Comparison

MarkView vs FocusDown

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

Head to head
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.

About

FocusDown

This app encourages users to put their phone down by using a face-down timer. It detects movement and tilting to remind you to stay focused until the session ends. Build better focus habits with dedicated sessions for studying, work, or reading.

Highlights
  • Face-down focus timer
  • Custom session duration
  • Movement and tilt reminders
  • Focus history tracking
  • Daily and weekly statistics
  • Achievement badges
Features
Read full description

FocusDown helps you put your phone down — literally. Start a focus session, place your iPhone face down on a flat surface, and stay away from distractions until the timer ends. Unlike a normal focus timer, FocusDown turns the simple act of flipping your phone over into a clear commitment. During a session, it helps detect movement, tilting, or picking up the phone and gives you a timely reminder so you can return to focus. Great for: * Studying * Deep work * Reading * Exam prep * Writing * Meetings * Phone-free breaks Main features: * Face-down focus timer * Custom session duration * Movement and tilt reminders * Focus history * Daily and weekly statistics * Achievement badges * Calm dark interface How it works: 1. Choose a focus duration. 2. Tap Start. 3. Place your iPhone face down on a flat surface. 4. Stay focused until the session ends. FocusDown does not block other apps. It helps you build a stronger focus habit by making your phone physically harder to pick up. Put your phone down. Stay with one thing. Build better focus, one session at a time. 1. This service is a subscription based paid service, which means you will prepay for future subscription usage. You can currently choose to use this service on a quarterly basis. At the end of each subscription period, your subscription will automatically renew by default, unless you cancel the automatic renewal yourself or we cancel the service. 2. Unsubscribe: To cancel the renewal, please cancel at least 24 hours in advance. You can unsubscribe by opening System Settings, clicking on Apple ID, clicking on Subscription, selecting Premium, and then unsubscribing. 3. Restore purchase: If you receive a prompt saying "You have already subscribed to this project" during the payment process and confirm that you have completed the purchase before, you can click "Restore Purchase" in the upper right corner to restore the purchase. Membership Service Agreement and Automatic Renewal Agreement: https://gcn1s2rmayw3.feishu.cn/wiki/YgqKwPdJmiH0ulkF92kco1CznCg?from=from_copylink Privacy Policy: txhttps://gcn1s2rmayw3.feishu.cn/wiki/SGBIwmUWCiPWoWktE5sclLRgnol?from=from_copylink

Screenshots

MarkView4 screens
FocusDown4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: FocusDown at Free against MarkView's $0.99. FocusDown also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 weeks). MarkView's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ratings volume (4 vs 1). On rating, review sentiment, 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

FocusDown is free to download; MarkView costs $0.99 up front. FocusDown sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. 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 MarkView against 5.0 for FocusDown. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 1 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MarkView ships an update every 3 weeks, FocusDown every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
MarkView versus FocusDown: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMarkViewFocusDown
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (4 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings4 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaid — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB26 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer迪 黎春城 贾

Customer experience

MarkView

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

FocusDown

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

MarkView

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

FocusDown

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Member$3.991 Month
  • Annual Member7 Days trial$12.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime$29.99

Questions

Is MarkView free?
MarkView costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is FocusDown free?
FocusDown is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, MarkView or FocusDown?
MarkView and FocusDown are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 4 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do MarkView or FocusDown have ads?
Neither MarkView nor FocusDown shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MarkView or FocusDown?
MarkView ships an update every 3 weeks, and FocusDown every 9 days. Most recently, MarkView was updated on October 15, 2026 and FocusDown on September 30, 2026.

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