Comparison

Notelane vs Markflow

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

Head to head
About

Notelane

This app allows you to write and edit notes using markdown with live formatting. It stores your notes as standard .md files in any folder you choose, including cloud storage, and offers features like wikilinks, tags, revision history, and note statistics.

Highlights
  • Live markdown rendering
  • Supports local and cloud storage
  • Wikilinks for note connection
  • Tag-based organization
  • Revision history
  • PDF export
  • Note statistics
Features
Read full description

Write in markdown and see your formatting come to life as you type — headings, bold, italic, links, code blocks, checklists, and more — all rendered inline. Your files. Your folders. Your way. Notelane works directly with the files on your device. On first launch, pick any folder — local storage, iCloud Drive, Dropbox, or any connected cloud provider visible in the Files app. Your notes stay as standard .md files, fully portable and never locked in. Write with clarity A distraction-free editor with live formatting that renders your markdown as you type. No toggle between "edit" and "preview" — just write. Store notes anywhere Pick any folder on your device or in the cloud. Notelane works with iCloud Drive, Google Drive, Dropbox, or any storage provider visible in the Files app. Connect your thinking Link notes together with [[wikilinks]] and organize with #tags to build your own personal knowledge base — no complex setup required. Stay in control Revision history lets you restore previous versions of any note. PDF export and sharing are built in. A trash bin keeps deleted notes recoverable. Organize your way Nested folders, pinning, and tag-based filtering keep everything tidy. A clean sidebar puts your entire library one tap away. Note statistics Word count, character count, paragraphs, and estimated reading time — always available at a glance. Your writing deserves a home that respects simplicity. Notelane is that home.

About

Markflow

This app allows you to open and read markdown files from various sources like Files, Mail, and Safari. It supports GitHub-flavored markdown, code syntax highlighting, and diagrams, with an integrated editor and a clean preview mode.

Highlights
  • Open .md, .markdown, .mdown files
  • GitHub-flavored markdown rendering
  • Syntax-highlighted code blocks
  • Mermaid diagram support
  • Markdown editing toolbar
  • Pinch to zoom
  • Export edited files
Read full description

The markdown reader you've been missing. Markflow opens .md files from Files, Mail, Safari downloads, or the share sheet and renders them properly. GitHub-flavored markdown, syntax-highlighted code, mermaid diagrams, tables, task lists, and more. Originals are never touched. Edits live in memory until you explicitly Save, Save as New File, or Share a copy. WHAT YOU CAN DO • Open any .md, .markdown, or .mdown file from any app • Read with a clean, native preview • Edit with a markdown toolbar above the keyboard. Bold, italic, headings, lists, links, images, code, quotes, all one tap away. • Pinch to zoom in both Preview and Edit • Export an edited copy via the system share sheet • Tap Create to start a new blank file, or "Welcome to Markflow" for a full feature tour WHAT IT RENDERS • Headings, lists, blockquotes, links, images • Syntax-highlighted code blocks • Mermaid flowcharts and diagrams • GitHub-flavored markdown tables • Task lists with checkboxes • Inline images (absolute URLs) PRIVACY Markflow makes zero network requests and collects zero data. No accounts. No login. No analytics. No tracking. No ads. The renderer is a sandboxed local file with a Content Security Policy that blocks all remote resources. Your files stay on your device. DESIGN Built native with SwiftUI and the Liquid Glass nav bar. Light and dark mode. Adaptive home screen. Stock Apple Human Interface Guidelines throughout. WHO IT'S FOR • Writers who keep notes in markdown • Developers reading READMEs and docs on the go • Anyone who's been emailed a .md and had nowhere to open it • People who want a markdown reader that does one thing well Open source. MIT licensed. github.com/madebysan/markflow

Screenshots

Notelane4 screens
Markflow4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Notelane at 18.0 against Markflow's 26.0. On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Notelane against 5.0 for Markflow. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 2 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Notelane ships an update every 2 weeks, Markflow fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and July 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Notelane versus Markflow: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotelaneMarkflow
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (4 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size19 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAsterios Digital GmbHSantiago Alonso Alexandre

Customer experience

Notelane

Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Markflow

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Notelane

No in-app purchases

None

Markflow

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Notelane free?
Notelane is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Markflow free?
Markflow is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Notelane or Markflow?
Notelane and Markflow are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 4 and 2 ratings respectively.
Do Notelane or Markflow have ads?
Neither Notelane nor Markflow shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Notelane or Markflow?
Notelane ships an update every 2 weeks, and Markflow fortnightly. Most recently, Notelane was updated on September 14, 2026 and Markflow on July 7, 2026.

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