Comparison

Etched vs mdReview

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

Head to head
About

Etched

Features
Read full description

Stop losing your own notes. Etched finds what you wrote by meaning — not just by keyword. Ask for "the note about slowing down to think" and it surfaces, even if those exact words were never written. Everything runs on your device. Write in plain markdown and watch it render as you type — no symbols, no preview pane, no modes. What you see is the file. Your notes stay portable .md, yours forever. FREE, and complete: • On-device semantic search — find notes by meaning • Live WYSIWYG markdown — bold, headings, lists, quotes, code • Tables, callouts, code blocks, footnotes, highlights, links • iCloud sync across your devices • Export to .md (raw or with rendered images), PDF, plain text ETCHED PRO — one-time purchase, yours forever: • Flashcards + spaced repetition — turn notes into memory • Diagrams from plain text (flowcharts, sequences, mind maps) • Typeset math and chemistry (LaTeX) • Charts from a few rows of data • Sheet music from ABC notation • Handwriting / sketches • Present mode — turn a note into full-screen slides • Per-note themes Reading every format is always free — Pro unlocks creating them. No subscription, ever. Pay once and keep it. Coming from Apple Notes, Obsidian, or Bear? Your markdown imports as plain .md, and you finally get search that finds notes by meaning — privately, with no account. Private by design: your notes never leave your devices except through your own iCloud. No account, no tracking, no ads. Your notes, etched in memory. — Made by Hyojin Mo. Support: support@vibeland.app

About

mdReview

Features
Read full description

mdReview is an open-source, completely free Markdown editor designed specifically for reviewing documents on the go. Features: • Sticky Notes: Easily add comments and notes to your Markdown files. • CriticMarkup Support: Visually display and edit text using CriticMarkup syntax. • Mermaid Diagrams: Render Mermaid charts seamlessly within your documents. • Cross-Platform: Designed for a smooth mobile experience. • Dark Mode & Custom Themes: Beautiful UI that adapts to your preferences. • Share Sheet Integration: Import text or Markdown files directly from other apps.

Screenshots

Etched4 screens
mdReview4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: mdReview at none against Etched's 1. Etched's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. Etched sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. mdReview asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences Ā· 4 level
Etched versus mdReview: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEtchedmdReview
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 days—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.016.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size87 MB65 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSoyeon NohJun Kawabata

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Etched

One-time1
  • Etched Pro$14.99
None

mdReview

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Etched free?
Etched is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is mdReview free?
mdReview is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Etched or mdReview have ads?
Neither Etched nor mdReview shows ads.

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