Quick Markdown Viewer vs SoloMD
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Quick Markdown Viewer
This app provides a fast, local-first reader for Markdown folders, documentation packets, and media-rich notes across Mac, iPhone, and iPad. It allows opening local files or public GitHub repositories without requiring an account, subscription, or tracking.
- Open local folders and browse Markdown, CSV, TSV files
- Open JSON, JSONC, NDJSON, JSONL files
- Read JSON-family code blocks within Markdown
- Search current or all open documents
- Native rendering for Markdown elements and Mermaid diagrams
- Open public GitHub repository URLs
- macOS Quick Look extension and command-line launcher
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Quick Markdown Viewer is a local-first reader for Markdown folders, documentation packets, CSV/TSV tables, and media-rich notes on Mac, iPhone, and iPad. Open a folder of files you already have, or open a public GitHub repository URL when you need to inspect remote docs. The app keeps reading fast and direct: no account, no subscription, no in-app purchase, and no tracking layer. Features: - Open local folders and browse Markdown, CSV, and TSV files in a file sidebar - Open JSON, JSONC, NDJSON, and JSONL files with collapsible structured rows - Read JSON-family fenced code blocks inside Markdown without switching apps - Expand and collapse folders, filter large file trees, and use keyboard navigation on macOS - Search the current document with Command-F or all open documents with Command-Shift-F - Click search results in the sidebar to jump to matches highlighted in the document - Read Markdown with native rendering for headings, lists, tables, code blocks, links, images, GIFs, and local video - Render Mermaid diagrams natively, then zoom and pan diagram previews - Detach Mermaid diagram previews into resizable macOS windows - Open a document outline, jump to headings, and track the current section while reading - Open CSV and TSV files as native tables with controls for wrapping and sizing - Preview linked media without converting your Markdown files - Print the current document or assemble a cancellable background Print All packet - Preview Markdown from Finder with the macOS Quick Look extension - Install the optional `qmv` command-line launcher on macOS and open supported files directly from Terminal - Open public GitHub repository and repository tree URLs, including branch and tag paths - Hide dependency and vendor folders with editable ignore patterns per window - Navigate between files with back and forward history - Adjust viewer font size for comfortable reading Quick Markdown Viewer is designed to stay lightweight and direct: - no account required - no subscription - no in-app purchase - no tracking - no web view renderer
SoloMD
A fast, distraction-free Markdown editor for creating and managing plain text notes. Offers live editing, advanced formatting, and export options for various document types. Designed for privacy with no accounts or tracking.
- Live Markdown editing
- Focus and typewriter modes
- KaTeX math and Mermaid diagrams
- Export to PDF, Word, HTML
- Syntax highlighting for 13+ languages
- Split view and keyboard shortcuts
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SoloMD is a calm, fast Markdown editor for iPhone and iPad. Open the app and you are writing — no account, no sign-up, no subscription. Your notes are plain .md and .txt files. Keep them in SoloMD's folder in the Files app, or open a folder you already use, and edit the files right where they are. Any editor on any device can read them, today and in ten years. WRITING FIRST - Live editing: Markdown marks step aside once the cursor leaves the line, so you see the document, not the syntax. - Real typography: big headings, true bold, monospaced code, comfortable line length. - Focus mode dims everything but the paragraph you are in; typewriter mode keeps your line at eye level. - A formatting bubble appears over selected text; a keyboard bar puts headings, lists, links and code one tap away. - Find and replace with match case, whole word and regular expressions. - Light and dark themes that follow the system. ON IPHONE - A notes home screen, search and a new-note button within thumb's reach. - Full-screen editor with a simple navigation bar. ON IPAD - Sidebar with your folders and notes, tabs, and an outline of the current document. - Split view and Slide Over friendly; works with hardware keyboards and ⌘ shortcuts. MARKDOWN THAT GOES FURTHER - KaTeX math, inline and display. - Mermaid flowcharts, sequence diagrams and Gantt charts. - Tables, task lists with tappable checkboxes, footnotes, front matter, highlights. - Syntax highlighting for 13+ languages. - Tap an image or diagram to view it full screen with pinch-zoom. - Fold headings to see the shape of a long document. FOR CHINESE WRITERS - Simplified ↔ Traditional conversion, pinyin, and CJK-aware word counts. - Chinese proofreading for half-width punctuation and common slips. - Opens UTF-8, UTF-16, GBK and Big5 files correctly. EXPORT AND SHARE - PDF with math and diagrams rendered. - Word (.docx) with tables kept. - HTML, or copy as HTML, plain text or Markdown. PRIVATE BY DESIGN SoloMD collects no data. No account, no analytics, no ads, no tracking. Your notes stay in files you own. SoloMD is open source under the MIT license: github.com/zhitongblog/solomd 100% FREE FOREVER & SUPPORTER BADGE Every feature in SoloMD is 100% free forever — no paywalls, no subscriptions, and no locked features. Optional one-time In-App Purchases (Buy a Coffee / Buy a Lunch / Generous Support) are purely voluntary tips to support independent open-source development, and permanently unlock the exclusive "Supporter" badge in Settings and About.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Quick Markdown Viewer at 5.0 against SoloMD's 1.0. Quick Markdown Viewer also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3). SoloMD's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 weeks) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, ratings volume, ads 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
Both are free to download. SoloMD sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Quick Markdown Viewer asks for nothing beyond the download.
Quick Markdown Viewer holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.
Quick Markdown Viewer ships an update every 3 weeks, SoloMD every 2 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.
| Parameter | Quick Markdown Viewer | SoloMD |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | 1.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 29 MB | 23 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Sous Chef Studio, Inc. | 向东 李 |
Customer experience
Quick Markdown Viewer
SoloMD
In-app purchases
Quick Markdown Viewer
No in-app purchases
SoloMD
- Buy a Coffee$0.99
- Buy a Lunch$2.99
- Generous Support$9.99







