Comparison

Markflow vs MDer

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

Head to head
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

About

MDer

Features
Read full description

Give your Markdown files a calm, native home on iPhone and iPad. MDer brings together a document library, a focused editor, and a dedicated reading experience. ORGANIZE YOUR LIBRARY Search titles and document contents. Sort your library, use collection filters, mark favorites, and pin notes. Start with a template, duplicate a document, or restore a note from Recently Deleted. WRITE WITH FOCUS Apply Markdown formatting at the cursor or to selected text. Use native undo and redo, Find, and hardware keyboard shortcuts. Live word and character counts, estimated reading time, and automatic local saving help you keep writing. Clear save status and retry controls let you respond if a save fails. READ COMFORTABLY Enjoy serif typography, comfortable line lengths, adjustable text size, and Paper, Sepia, or Night themes. Read headings, nested lists, checklists, tables, quotes, code blocks, and reference links. Navigate with the heading outline and return to your saved reading position. Long code blocks scroll horizontally and can be copied. External images appear as placeholders rather than loading automatically. OPEN FILES, KEEP CONTROL • Import Markdown and plain-text files, including multiple files at once • Open Markdown documents from Files • Export and share standard Markdown through the iOS share sheet • Recover notes from Recently Deleted before permanent removal • Keep document content locally without creating an account • Use layouts that adapt to iPhone, iPad, larger text, and the software keyboard PRIVATE DOCUMENTS MDer does not include an AI service and does not send document titles or content to AI providers. Documents are stored on your device. You choose when to export or share them. MDer Pro is ad-free. MDer Free displays a Google AdMob banner and hides it while the software keyboard is open. Advertising privacy options are available when required. Advertising data is handled separately from document content; details appear in the App Store privacy label and privacy policy.

Screenshots

Markflow4 screens
MDer3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Markflow at none against MDer's shown. MDer's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases 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

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Markflow ships an update fortnightly, MDer every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Markflow versus MDer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMarkflowMDer
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSantiago Alonso Alexandre福恩 毛

In-app purchases

None

Markflow

No in-app purchases

None

MDer

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Markflow free?
Markflow is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is MDer free?
MDer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Markflow or MDer have ads?
MDer shows ads; Markflow does not.
Which is updated more often, Markflow or MDer?
Markflow ships an update fortnightly, and MDer every 2 weeks. Most recently, Markflow was updated on September 30, 2026 and MDer on September 21, 2026.

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