The best markdown editor for Mac, honestly compared
There's no single best markdown editor for Mac — it depends on how you work. Typora is the cleanest pure writer, Obsidian is best for linked knowledge bases, iA Writer for calm focus, and VS Code for code-heavy docs. Tybre.md is the pick if you run Claude Code or AI CLI agents next to your notes.
Typora — cleanest distraction-free WYSIWYG, but no terminal or projects
Obsidian — best knowledge graph, but WYSIWYG needs plugins
iA Writer — calm, focused writing; light on developer tooling
VS Code — great for code, but markdown WYSIWYG is an add-on
Tybre.md — WYSIWYG + built-in terminal + graph, native 5MB, one-time license
Frequently asked questions
Which markdown editor is best for Claude Code users?
Tybre.md, because it has a built-in terminal beside the editor, so you run Claude Code on the same markdown files you're writing — no window switching.
What's the best free markdown editor for Mac?
VS Code is free and capable for markdown. Tybre.md offers a free trial before its one-time license.
Which is best for a linked knowledge base?
Obsidian has the deepest graph ecosystem. Tybre.md also has a built-in wikilink graph if you want links plus a terminal in one native app.
Are these native Mac apps?
Typora, iA Writer, and Tybre.md are native. Tybre.md is a 5MB Tauri build; VS Code and Obsidian are Electron-based.
Install now
One line in your terminal — no email, no card.
$ curl -fsSL https://tybre.md/install.sh | bashPrefer a file? Download the DMG
- Run Claude Code right beside your markdown
- An AI markdown editor with a real terminal
- A Typora alternative for developers
- A lighter Obsidian alternative
- A local-first Notion alternative
- An iA Writer alternative for developers
- A cross-platform Bear alternative
- The best WYSIWYG markdown editor for developers
- Let your terminal pay for itself
- Advertise to developers where they actually work