Open any .md or .mdx file and read it natively, with Finder Quick Look. Known components render as UI; unknown ones become clean, labelled placeholders; nothing executes. The viewer is free. A one-time Pro licence adds the editor and export.
One-time purchase. No subscription. macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon or Intel.
Launch offer: $19 (normally $29) until 16 September 2026.
MDX is Markdown with components. Markdownly parses it safely on your Mac: known components become real UI, unknown ones become clean labelled placeholders, and executable MDX is never run. No Node, no build step, no browser tab. Rich MDX editing stays source-based; the WYSIWYG editor is for Markdown.
A genuinely useful free viewer, with Pro power features when you need them.
Known components map to UI; unknown ones become safe, labelled placeholders. Local relative images resolve against the document's folder.
Press space on a Markdown or MDX file in Finder and see it rendered instantly.
KaTeX maths, Mermaid diagrams, tables, task lists, footnotes, GitHub alerts, and syntax highlighting.
Edit directly in the rendered view or the source, with live preview, formatting, and smart links.
Clean PDF and HTML export with a print stylesheet that keeps code, tables, and colours intact.
Split on --- and present full screen, with arrow-key navigation. Folder mode and reading themes too.
An honest look at the native Markdown and MDX apps on the Mac.
| Markdownly | Peekdown | Glance | MacMD Viewer | Typora | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Renders MDX components | Yes | Yes | No | Static only | No |
| Finder Quick Look | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Free option | Yes | No | Yes | No | No |
| Editor | Yes (Pro) | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Maths & Mermaid | Yes | Not verified | Yes | Not verified | Yes |
| Local relative images | Yes | Not verified | Yes | Not verified | Yes |
| Price | Free / $19 Pro | $3.99 | Free | $19.99 | $14.99 |
Competitor details as of July 2026 from vendor sites (Peekdown, Glance, MacMD Viewer, Typora). “Not verified” means we haven’t confirmed it. Re-check before publishing.
The viewer is free forever. Pay once for Pro. No subscription.
Viewing is free, including full MDX rendering and Finder Quick Look. Pro unlocks editing and saving, PDF and HTML export, folder mode, reading themes, and presentation mode. You can try Pro free for 14 days.
No. Pro is a one-time purchase. You own your version, and your licence works offline.
After purchase you receive a licence key by email. Open Markdownly, choose Enter Licence, and paste it. The key is verified on your Mac with no phone-home, so it keeps working offline.
Yes. We offer a 14-day money-back guarantee. Purchases are handled by Paddle, our Merchant of Record, who manage VAT, invoices, and refunds. See our refund policy.
macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon or Intel.
The free viewer, with a 14-day Pro trial built in.
Tip: for spacebar Quick Look in Finder, set Markdownly as your default Markdown app (the app offers a one-click button). macOS uses the default app's Quick Look preview.