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Typora costs $14.99 and no longer has a free version. If you want a Markdown editor with live preview without paying, here are the best free alternatives — both browser-based and desktop.
| Editor | Price | Preview Style | Platform | PDF Export | Open Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lynx (WildandFree) | ✓ Free | Side-by-side | ✓ Browser | ✓ Yes | — |
| Mark Text | ✓ Free | Inline (like Typora) | Desktop | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Typora | $14.99 | Inline WYSIWYG | Desktop | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Zettlr | ✓ Free | Side-by-side | Desktop | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| VS Code + Extensions | ✓ Free | Side panel | Desktop | ~Via extension | ✓ Yes |
| Ghostwriter | ✓ Free | Side-by-side | Desktop (Linux/Win) | ~Via Pandoc | ✓ Yes |
| StackEdit | ✓ Free | Side-by-side | ✓ Browser | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Mark Text is the most Typora-like free editor. It's open-source, renders Markdown inline as you type (no split pane), supports code blocks with syntax highlighting, tables, math (KaTeX), and exports to PDF and HTML. Available on Mac, Windows, and Linux.
The catch: development has slowed significantly (last release was 2022). It works well for what it does, but don't expect new features.
Our Lynx Markdown Editor runs in your browser. No download, no license, no setup. You get a side-by-side preview (not inline like Typora), but the tradeoff is instant access from any device.
Features that match Typora: toolbar for formatting, keyboard shortcuts, export to .md/HTML/PDF, support for tables, code blocks, task lists, and blockquotes. Features Typora has that we don't: inline rendering, file management, custom themes.
Start writing Markdown right now — zero download, zero cost.
Open Lynx Markdown EditorZettlr is free and built for academic writers. It supports Pandoc integration, citation management (Zotero/JabRef), footnotes, and LaTeX math. The preview uses a side-by-side layout. If you write research papers in Markdown, Zettlr is the best free option.
If you already use VS Code, install "Markdown All in One" and "Markdown Preview Enhanced." You get keyboard shortcuts, table of contents generation, auto-preview, and export to HTML/PDF. No additional cost, and it integrates with your existing workflow.
If you write Markdown for hours every day and the inline rendering experience matters to you, Typora is worth the one-time price. The seamless editing — where formatted text appears in place instead of a separate preview pane — is genuinely unique and reduces visual noise. It also has better custom theme support than any free alternative.
For occasional editing, quick drafts, or sharing documents, free alternatives work just as well.
Try before you install anything — write Markdown in your browser.
Open Markdown Editor Free