MarkDown Reader vs MDer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side ā with what reviewers say about each.
MarkDown Reader
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MarkDown Reader is a free, lightweight viewer for Markdown files. Double-click any .md file and read it beautifully rendered ā no editor chrome, no distractions, just your document. It also turns a checklist into somewhere to work. Tick a task and the change is written straight back to the file, one character, instantly. Add a note to any item and it is saved as an ordinary indented bullet, so every other Markdown tool still reads it. On the Mac, drag a file onto an item to attach it, and click the chip to open it again later. Nothing is locked in a database. Everything this app writes is plain Markdown you can read in any editor. - Clean rendering of headings, tables, code blocks, and images - LaTeX math, typeset offline: $ā¦$ inline and $$ā¦$$ display - Interactive task lists: click a checkbox and the .md file updates instantly - Notes on any checklist item, saved as plain Markdown - Attach files to checklist items by dragging them in (macOS) - Clickable file references: a path in a code span opens in your editor (macOS) - Table of contents sidebar for long documents - Full-text search with match navigation - Live reload ā edit the file elsewhere and the view keeps up - Zoom, print, and export to PDF - Light or Dark on your terms: follow the system, or pin the reader to either (macOS) - Copy the document's path or reveal it in the Finder (macOS) - Opens .md, .markdown, .mdown, .mkd, and .mkdn files - Sandboxed and private: no accounts, no analytics, no data collection
MDer
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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
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: MarkDown Reader at none against MDer's shown. MDer's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 weeks). On price, in-app purchases, device support 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
MarkDown Reader ships an update every 5 weeks, MDer every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | MarkDown Reader | MDer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | Every 2 weeks ā better |
| Ads | No ā better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac ā better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details ā not scored | ||
| Size | 3 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Edward Juden | ē¦ę© ęÆ |
In-app purchases
MarkDown Reader
No in-app purchases
MDer
No in-app purchases









