Comparison

Merkdown vs Marklens

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

Head to head
About

Merkdown

Features
Read full description

Merkdown is a clean, powerful Markdown editor with built-in Mermaid diagram support and AI-powered content generation. Write and preview Markdown in real time, create beautiful diagrams, and let AI help you generate content — all in one app. KEY FEATURES Markdown Editor Write Markdown with a clean, distraction-free editor. Switch between Edit and Preview tabs instantly. Autosave keeps your work safe. Mermaid Diagrams Create flowcharts, sequence diagrams, class diagrams, state diagrams, ER diagrams, Gantt charts, pie charts, mindmaps, timelines, and more — 14 diagram types rendered right in the preview. AI Content Generation Let AI write Markdown and Mermaid diagrams for you. Describe what you need, choose a diagram type, and generate content instantly. Powered by advanced AI technology. Share & Export Export your work as Markdown (.md), HTML (.html), or Image (.png). Share with anyone directly from the app. HIGHLIGHTS - Real-time Markdown preview - 14 Mermaid diagram types supported - AI-powered Markdown and diagram generation - Export as Markdown, HTML, or PNG image - Open .md files from other apps - Dark mode support - Autosave option - Available in 8 languages - Free to use (watch ads for AI coins) Write it down. Mermaid it out. Merkdown.

About

Marklens

This app is a fast, native Markdown viewer for macOS, iPadOS, and iPhone. It renders .md files instantly with beautiful typography, themes, syntax highlighting, and diagrams. Designed for reading, it offers a private and friction-free experience.

Highlights
  • Instant Markdown rendering
  • Syntax highlighting for 30+ languages
  • Mermaid diagram support
  • GitHub-Flavored Markdown
  • Light and dark themes
  • Export to PDF
  • Quick Look preview on macOS
Features
Read full description

Marklens is a fast, native Markdown viewer for macOS, iPadOS, and iPhone. Open any .md file with a click and see it rendered immediately — beautiful typography, light and dark themes, syntax-highlighted code, and Mermaid diagrams. No editor, no library, no friction. HIGHLIGHTS • Instant render — every .md opens in a clean, focused window • 30+ language syntax highlighting via highlight.js, bundled offline • Mermaid 11 diagrams — flowcharts, sequence, state, xy-charts and more • GitHub-Flavored Markdown — tables, task lists, footnotes, strikethrough • Light and dark theme matching the system appearance • Quick Look on macOS — press Space on any .md in Finder for a rendered preview • Export to PDF on every platform • Pinch-to-zoom on iPadOS and iPhone, ⌘+ / ⌘− / ⌘0 on macOS • Open files via drag-and-drop, the Share Sheet, or the Files app MADE FOR READING Marklens doesn't try to be a notes app or a knowledge base. It opens a file, renders it perfectly, and gets out of the way. If you write Markdown in another tool — VS Code, Obsidian, GitHub, your favorite text editor — Marklens is the viewer you reach for to look at the result. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Marklens collects nothing. No analytics, no telemetry, no crash reports, no network requests. Every rendering asset — Mermaid, highlight.js, fonts — ships inside the app. Read the full privacy policy at https://donald-jackson.github.io/marklens/privacy/ OPEN SOURCE Marklens is MIT-licensed and developed in the open. Source, issues, and contribution guide live at https://github.com/donald-jackson/marklens.

Screenshots

Merkdown4 screens
Marklens3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Marklens at none against Merkdown's shown. Marklens also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months) and device support (3 vs 1). Merkdown's advantage is iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Merkdown ships an update every 3 months, Marklens monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 13, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Merkdown versus Marklens: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMerkdownMarklens
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsMonthly — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS16.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size33 MB4 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperHYUNWOO LEEDonald Jackson

In-app purchases

None

Merkdown

No in-app purchases

None

Marklens

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Merkdown free?
Merkdown is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Marklens free?
Marklens is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Merkdown or Marklens have ads?
Merkdown shows ads; Marklens does not.
Which is updated more often, Merkdown or Marklens?
Merkdown ships an update every 3 months, and Marklens monthly. Most recently, Merkdown was updated on September 13, 2026 and Marklens on September 19, 2026.

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