Markdown is a lightweight markup language that makes it easy to format and present content for the web. It uses plain text and simple syntax to keep everything straightforward—we have a handy Markdown cheat sheet you can print for reference.
While any plain text editor will work for Markdown, there are also dedicated Markdown editors for displaying and converting your writing into beautiful HTML, PDF, and beyond. Some of these are free, others are cheap, and some work with other tools to make Markdown more appealing.
10 Best Text Editors That You can Use in Mac The another best text editors that you will surely love to try. This is a favorite of developers because of the features it offers.P programmers can easily use different UI for the coding languages and can easily track the code changes in this editor. Best Text Editors for Mac – In comes the evolution of Computing, from desktop to remote – mainframes have been converted to smart watches. Even the ambiguity of desktop computing from Microsoft is shifted to its hardcore competitor Apple. Carbon Emacs Package is a Mac-friendly distribution of the GNU Emacs text editor. It’s simple, extensible, and good for technically minded users who value the advanced features it offers. Not the most user friendly app, but worth bearing in mind. 0xED, Hex Fiend, and HexEd.it are probably your best bets out of the 7 options considered. 'Responsive' is the primary reason people pick 0xED over the competition. This page is powered by a knowledgeable community that helps you make an informed decision.
Here are six of the best Markdown editors and tools for Mac users.
1. MacDown
MacDown is a free and open source15 Free Open-Source Mac Apps You Must Install15 Free Open-Source Mac Apps You Must InstallWant to use some open source software on your Mac? These macOS apps are open-source, awesome, and best of all... free!Read More Markdown editor based on Mou. It surfaced when Mou’s developer ceased work on the project, sparking the idea to create a free editor that mimicked much of Mou’s features and functionality. The two projects are separate ventures, with MacDown steaming ahead in terms of development.
This is a Markdown editor that isn’t so much focused on code as it is writing. It uses a simple two-pane code view and rendered Markdown view to display changes in real-time. There’s the usual syntax highlighting you’d expect from an editor of its kind, and the editor offers a surprisingly good amount of customization.
This includes changes to the core functionality, allowing you to toggle non-standard Markdown extensions like tables, strikethroughs, and fenced code blocks. There are a ton of light and dark themes to choose from. Plus it has the ability to tweak editor appearance including line spacing and base font.
You can also change rendering style by picking from the included CSS or installing your own stylesheets. Rendering options are limited to HTML and PDF, with a handy Copy HTML feature for pasting directly into your projects.
Download:MacDown (Free)
10 Best Text Editing Software for Mac Brackets (Free) Brackets is a lightweight, yet powerful, modern text editor. It’s the open source text editor and you’ll enjoy writing code in Brackets. It has some fundamental features like inline editors, live preview, pre-processor support and much more.
2. Typora
If you’re not keen on the two-pane approach of most Markdown editors, check out Typora. It’s an editor that makes working with Markdown more visually appealing, using a seamless live preview rather than a separate window. Syntax converts into formatted text as you type, so what you see is what you get.
Typora supports basic Markdown, GitHub Flavored Markdown, and some interesting additional elements like sequence, flowchart, and mermaid diagrams. You can configure your choice of syntax via the preferences menu, which provides plenty of opportunity to tweak the editor to your liking.
There’s very little on-screen while you’re composing your masterpiece. That makes this ideal for those who enjoy distraction-free writing experiences. Building on this there’s also a typewriter mode (which always keeps the cursor in the middle of the screen) and focus mode (which dims paragraphs you’re currently not working on).
Choose from six included styles, or add your own by copying the relevant stylesheets into the themes folder. In addition to the usual HTML and PDF export, Typora can also convert to Microsoft Word, OpenOffice, RTF, ePub, LaTeX, and image formats (among others).
There’s no online sync, so if you use multiple platforms you’ll need to provide your own cloud solution. Typora is currently free while in beta, and it’s available for macOS, Windows, and Linux.
Download:Typora (Free)
Read more about why we think Typora is one of the best markdown editors8 Reasons Why Typora Might Be Your Favorite Markdown Editor8 Reasons Why Typora Might Be Your Favorite Markdown EditorMarkdown editors are popular as alternatives to powerful text editors. Here's why Typora can claim to be among the best.Read More:
3. Atom
Atom is GitHub’s own plain text editor for scripting, coding, and writing GitHub Flavored Markdown. It’s a fairly simple app with Markdown support out of the box, albeit a little barebones for writers. It takes the standard two-pane preview window approach, with a Markdown Preview option found under the Packages menu.
Out of the box you’d be forgiven for discounting Atom, but there’s a lot more potential when you pair it with the right add-ons. A quick search of the package repository yields a healthy number of extensions that make Atom a force to be reckoned with when working with Markdown.
These include conversion tools to HTML, PDF, and image formats. You’ll also find support for other flavors beyond GitHub Flavored Markdown, toolbar plugins, table of contents generators, better image support, and tools for improved tables.
It’s a great solution if you already use Atom, or are looking for a plaintext editor you can also use for scripting or other programming purposes. Atom also enjoys great theme support, so you can get your editor looking just the way you like it. Just search for and install themes within the editor.
Atom is completely free as part of GitHub’s efforts to provide a tool that makes coding accessible to all. It might not be the most user-friendly approach, but it’s a robust and powerful tool in the right hands. Visual Studio Code is another great free alternative to Atom that’s also worth checking out.
Download:Atom (Free)
4. Caret
Caret is another minimal Markdown editor, with a clean interface and emphasis on productivity. It uses tabs to keep all relevant documents close at hand, with a main editor that displays both the syntax and the resulting formatted text. It’s a great way to learn MarkdownLearning Markdown: Write For The Web, FasterLearning Markdown: Write For The Web, FasterMarkdown is the best way to write in plain text but still create complex documents. Unlike HTML or LaTex, for example, Markdown is simple to learn.Read More, since your syntax is always visible, but you can also enable a preview pane if you want.
Caret officially supports GitHub Flavored Markdown, including tables, math blocks, and indented code blocks. It also packs a few unique features, like the thematic break accessible with three spaces and three identical dashes or asterisks.
The sidebar displays a folder’s contents, with your active documents appearing along the top edge of the editor. There’s a macOS Spotlight-like Go To tool for quickly jumping to a file or section of your document, a dark mode, and typewriter mode too.
Caret’s developers built it with speed in mind. It features assistance for building tables, auto-completion of file paths, emoji, and HTML. You also get spelling correction and multiple cursors—a feature normally reserved for powerful text editors.
Caret exports to HTML and PDF, and the beta version is free (though it’s not clear what the limitations to this version are). You can buy a license for $29 to continue to use Caret and support development efforts.
Download:Caret (Free trial, $29)
5. Ulysses
Ulysses is a full-fat writing appIs It Time to Ditch Pages and Word for Ulysses?Is It Time to Ditch Pages and Word for Ulysses?In 2016, not everyone needs a full-service word processing program, which is why software like Ulysses exists.Read More, with some seriously powerful features. It’s the sort of app you’ll want to use if writing is your livelihood, with its distraction-free and minimal approach to producing prose. It uses Markdown in a bid to make writers more productive, removing the need to take your eyes off the text to apply formatting or create headers.
Like Caret, Ulysses takes a hybrid approach to markup. Your syntax is still visible while writing, but so too is the formatting that this markup applies to your text. Links appear in-line, and bold and italics are both emphasized. You have the ability to customize how these elements appear in the app’s preferences.
For working with Markdown, you can choose from regular Markdown and what Ulysses calls Markdown XL. This adds additional syntax for elements like videos, annotations, comments, block quotes, and more. Some themes let you change how the editor displays your elements, plus you have the opportunity to create your own themes.
Ulysses really comes into its own when it comes to exporting your writing. There are themes available for exporting beautiful HTML and PDF documents, but also support for ePub and Microsoft Word. Cloud support via iCloud or Dropbox means you can work on the same documents using different devices (including iOS devices). Versioning support ensures you can revert to a backup if needed.
As a pure writing and publishing tool, Ulysses has the most to offer of all apps featured here. However, you might not need everything Ulysses offers, so a free option might suit you just as well. Ulysses uses a subscription model with a 14-day free trial, then $5 per month. You can also get Ulysses as part of the Mac app subscription service Setapp.
Marked 2 isn’t actually an editor, but a Markdown preview tool. That means you won’t use Marked to create documents, but it can turn just about any other text editor into a Markdown editor. The preview the app generates updates every time you save your file, or you can use it as a proofreading tool for files you’ve already created.
The app includes a wide array of processing and rendering options for getting the look you want. You can customize Marked with your own CSS to match your blog, so you know how your articles will look as you write them. You can also use the built-in readability, spellcheck, and link validation tools to make sure your work is up to scratch.
Marked also includes a table of contents panel for working with especially long documents, generated using your headings. The app is compliant with Markdown, GitHub Flavored Markdown, and even includes support for custom processors so coders can use the app with their own syntax.
Export options are extensive, with support for nine built-in themes (with the option of adding your own). Formats include PDF, RTF, Microsoft Word, and OpenOffice. You can try Marked for free before you buy, then pay $14 for the full version. It’s also available on Setapp.
Download:Marked 2 (Free trial, $14)
Don’t Forget Your Favorite Mac Text Editors
You don’t need a fancy Markdown editor to work with Markdown. A plain text editor works too. Your favorite editor will do, whether it’s Sublime Text, Visual Studio Code, or Vim. Check out our favorite plaintext editors for MacThe Best Mac Text Editors to Use in 2018The Best Mac Text Editors to Use in 2018Need a new text editor for your Mac? Here are the best free and paid macOS text editors for plain text, coding, and everything in between.Read More if you’re looking for inspiration.
Explore more about: HTML, Mac Apps, Markdown, Text Editor, Writing Tips.
Text editors are notoriously divisive. Everyone has their own preferences, and each of those opinions are valid. What works for one person, task, or project might not work for another. We all find productivity in different places.
That’s why coming up with a list of the “best” Mac text editors is quite hard. There’s a chance we’ll miss your favorite, or include a cut-price freebie that doesn’t do half the tasks you need on a daily basis.
But that’s OK, because you can tell us all about it in the comments at the end.
Free Text Editors
The following is a list of completely free text editors, with no paid upgrades or extra purchases. You might think that free means “lacking in features,” but that’s not the case with these.
Atom
Atom tries to be a bit of everything, and for the most part it succeeds. It’s a project from hosting and version control maestro GitHubNot Just for Coders: 9 Ways To Use GitHub For Creative WorkNot Just for Coders: 9 Ways To Use GitHub For Creative WorkGitHub is known for the great features it can offer programmers, but it's not only for them. There are plenty of other creative uses for GitHub. Here are nine you can explore.Read More, and it’s completely open source and free to use. Don’t let the price tag put you off; Atom has some serious potential under the hood.
Describing itself as “a hackable editor for the 21st century,” Atom is a great starting point for beginners. It’s a basic text editor out of the box, with optional packages that add more complex functionality. These include a full integrated development environment (IDE) known as Atom-IDE.
There’s support for Git and GitHub, with no need for additional packages. When you want to add features and language support, there’s a package manager which makes this easy. You can also customize the interface to your liking, another important aspect of any such serious tool.
One standout package is Teletype for Atom, a real-time collaboration feature that allows you to work on projects with others. Atom is also cross-platform, so you can transfer operating systems while maintaining familiarity with your favorite editor.
Download:Atom
TextWrangler
TextWrangler is one of the most user-friendly examples of a text editor, with a price tag to match. Now hosted on the Mac App Store, TextWrangler offers an old-school feel, rock-solid performance, and the option of graduating to a more powerful yet familiar tool (BBEdit, below) if you feel the need.
It’s another great entry point for learning to code or use text editors in general, whether you’re writing simple AppleScript projects, editing CSS, or building a website in HTML. It’s also a good choice if macOS’ built-in editor TextEditMake TextEdit More Powerful With These 9 Hidden FeaturesMake TextEdit More Powerful With These 9 Hidden FeaturesNative Mac editor TextEdit has a lot of powerful features under the hood, so here's how to find them.Read More comes up short when editing plain text.
The app isn’t just a stripped-down freebie though. It offers a wealth of powerful tools like grep pattern matching, multi-file search and replace, varied themes, and syntax coloring options. You can also work on files remotely via FTP and SFTP.
It lacks some of the fancier features seen in the premium packages, notably a preview pane to view changes in real time. It feels and behaves like a native macOS app, which makes it particularly user-friendly compared to some of the other examples on this list.
Download:TextWrangler
Vim
Now for something completely different: Vim is a command line-based text editorVim Is Awesome: Make It Better With These 5 CustomizationsVim Is Awesome: Make It Better With These 5 CustomizationsText editors might not be sexy, but they are important. One of the most powerful Linux text editors is VIM (short for, Vi Improved), and here we show you how to extend its functionality further.Read More that comes with macOS. Simply open Terminal, type vim, and hit Enter. You’re now using one of the most respected text editors of all time, but it’s not without a steep learning curve.
Fortunately, Vim comes with a stack of documentation to help you learn how to use it. This includes quick reference and help documents, plus a 30-minute tutorial to get you up and running. Be warned: even figuring out how to access the tutorials is a lesson for those unfamiliar with the command line.
Like other powerful-yet-complex applications, you can accomplish a lot with Vim if you know how to use it properly. This knowledge won’t come overnight, but in a few years you’ll likely be able to accomplish more than in a comparable GUI-based application.
Despite Vim being built into the OS, you might also be interested in MacVim. This is a slightly more user-friendly port, with full menu bar controls for functions and a more up-to-date version of Vim than that maintained by Apple. You can open, save, and access recent documents like you would in other GUI-based editors, which makes it slightly less intimidating for newbies.
Download:MacVim
GNU Emacs
Another great free option with an off-putting learning curve, GNU Emacs is the “free as in libre” version of the Emacs text editor. First released in 1976, Emacs is one of the longest-running open source projects, and it still receives updates today.
Emacs is known for its unique methods of getting work done. It relies on a programming language known as Emacs-Lisp, a fork of the Lisp language that was originally specified in 1958. You’ll need to use Emacs-Lisp for even the most basic functions of editing, but it’s also used to expand the editor beyond its humble text-based roots.
These expansions include an email client, news reader, file manager, and games like Snake and Tetris. Under the hood, though, it’s still a basic text editor with features like context-aware editing and support for syntax coloring. There’s full Unicode support and a packaging system for adding new features.
Like Vim, Emacs requires a commitment to learn to use it long before you understand why so many people swear by it. While GNU Emacs is one fork, XEmacs is another that’s worth investigating if you like the sound of this command line editor.
Text Editor In Mac
Download:GNU Emacs | XEmacs
Visual Studio Code
Like Atom, Visual Studio Code is a relative newcomer in the text editing space. Not to be confused with Visual Studio, Microsoft’s full-power IDE with a price tag to match, Visual Studio Code is a lightweight text and script editor built around the concept of expanding support with plugins.
There are plugins for writing and running shell scripts in Code, for penning markdown documents, and even writing AppleScript. That’s right; you can use Microsoft’s text editor to create scripts that will only work on Apple machines.
The Visual Studio Code marketplace turns the app into a Swiss Army knife of code, text, and script editing. A reliance on plugins means the app is lightweight and responsive from the start, as you’re not lugging around features and functionality you’re never going to use.
Which plugins are worth getting? Our roundup of Visual Studio Code plugins will answer that for you.
Code uses an attractive dark theme, and it doesn’t feel like a lazy port of the Windows version either. It’s worth a shot, particularly if you don’t get on with the likes of Vim and Emacs. Check out our top tips for boosting productivity in Visual Studio Code10 Essential Productivity Tips for Visual Studio Code10 Essential Productivity Tips for Visual Studio CodeVisual Studio Code blows other programming text editors out of the water. It's free, open source, lightning fast, and packed with productivity features.Read More to learn more.
Download:Visual Studio Code
Premium Text Editors
If you’re looking for a text editor to use at work, or you’re at a stage where your tools can have a serious impact on your productivity and paycheck, you should consider one of these. Luckily they all come with a decent free evaluation period, so you can try before you buy.
TextMate
Powerful, simple, and lightweight, TextMate is the preferred choice of many Mac professionals, and it’s not hard to see why. This editor has support for a range of languages and syntax, tabs, and a language-specific approach that can save you time and effort.
TextMate incorporates snippets, macros, and scoping features that vastly speed up workflow without stepping into full IDE territory. The developer aimed to bring “Apple’s approach to operating systems into the world of text editors” and that’s a fairly good summation of why so many love TextMate.
Despite development stalling from time to time, TextMate maintains a die-hard following of professional users. This has given way to an extensive database of documentation and screencasts, which should help new users get up to speed.
It’s a simple tool to start using, with a clean UI and fair price point. You can download TextMate free for evaluation purposes, though the app doesn’t seem to bother you for registration credentials or a serial number.
Download:TextMate ($60)
Sublime Text 3
Sublime Text is a self-described “sophisticated text editor” that markets itself as a code, markup, and prose editor. It’s probably overkill for the simplest text editing tasks though, considering it costs $80 for a license.
For those who need a powerful tool, Sublime Text delivers a wealth of features and functions11 Sublime Text Tips for Productivity and a Faster Workflow11 Sublime Text Tips for Productivity and a Faster WorkflowSublime Text is a versatile text editor and a gold standard for many programmers. Our tips focus on efficient coding, but general users will appreciate the keyboard shortcuts.Read More. Some of these are hallmarks of the app, like Goto Anything which lets you open a file and quickly navigate to the relevant line in record speed.
The app creates a project-wide index of all classes used for references, and supports multiple selections so you can change more than one element at a time. To cut down on the time you spend in menus, developers devised the Command Palette for rarely-used functions, and fast project switching with no save prompts.
There’s a vast amount of customizability at your fingertips. Many favor the app for its smooth performance under load and attractive UI. It’s also cross-platform, and you only need a single license to use the app across all your machines and platforms.
Download:Sublime Text 3 ($80)
BBEdit
BBEdit wouldn’t have earned a place on this list were it not for a large userbase that’ll defend it to the death. And that’s just fine, since BBEdit is a mature and powerful text editor that prioritizes performance and reliability above all else.
It’s the quintessential Mac text editor, from the developers who bought you TextWrangler. Despite lacking the freshness of Atom or the crisp UI seen in Sublime Text, BBEdit is built from the ground up for macOS, optimized for macOS, with a macOS approach to text editing.
That means keyboard shortcuts that make sense to the average Mac user, and an approach to text editing that follows many of Apple’s design sensibilities. It also bakes in support for Mac technologies like Bonjour. This removes some barriers for entry seen in other apps, but results in a slightly more cumbersome UI than its rivals.
BBEdit is perfect for HTML and text editing, with support for remote editing via FTP/SFTP. The app is highly customizable, from syntax coloring to menu options, user-defined functions, keyboard shortcuts, and macOS Terminal support right in the app.
Download:BBEdit ($50)
Espresso
Not everyone uses their text editor for building websites, but many who do gravitate toward Espresso. It’s an editor that’s aimed squarely at web developers, and it’s got powerful features to make creating websites a more productive experienceCreating Web Interfaces: Where to StartCreating Web Interfaces: Where to StartWe'll show you how web interfaces break down, then point out the key concepts, tools, and building blocks needed to make yourself a 21st century web designer.Read More.
The big one is a live preview browser, so you can see your changes in real time. The app incorporates Xray layout tools, and CSSEdit visual styling for colors, gradients, shadows, and more. It supports HTML, CSS, LESS, JavaScript, CoffeeScript, Apache, and XML out of the box. More languages are available through plugins.
There’s a laundry list of features that keep users coming back, like customizable snippets and UI, a clean modern design, custom spacing and indentation to keep your code clean, support for tabs, templates and custom templates, powerful find and replace, and multi-line editing for making changes in multiple locations at once.
It’s not cheap at $79, but you can download a trial and see how it works before you commit. It’s a great tool for web developers, but lacking in other areas when it comes to scripting and coding.
Download:Espresso ($79)
So Many Text Editors
There are so many text editors available that we couldn’t possibly include them all, but we thought these were worth a mention if you’re still on the hunt:
Coda 2 ($80): Another web development-focused text editor like Espresso; worth a look if you’re in need of such a tool.
PhpStorm (from $90): A PHP-focused IDE with a $90 yearly subscription model; ideal for PHP developers but overkill for many other applications.
Smultron ($10): A better-than-free text editor with a tidy interface that won’t break the bank.
Remember: The text editor with the most tools isn’t necessarily the best. The best text editor is the one that suits you and meets your expectations. It’s the editor that allows you to get more done. It’s the editor that falls away into the background, allowing you to concentrate on your work rather than the software you use to get your job done.
But you’ve probably got your own favorites in mind already (if you don’t prefer an IDEText Editors vs. IDEs: Which One Is Better For Programmers?Text Editors vs. IDEs: Which One Is Better For Programmers?Choosing between an advanced IDE and a simpler text editor can be hard. We offer some insight to help you make that decision.Read More). We’d love to hear which text editor you get on with the best, and why it works for you. Please add your own suggestions in the comments below!
Explore more about: HTML, Mac, Text Editor, Visual Studio Code.
Please note that TextWrangler is NOT compatible with High Sierra, macOS 10.13. Refer to https://www.barebones.com/support/textwrangler/ for OS version details.