Comparison

MarkText vs TextEdit

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

Head to head
About

MarkText

This app is a markdown editor and note-taking tool for iOS devices. It offers real-time syntax highlighting, conversion to various formats like HTML, PNG, and PDF, and seamless syncing across Apple devices via iCloud Drive.

Highlights
  • Real-time markdown syntax highlighting
  • Convert notes to HTML, PNG, PDF
  • Share to Evernote, Dropbox, Email
  • iCloud Drive sync across devices
  • FlowChart & Diagrams support
  • LaTeX and MathML rendering
Features
Read full description

MarkText is a minimalist, lightweight Markdown text editor with local-first storage and iCloud sync. It supports syntax highlighting and comes with multiple built‑in preview themes, ideal for notes, writing, memos, journals and quick notes. Export to PDF, PNG or HTML in one tap for easy sharing. ## Key Features - Markdown syntax highlighting. - Built‑in HTML previews with various styles. - Move cursor by sliding the toolbar above the keyboard; - Simple import & export, edit files in Files app in place. - One-tap conversion to long image, multi-images, PDF or HTML. - Easily share to Dropbox, Email, or open with other apps. - Full-text search, word count, regex find & replace; - Sync between iPhone, iPad and Mac via iCloud Drive. - Mermaid and Graphviz support for editing and previewing flowcharts & diagrams. - MathJax support to edit and preview mathematical formulas. ## Import & Export Multiple import and export methods available - Directly manage file list via the Files app. - Import / export files through iTunes. - Upload and download files over WiFi. - Share MD, HTML, PNG, PDF files to other apps. ## Keyboard Toolbar - Tap buttons to quickly insert Tabs, headings, lists, code blocks, images, hyperlinks and more. - Customize toolbar buttons and reorder them. - Swipe toolbar left/right to move cursor fast. - Pinch toolbar with two fingers for quick text selection. - Custom quick input phrases and templates supported. ## Syntax Highlighting & HTML Preview - Built-in preview themes for light and dark modes. - Customizable preview style for code blocks. - Supports multiple Markdown flavors: Standard Markdown, MultiMarkdown, GitHub Flavored Markdown. ### GMF (GitHub Flavored Markdown) Syntax Supports extended syntax: strikethrough, tables, task lists, code blocks. #### Task Lists Lists starting with [ ] or [x] indicate incomplete or completed tasks. Example: - [ ] Incomplete - [x] Completed ## iCloud Drive Sync - Automatically sync and store all note files across your devices via iCloud Drive. - View synced note files inside the iCloud Drive folder on Mac. ## Supported File Extensions md, mmd, markdown, markdn, mdown, mkdn, markd, txt, text, etc. ## Other Features - Swipe left on note item to delete; long press to rename. - Add "#Hashtag" or "@Mention" inside notes to create tag categories, equivalent to folders. - Deleted notes go to Trash and stay there until permanently removed. ## scheme - Open App: marktext://x-url-callback/ - Open note: marktext://x-url-callback/open?name=xx - New note: marktext://x-url-callback/new?content=xx - New note from pasteboard: marktext://x-url-callback/new?pasteboard=1 If you have questions or suggestions, contact: xappbox+mt@gmail.com

About

TextEdit

A fast and versatile text editor for mobile devices, offering compatibility with various file formats and editors. It provides a distraction-free writing experience with advanced formatting, organization, and sharing features.

Highlights
  • Supports TXT, RTF, Markdown, TeX, and PDF formats
  • Cross-device and computer syncing via iCloud/Files
  • Distraction-free writing interface
  • Customizable keyboard extension for faster typing
  • Visual rich text formatting and one-tap options
  • Syntax highlighting for Markdown and TeX
  • Instant statistics and counters
Features
Read full description

TextEdit+ gives you the control of a capable word processor without the clutter of a full desktop office suite. Create plain-text and rich-text documents, work with Markdown and LaTeX, improve your writing with AI, and keep your files organized in Files and iCloud Drive. You can also open, edit and sync documents created with macOS TextEdit, Microsoft WordPad, Microsoft Word, and Scrivener RTF files directly on your device. WRITE IN THE FORMAT YOU NEED • Create and edit TXT, RTF, RTFD, Markdown, and LaTeX files • Open your documents directly from Files and iCloud Drive • Organize your work with folders and subfolders • Choose where you want to keep your files WRITE AND EDIT WITH AI • Turn your ideas or prompts into a first draft • Rewrite, improve, or summarize any selected text • Adjust the tone, clarity, grammar, and structure of your writing • Use AI without leaving your document FORMAT YOUR DOCUMENT YOUR WAY • Choose your fonts, styles, colors, highlights, and alignment • Create lists and adjust line, paragraph, and document spacing • Use superscript and subscript • Add images and tables to supported document formats • Stay focused with a clean, distraction-free editor WORK WITH MARKDOWN AND LATEX • Preview your Markdown while you write • Write and compile LaTeX directly on your device • Switch easily between your source and the rendered result EDIT FASTER • Find and replace text throughout your document • Check your word, character, sentence, paragraph, and page counts • See the estimated reading time for your text • Use keyboard shortcuts when you work with a hardware keyboard • Move the cursor and select text more precisely with the extended keyboard EXPORT AND SHARE YOUR WORK • Export your documents to PDF, DOCX, RTF, Markdown, plain text, and PNG • Print, email, or send your files to other apps • Keep your documents in Files or cloud storage and continue working with compatible apps on your other devices Whether you’re writing a quick text file, preparing a formatted document, taking Markdown notes, or working on a LaTeX project, TextEdit+ gives you more control than a notes app without overwhelming you with the complexity of a traditional office suite. Privacy Policy https://www.noteswriter.com/Kairoos_Privacy_Policy.html Terms of Use https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

MarkText4 screens
TextEdit4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: TextEdit at Free against MarkText's $3.99. TextEdit also leads on rating (3.7 vs 3.0) and update cadence (weekly vs every 4 months). MarkText's advantage is review sentiment (54% vs 17%) and in-app purchases (none vs 4). On 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

TextEdit is free to download; MarkText costs $3.99 up front. TextEdit sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. MarkText asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

TextEdit holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TextEdit has 378 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 54% of MarkText's written reviews are positive against 17% of TextEdit's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MarkText ships an update every 4 months, TextEdit weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
MarkText versus TextEdit: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMarkTextTextEdit
Price$3.99Free — better
Rating3.0 (3 ratings)3.7 (378 ratings) — better
Positive reviews54.2% of reviews — better17.2% of reviews
Number of ratings3378 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS14.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size14 MB573 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer刘生 林Kairoos Solutions SL

Customer experience

MarkText

All ratings3 ratings
Positive33.3%
Neutral33.3%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews24 reviews
Positive54.2%
Neutral20.8%
Negative25.0%

TextEdit

All ratings378 ratings
Positive65.6%
Neutral5.0%
Negative29.4%
Written reviews209 reviews
Positive17.2%
Neutral7.2%
Negative75.6%

Bugs and requests

MarkText

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

TextEdit

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes when opening certain file types
  • Formatting issues when copying/pasting text
  • Inconsistent behavior across devices

Requested features

3 requests
  • Allow users to choose iCloud directory
  • Offer one-time purchase option instead of subscription
  • Restore previous paid versions without AI

In-app purchases

None

MarkText

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

TextEdit

Subscriptions3
  • Weekly$1.997 Days
  • TextEdit+ Monthly3 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • TextEdit+ Annual3 Days trial$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • TextEdit+ Full Unlock$14.99

Questions

Is MarkText free?
MarkText costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is TextEdit free?
TextEdit is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, MarkText or TextEdit?
TextEdit is rated higher. MarkText averages 3.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while TextEdit averages 3.7 from 378 ratings.
Do MarkText or TextEdit have ads?
Neither MarkText nor TextEdit shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MarkText or TextEdit?
MarkText ships an update every 4 months, and TextEdit weekly. Most recently, MarkText was updated on October 8, 2026 and TextEdit on October 15, 2026.

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