Comparison

Embark Reader vs Markdown Preview

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

Head to head
About

Embark Reader

Organize and track research papers from arXiv. Browse daily updates, mark papers as read, download PDFs for offline access, and manage your reading list with folders. It also tracks linked GitHub repositories and imports browser tabs.

Highlights
  • Browse daily arXiv paper drops
  • Mark papers as read
  • Download PDFs for offline reading
  • Organize papers with folders
  • Track linked GitHub repos
  • Import Chrome tabs
Features
Read full description

Read, organize, and track arXiv research papers. If you're drowning in browser tabs full of papers you'll "read later," this is for you. Browse daily arXiv paper drops by category, mark papers as read, download PDFs for offline reading, and organize everything with folders. Finally bring order to your research reading list. Track GitHub repos linked to papers to see when "code coming soon" actually ships. Import your existing Chrome tabs to escape tab bankruptcy, search arXiv directly from the app. Download the app for desktop too. Thank you to arXiv for use of its open access interoperability. Embark Reader was not reviewed or approved by, nor does it necessarily express or reflect the policies or opinions of, arXiv.

About

Markdown Preview

Features
Read full description

Open a .md file on your iPhone and actually see it — rendered, not raw. MarkdownPrev is a Markdown editor with live preview: type on one side, watch headings, lists, code blocks and links turn into a clean, readable page on the other. Most notes apps hide Markdown behind their own format. MarkdownPrev works with plain .md the way it lives on disk: import a README, edit it in real syntax, check the result in split view, and send back a proper .md or a standalone HTML file — nothing locked into a proprietary library. WHAT YOU GET • A README you fixed on the train, previewed in split view and exported back before your laptop even opens • Every heading, list, blockquote and fenced code block rendered live as you type • A snippet library that keeps your recurring blocks — meeting template, changelog stub, doc skeleton — one tap away • Automatic restore points after every writing pause, so an over-eager rewrite is a two-tap undo • One tap turns any note into a standalone, styled HTML page ready to send • A built-in cheat sheet showing the exact syntax the preview renders — no guessing PERFECT FOR • Developers reviewing and editing README and docs files away from their desk • Technical writers who need to verify rendering before pushing a commit • Students and bloggers drafting posts in plain Markdown • Anyone tired of emailing themselves .md files just to read them formatted WHY NOT JUST A NOTES APP? Bear and Obsidian are great vaults — but they wrap your writing in their own database. MarkdownPrev is deliberately smaller: real .md in, real .md (or HTML) out, with a live split preview built for checking exactly what a file will look like. No vault, no sync setup, no lock-in. PRIVATE BY DEFAULT Your files never leave your iPhone. Everything is stored locally — no account, no tracking, no server reading your drafts. FULL ACCESS MarkdownPrev requires Full Access, available as a weekly or yearly auto-renewing subscription, or a one-time lifetime purchase. Full Access unlocks the complete app: unlimited snippets, the split-view editor, version restore points, and .md / HTML export. Download MarkdownPrev and preview your first .md file within the minute. Terms of Use: https://leanstudio.asia/terms-of-use Privacy Policy: https://leanstudio.asia/privacy-policy Support: support@leanstudio.asia

Screenshots

Embark Reader3 screens
Markdown Preview4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is device support: Embark Reader at 3 against Markdown Preview's 1. On price, ads, in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Embark Reader versus Markdown Preview: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEmbark ReaderMarkdown Preview
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequency—Every 4 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.217.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size94 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLaan LabsLEAN ASIA CO., LTD

In-app purchases

None

Embark Reader

No in-app purchases

None

Markdown Preview

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Embark Reader free?
Embark Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Markdown Preview free?
Markdown Preview is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Embark Reader or Markdown Preview have ads?
Neither Embark Reader nor Markdown Preview shows ads.

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