MDash vs SoloMD
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
MDash
This app offers a live split-view editor for Markdown with real-time preview and syntax highlighting. It also supports Mermaid diagram rendering directly within documents, allowing for efficient text formatting and creation of visual aids.
- Live split-view Markdown editing
- Real-time preview with syntax highlighting
- Mermaid diagram rendering
- Export to MD, TXT, or PDF
- Auto-save functionality
- Dark mode support
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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/
SoloMD
A distraction-free Markdown editor for iPad, focusing on writing with live preview, rich syntax, and export options. Your notes are stored locally as plain text files.
- Distraction-free writing environment
- Live Markdown preview
- KaTeX math and Mermaid diagram support
- Multiple export formats (HTML, PDF, DOCX)
- File tree and outline view
- Focus and typewriter modes
- Split-view and multitasking support
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SoloMD is a lightweight, distraction-free Markdown editor for iPad. One file. One window. Just write. Built from the ground up as a focused writing tool - no account, no cloud, no telemetry, no subscription. Your notes stay in plain .md and .txt files on your iPad, readable by any editor on any platform, today and in ten years. CORE EDITING - Live preview - Markdown symbols fade out after the cursor leaves the line. - Rich syntax styling - real big headings, real bold, real monospace for code. - Light and Dark themes that follow iPad system appearance. - Multi-encoding - auto-detects UTF-8, UTF-16, GBK, Big5. - Tabs with dirty indicators. - File tree sidebar, outline view, and global search. MARKDOWN POWER - KaTeX math - inline and block math render instantly. - Mermaid diagrams - flowcharts, sequence diagrams, Gantt charts. - Task lists with clickable checkboxes. - Footnotes, YAML front-matter, text highlighting. - Syntax highlighting for 13 plus languages. - Synced split-pane scroll. - Tap an image or Mermaid diagram to open a pinch-zoomable overlay. BUILT FOR IPAD - 44 pt touch targets across toolbar, outline, and file tree. - Larger default font sizes tuned for iPad screen distance. - Split-view and multitasking friendly. - Works with hardware keyboards. - Portrait and landscape, every orientation. WRITER TOOLS - Focus mode - non-current paragraphs dim for deep work. - Typewriter mode. - Session restore - auto-saves so you never lose a line. - Chinese power tools - simplified/traditional conversion, pinyin, CJK word counts. - Spell check. - Custom CSS. EXPORT - HTML (newsletter quality) - PDF with KaTeX and Mermaid baked in - Word (.docx) with tables preserved - Copy as HTML, plain text, or Markdown PRIVACY FIRST SoloMD collects no personal data. No account. No analytics. No ads. No tracking. All your notes live locally in files you own. SoloMD is open source (MIT). Source: github.com/zhitongblog/solomd
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: MDash at 3.7 against SoloMD's 1.0. MDash also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly) and device support (6 vs 4). SoloMD's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
MDash holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 1 respectively.
MDash ships an update every 3 days, SoloMD weekly. Both last shipped on October 5, 2026.
| Parameter | MDash | SoloMD |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.7 (3 ratings) — better | 1.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 3 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 days — better | Weekly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Watch, Vision Pro — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 59 MB | 20 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Artur Gorbaczewski | 向东 李 |
Customer experience
MDash
SoloMD
In-app purchases
MDash
No in-app purchases
SoloMD
No in-app purchases









