Comparison

MarkWrite vs Thread to Self

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

Head to head
About

MarkWrite

Features
Read full description

WYSIWYG Markdown editor that allows embedding pictures and natural language mathematics. MarkWrite is a fast, focused Markdown editor for Mac, iPad and iPhone. Your writing formats itself as you type — headings, bold, lists, quotes, tables and code appear the moment you write them, while the Markdown syntax stays visible only on the line you are editing. Nothing to toggle, no split screen required. EMBED IMAGES, NOT LINKS Drag a picture into your document and it is really there. Grab its corner to resize it and MarkWrite writes the new size back into the Markdown for you. Text and images are saved together in one self-contained document you can move, rename, duplicate or send without leaving a single broken link behind. Images can be embedded in any of the common formats: VS Code, Pandoc or HTML. WRITE EQUATIONS BY DESCRIBING THEM Say what you mean: "x equals minus b, plus or minus the square root of b squared minus four a c, all over two a." MarkWrite turns that sentence into a properly typeset formula. There is no LaTeX to memorise — though you can type LaTeX directly whenever you would rather. Powered by on-device Apple Intelligence; requires a supported device. ALSO • Tables that line up in the editor, not only in the preview • Live preview that follows your cursor, side by side or full width • Themes: fonts, colours, spacing, line height, list spacing — saved as presets • Callouts, footnotes, highlights, code blocks and inline code • Export to PDF or print, with your theme applied • Open a whole folder in tabs and work across files • Find and replace, including regular expressions STILL JUST MARKDOWN MarkWrite writes ordinary .md files. Nothing is trapped in a proprietary format, nothing is locked in a cloud, and nothing you have written is ever held behind a subscription. Open your work in any other editor, any time, or share it with anyone and they will be able to open it with any Markdown viewer, including the embedded images. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Thread to Self

Features
Read full description

Thread to Self is a private message thread with yourself. Capture a thought, observation, idea, or memory, then move on with your day. Everything lives in one continuous stream, arranged from oldest to newest. When you want to revisit something, jump directly to a month and year. Thread to Self is intentionally simple: • No AI • No ads • No account, nothing to sign up for • No social features • No folders, tags, or filters • Text only, no photos or attachments • No editing after you send • Messages can be deleted, but never changed Your messages are stored on your iPhone and synchronized through your private iCloud account. Export your thread as text whenever you choose. Optional weekly or monthly reminders are quiet and simple. No streaks, badges, or guilt. Try Thread to Self free for 30 days. After the trial, unlock writing permanently with a one-time $4.99 purchase. No subscription. Your messages are always yours to read and export, whether or not you buy.

Screenshots

MarkWrite3 screens
Thread to Self3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is device support: MarkWrite at 3 against Thread to Self's 1. Thread to Self's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.4). On price, ads and in-app purchases 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. MarkWrite sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per year and Thread to Self sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scorecard2 real differences Ā· 4 level
MarkWrite versus Thread to Self: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMarkWriteThread to Self
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyMonthly—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone
Requires iOS26.417.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size16 MB2 MB
Age rating+44+
DeveloperGuy ShavivYou-R-Here LLC

In-app purchases

1 purchases

MarkWrite

Subscriptions1
  • MarkWrite Pro$9.991 Year
1 purchases

Thread to Self

One-time1
  • Thread to Self Unlock$4.99

Questions

Is MarkWrite free?
MarkWrite is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Thread to Self free?
Thread to Self is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do MarkWrite or Thread to Self have ads?
Neither MarkWrite nor Thread to Self shows ads.

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