pay once and keep it. Coming from Apple Notes, Obsidian, or Bear? Your markdown imports as plain .md, and you finally get search that finds notes by meaning — privately, with no account. Private by design: your notes never leave your devices except through your own iCloud. No account, no tracking, no ads. Your notes, etched in memory. — Made by Hyojin Mo. Support: support@vibeland.app

Screenshots

Daily Markdown2 screens
Etched4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Daily Markdown at none against Etched's 1. Etched's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 5 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. Etched sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Daily Markdown asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Daily Markdown ships an update every 5 months, Etched every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences Ā· 4 level
Daily Markdown versus Etched: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDaily MarkdownEtched
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS17.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB87 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperValters GrisansSoyeon Noh

In-app purchases

None

Daily Markdown

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Etched

One-time1
  • Etched Pro$14.99

Questions

Is Daily Markdown free?
Daily Markdown is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Etched free?
Etched is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Daily Markdown or Etched have ads?
Neither Daily Markdown nor Etched shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Daily Markdown or Etched?
Daily Markdown ships an update every 5 months, and Etched every 2 days. Most recently, Daily Markdown was updated on September 22, 2026 and Etched on September 23, 2026.

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