DotMDDotMD vs Typora.Which Markdown app for your Mac?
macOS 14 or later. Reading is free; DotMD Pro has a 3-day free trial.
Short answer
Typora is a Markdown editor with live preview for macOS, Windows and Linux, for $14.99 once. DotMD is a Mac app that reads Markdown for free and adds comments, review of an AI agent's changes and an MCP server. Pick Typora to write on several systems; pick DotMD to review what Claude Code, Codex or Cursor wrote.
Side by side
| DotMD | Typora | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Reading free. Pro $19.99/year (3-day trial) or $49.99 once | $14.99 once, up to 3 devices; 15-day trial |
| Platforms | macOS 14 or later | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| Editing | Yes, with Pro; optional live preview beside the text | Yes; live preview and a source mode |
| Your files | Plain .md files, edited in place | Plain .md files on disk, with a file tree |
| Comments | Built in with Pro; kept outside the .md file | — |
| Review of an agent's changes | Old and new text beside each comment; accept or reopen | — |
| Version history | Built in with Pro; up to 200 versions per file | On Mac, the system's file versions |
| AI agents / MCP | Local MCP server for Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, VS Code | — |
| Export | PDF, HTML, rich text copy, print (Pro) | PDF, HTML, image; Word and more via Pandoc |
Choose Typora if…
- You work on Windows or Linux as well as Mac.
- You want one app to write Markdown, with the page formatted as you type.
- You prefer paying $14.99 once, and you need Word or other formats through Pandoc.
Choose DotMD if…
- You want to comment on a spec or plan and have Claude Code, Codex or Cursor fix it.
- You want to see every change an agent made, with the old text next to the new, and accept it.
- You want to read Markdown on your Mac for free, with a version history that keeps earlier versions.
FAQ
Is there a Typora alternative with comments on Mac?
Yes. DotMD has comments built in with Pro: you comment on a passage, and the comments are kept outside the .md file. We found no built-in comments in Typora's official pages.
Can I use both Typora and DotMD?
Yes. Both work on plain .md files, so you can write in Typora and review the same file in DotMD. DotMD keeps a version whenever another app changes the file.
How much do Typora and DotMD cost?
Typora costs $14.99 once, for up to 3 devices, with a 15-day trial. DotMD is free to read; Pro is $19.99 a year with a 3-day free trial, or $49.99 once.