Comparison

Marten vs Notedown

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

Head to head
About

Marten

Features
Read full description

Marten is a clean, distraction-free note app built for developers. Write in Markdown with syntax-highlighted code blocks, then turn any note into a project with just the tabs you need. Keep a plain note, or add API keys, secrets, passwords, social logins, links, references, and checklists. Each filled tab becomes an item, so one note holds everything about a project. FEATURES Markdown editor Fenced code blocks with an olive, editor-style highlight. Toggle a live preview anytime. Project tabs Note, List, API, Ref, Link, Secret, Password, and Social. Add only the tabs you want with a tap. Secrets vault Store API keys, passwords, and accounts with masked fields and a quick reveal. Checklists Reminders-style lists with tap-to-complete items. Tags and search Organize with #hashtags and find anything instantly with full-text search. Sync, your way Local-first storage that works offline, with optional cloud sync across your devices. Turn sync on or off whenever you want. Built for every screen A native app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac, with an adaptive three-column layout on iPad and Mac. Light and dark themes. Private by design Your notes are yours. No ads, no tracking, and you can delete your account and all data from inside the app at any time. Marketing URL: https://marten.kodefoundry.com Privacy Policy URL: https://marten.kodefoundry.com/privacy

About

Notedown

Features
Read full description

Notedown is a featherweight markdown notes app for people who just want to write. No accounts, no sync, no clutter โ€” every note is saved as a plain .md text file on your device and never leaves it. WRITE IN MARKDOWN Use familiar markdown to structure your thoughts: headings, bold and italic, bulleted lists, checkboxes, quotes, code, and links. A one-tap formatting toolbar inserts the syntax for you, so you never have to remember it. EDIT OR PREVIEW Flip between a distraction-free editor and a clean rendered preview with a single tap. See exactly how your note looks, then jump back to writing. FULLY OFFLINE, FULLY YOURS Your notes are stored as standard markdown files in the app's own folder on your device. There is no cloud, no login, and nothing to set up. What you write stays with you. FIND ANYTHING FAST Search across all of your notes instantly. The list keeps your most recently edited notes at the top. SHARE WHEN YOU WANT Export any note as markdown text through the standard share sheet. SIMPLE BY DESIGN - Light and dark themes - English and Japanese - Portrait, one-handed friendly layout - Free to use (contains ads) Notedown is the calm, lightweight alternative to heavy note apps โ€” just markdown, and nothing in your way.

Screenshots

Marten4 screens
Notedown4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is device support: Marten at 3 against Notedown's 1. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Marten ships an update weekly, Notedown every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference ยท 5 level
Marten versus Notedown: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMartenNotedown
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 4 days โ€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac โ€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size15 MB24 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developerjoseph hamawiYuki Okawa

In-app purchases

None

Marten

No in-app purchases

None

Notedown

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Marten free?
Marten is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Notedown free?
Notedown is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Marten or Notedown have ads?
Neither Marten nor Notedown shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Marten or Notedown?
Marten ships an update weekly, and Notedown every 4 days. Most recently, Marten was updated on September 10, 2026 and Notedown on September 23, 2026.

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