# LightCal² vs MarkView

The clearest difference is price: LightCal² at Free against MarkView's $0.99. MarkView's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and review sentiment (100% vs 67%). On update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

LightCal² is free to download; MarkView costs $0.99 up front. LightCal² sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. MarkView asks for nothing beyond the download.

LightCal² ships an update fortnightly, MarkView every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LightCal² | MarkView |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/markview-a-markdown-viewer/id6781754238/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **3** |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 85 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Qingyun Software Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/1513505692) | [迪 黎](https://appshunter.io/developer/1471076179) |

## What reviewers say

### LightCal²

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightcal-calendar/id6758233602)

This minimalist calendar app helps you manage your schedule and visualize important dates. It offers countdowns to future events and the ability to add special markers to specific days, bringing a sense of ritual to your time.

**Highlights:** Countdown to future events, Count up from past events, Date badges for special days, Detailed date information, Schedule management, Minimalist design

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Annual | $1.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $4.99 | one-time |


### MarkView

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/markview-a-markdown-viewer/id6781754238)

A lightweight and private Markdown reader for Apple devices. It focuses on a clean reading experience, fast loading, and robust privacy by processing all documents locally. Enjoy features like dark/light modes, table of contents, and full-text search.

**Highlights:** Lightweight and fast loading, Local processing for privacy, Dark and light modes, Table of contents and search, Supports Mermaid charts and math formulas, Read-only design

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LightCal² free?

LightCal² is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is MarkView free?

MarkView costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do LightCal² or MarkView have ads?

Neither LightCal² nor MarkView shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, LightCal² or MarkView?

LightCal² ships an update fortnightly, and MarkView every 3 weeks. Most recently, LightCal² was updated on September 26, 2026 and MarkView on September 21, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*