When it comes to Markdown editors, the Windows platform is a bit of an afterthought. While there are many great Markdown tools for Mac, Linux, and mobile devices, Windows support tends to be either incomplete or second-class.
I think this is because most Markdown authors work on Macs. And while I do like my Mac, I also use Windows machines for many other things, including work. So I need good Markdown editors that run on Windows.
In this post, I'll compare four Markdown editors for Windows. These include two open-source options (MarkText and Joplin), one paid option (Typora), and one hybrid free/paid option (Obsidian). The comparison will focus on features, ease of use, cost, etc.
Why Choose a Markdown Editor?
Markdown is a markup language. It's basically a way to write text with some formatting commands. You can use Markdown to write blog posts, documentation, email, etc. But you can't just type Markdown into a file and expect it to look nice when you open it in a browser. You need to use a Markdown editor to convert your plain text into HTML, which browsers can display.
So choosing a Markdown editor is important. Markdown editors aren’t as simple as choosing between Microsoft Word and Google Docs. They’re more like choosing between Notepad and Visual Studio Code for writing code. Some Markdown editors are better suited for specific tasks than others.
The first thing to consider is what you want to use Markdown for. If you're writing technical documentation, you probably don’t want to spend a lot of time customizing your Markdown editor. If you're writing fiction, you might want something more powerful. Also, you’ll want to make sure your Markdown editor supports whatever kind of Markdown you’re using.
Another thing to consider is cost. Markdown editors range from completely free to hundreds of dollars. There’s no reason to pay a lot for a Markdown editor if you’re not going to use it much. Free Markdown editors are usually the best bet for casual users.
Finally, you’ll want to make sure your Markdown editor runs on your operating system. Many Markdown editors only support Mac OS X and Linux, so if you’re running Windows, you’ll need to find an alternative.
MarkText
MarkText is the top choice for a free Markdown editor on Windows. It’s open source, focused on speed and usability, and has a modern user interface.
MarkText requires Windows 10 or 11. You can download the installer from here:
https://github.com/marktext/marktext/releases
The installer is called marktext-win-(x64|arm64)-%version%-setup.exe. Once you’ve downloaded it, just double-click the executable and follow the prompts to install.
MarkText supports KaTeX math expressions, front matter, and emojis.
One writer said of MarkText:
it feels wrong that I get this editor on a Windows (or Mac) for free.
Obsidian
Obsidian is a strong Windows option, especially for knowledge-base and note-taking workflows. It’s locally installed and available for all popular operating systems.
Obsidian is free, and it’s also a second brain and knowledge base program. If you’re looking for a markdown tool, Obsidian is very popular and even gets called a favorite markdown tool.
Joplin
Joplin is a capable alternative to Obsidian for Markdown note-taking on Windows. It’s great as a note taking app in Markdown, and it’s recommended alongside Obsidian as a distinct option.
Joplin’s pages also mention Markdown Guide Book, a book about Markdown that costs $5 USD.
Typora
Typora describes itself as a minimal Markdown editor. However, “minimal” does not indicate that it’s limited in any way. In fact, Typora has quite a few features compared to other Markdown editors. This article compares Typora to nine other Markdown editors.
Real-World Limitations of Markdown Editors on Windows
If you’re creating image-heavy documentation or exporting PDFs, you may hit a few real-world limitations when using Markdown editors on Windows. For example, one user who creates user guides with images in Obsidian on Windows found that the PDF preview community plugin only “sort of” shows the PDF before rendering. Additionally, there’s no way to insert smarter page breaks during preview, and image scaling requires manual cropping to control layout in exports.
Once in the Markdown workflow, users typically want it everywhere — static website builders with MD input, etc.