Markd.ly vs iA Writer — honest comparison
Looking for an iA Writer alternative? Here is an honest Markd.ly vs iA Writer comparison — what each does well, and where the other wins. iA Writer is a beautifully restrained writing app with a famous typographic feel and mature apps across Apple platforms and Windows. Markd.ly is a faster-featured native desktop editor with vim mode, Pandoc export, and encryption, sold once for Mac, Windows, and Linux in a single purchase. iA Writer's polish is real, and it has mobile and sync that Markd.ly does not; Markd.ly's case is one cross-desktop price and deeper power tools.
| At a glance | Markd.ly | iA Writer |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $19.99 one-time | One-time, priced per platform |
| Most popular plan | $19.99 one-time | Mac $49.99 / Windows $29.99 / iPhone+iPad $19.99 (separate purchases) |
| Lifetime license | $19.99 one-time (one purchase covers Mac, Windows & Linux desktop) | One-time per platform — Mac $49.99, Windows $29.99, iOS $19.99, each a separate purchase (verified ia.net/writer/get/buy, 2026-05-16). 'Pay once per platform, own it forever' is iA Writer's own wording. |
| Platforms | Mac · Windows · Linux | Mac · Windows · iPhone · iPad |
Pick iA Writer if
- ·Typography and typing feel as the whole product. iA Writer's tuned typeface, focus mode, and syntax-highlighting-for-prose are genuinely best-in-class. Markd.ly's editor is good; iA Writer's is its entire reason to exist and it is better at it.
- ·Mature, synced apps across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Windows via iCloud / Dropbox. Markd.ly has no sync at all.
- ·Real mobile apps. iA Writer has polished iPhone and iPad apps you can buy and use today. Markd.ly is desktop-only — its phone builds run but cannot be purchased yet, so for writing on a phone or tablet iA Writer is the honest pick.
- ·Years of refinement and a deep template / style system for export.
Pick Markd.ly if
- +One purchase covers the Mac, Windows, and Linux desktop. This is the sharpest difference: iA Writer is one-time but priced per platform — Mac and Windows are separate purchases. Markd.ly's single $19.99 one-time license covers all three desktop builds.
- +Vim mode on the desktop (real modal editing — a deliberate subset, not a full vim emulator). iA Writer does not have it.
- +Pandoc export to DOCX, EPUB, and Reveal.js slides — bundled offline in the Linux build, or via Pandoc on PATH on Mac/Windows. Native HTML and PDF export always work without Pandoc. iA Writer's export is more limited.
- +AES-256-GCM encrypted documents and an MCP server that opens and creates markdown files (macOS). iA Writer has neither.
Full feature comparison
Verified 2026-05-16. Source linked at the bottom.
| Feature | Markd.ly | iA Writer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | One-time $19.99, both desktops | One-time, per platform (Mac $49.99 / Win $29.99 / iOS $19.99) |
| One purchase covers Mac + Windows | Yes | No — separate purchase per platform |
| Native app | Yes | Yes |
| File format | Plain .md on disk | Plain text / iCloud |
| Cross-device sync | No | Yes (iCloud / Dropbox) |
| Typographic polish / focus mode | Good | Exceptional (its signature) |
| Live preview | Pane live preview | Preview mode |
| Vim mode (normal/insert/visual, core motions + operators) | Yes (desktop) | No |
| Pandoc export (DOCX/EPUB/Reveal.js) | Yes — bundled offline on Linux; needs Pandoc on PATH on Mac/Windows | Limited built-in |
| Encrypted documents (AES-256-GCM) | Yes (desktop) | No |
| Snippet library with variables | Yes | Basic text snippets |
| Custom CSS / theme editor | Yes | Built-in templates |
| Advanced workspace search | Yes (current folder, plain text) | Library search |
| MCP (AI opens/creates files) | Yes — opens + creates files (macOS) | No |
| Mermaid / KaTeX | Yes (desktop) | Limited |
| Mobile apps (iPhone / iPad / Android) | No (desktop-only) | Yes (mature) |
Bottom line
iA Writer is a craft object. The typography, the focus mode, the restraint — that is the whole point of it, and it is better at being a calm place to write a sentence than Markd.ly is. It also has real mobile apps and sync, which Markd.ly does not. If a polished writing app on your phone, iPad, Mac, and PC is what you want, buy iA Writer; you will not regret it. Markd.ly is a different bargain: it is desktop-only, but more power per dollar and one purchase that spans the Mac, Windows, and Linux machines you write on. The per-platform pricing is the honest fault line — if you write across a Mac and a Windows PC, iA Writer asks you to buy it twice while Markd.ly asks once, and Markd.ly throws in vim, Pandoc export, and encryption iA Writer does not have. Pick on which matters more: mobile + refinement, or one cross-desktop price with the power tools.
FAQ
Does one Markd.ly purchase cover Mac, Windows, and Linux?+
Yes. One $19.99 one-time license covers all three desktop builds. iA Writer is purchased per platform, so Mac and Windows are separate.
Does Markd.ly have iA Writer's typing feel?+
No — iA Writer's tuned typography is its signature and Markd.ly does not match it. Markd.ly's edge is power features and cross-desktop pricing, not type refinement.
Does Markd.ly run on iPhone, iPad, or Android like iA Writer?+
Not in a way you can buy today. Markd.ly is a desktop app (Mac, Windows, Linux); its phone builds run but cannot be purchased yet. iA Writer has mature, buyable iPhone and iPad apps. For mobile writing, iA Writer is the better fit.
Does Markd.ly sync across devices like iA Writer?+
No. Markd.ly has no sync. iA Writer syncs via iCloud / Dropbox.
Does Markd.ly have vim mode?+
Yes, on the desktop. iA Writer does not.
More Markd.ly comparisons
Pricing verified 2026-05-16. iA Writer pricing source. Subject to change.