Comparison

Private Writer Markdown Editor vs MarkView

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

Head to head
About

Private Writer Markdown Editor

A fast, distraction-free writing application focused on privacy and security. It offers a clean interface for writing in Markdown or plain text with live formatting and auto-save. All your notes are stored locally and can be locked with a PIN.

Highlights
  • Markdown and plain text writing
  • Live formatting
  • Auto-save
  • Local data storage
  • PIN app lock
  • PDF export
  • Search and pin notes
Features
Read full description

▶ Private Writer – Write. Lock. Own your notes. ▶ Private Writer is a fast, distraction-free writing app built for people who care about privacy and focus. ▶ No account. No cloud. No tracking. Just write. ▶ Fast & Clean Writing ▷ Write in Markdown or plain text ▷ Live formatting while you type ▷ Smooth, lag-free editing ▷ Auto-save instantly — never lose your work ▶ Beautiful Preview ▷ Switch to a clean full preview ▷ Perfect for reading and reviewing ▷ Distraction-free layout ▶ Stay Organized ▷ Search by title and content ▷ Pin important notes ▷ Find everything instantly ▶ Private by Default ▷ Lock app with a 6-digit PIN ▷ All data stored locally ▷ No account • No cloud • No tracking ▶ Export Anytime ▷ Export notes as clean PDF ▷ Share or save anywhere ▶ Built for Focus Private Writer removes everything you don’t need. • No setup • No clutter • No distractions Just a calm space to think and write. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

MarkView

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
Read full description

MarkView is a lightweight, clutter-free Markdown viewer, built for fast, private, local document reading. Open Markdown notes, READMEs, exported files and long .md documents effortlessly on iPhone and iPad. It strips away cumbersome project-management logic — simply open, read, and revisit your files anytime. Import and open files directly from the Files app or the system Share Sheet. No account sign-up, no cloud uploads — all your files stay local and private on your device. Core Features • Lightweight & Minimal Fast file loading and a clean, distraction-free reading interface, with no redundant toolbars or complicated setup. • Private Local Reading Every file renders locally on your device. No sign-ins, no cloud uploads — your document privacy is fully protected. • Optimized Reading Experience Elegant typography, adaptive light/dark modes, a table of contents, in-file search and progress tracking deliver comfortable reading even for long documents. • Full Format & System Support Supports all mainstream Markdown formats, native Files and Share Sheet access, plus quick revisit through recent documents. • Rich Rendering & Safe Read-Only Faithfully renders tables, code blocks, Mermaid diagrams, math formulas and more. Pure read-only mode never modifies your original files. If you're looking for a lightweight, elegant, privacy-focused Markdown viewer that respects your local files, MarkView is your ideal choice.

Screenshots

Private Writer Markdown Editor4 screens
MarkView4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Private Writer Markdown Editor at Free against MarkView's $0.99. Private Writer Markdown Editor also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 3 weeks). MarkView's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On rating, ratings volume, ads and device support 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

Private Writer Markdown Editor is free to download; MarkView costs $0.99 up front. Private Writer Markdown Editor sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. MarkView asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Private Writer Markdown Editor ships an update daily, MarkView every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Private Writer Markdown Editor versus MarkView: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPrivate Writer Markdown EditorMarkView
PriceFree — better$0.99
Rating5.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings24 — better
Update frequencyDaily — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB28 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHai Nam Trinh迪 黎

Customer experience

Private Writer Markdown Editor

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

MarkView

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Private Writer Markdown Editor

One-time1
  • Unlock Premium$1.99
None

MarkView

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Private Writer Markdown Editor free?
Private Writer Markdown Editor is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is MarkView free?
MarkView costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Private Writer Markdown Editor or MarkView?
Private Writer Markdown Editor and MarkView are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 4 ratings respectively.
Do Private Writer Markdown Editor or MarkView have ads?
Neither Private Writer Markdown Editor nor MarkView shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Private Writer Markdown Editor or MarkView?
Private Writer Markdown Editor ships an update daily, and MarkView every 3 weeks. Most recently, Private Writer Markdown Editor was updated on September 29, 2026 and MarkView on September 30, 2026.

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