MarkEdit

MarkEdit is what TextEdit would be if it were built for Markdown: open a file and start writing, with the same double-click-to-open simplicity as any other plain-text app on your Mac. Under the hood it's built on CodeMirror 6 rather than a WebView, so it stays fast and native even on large files.

Why it makes the list

Most Markdown editors are either Electron apps that feel foreign on macOS, or feature-heavy note-taking suites you don't need for quick edits. MarkEdit is neither — a 4MB installer, strict GFM compliance with no proprietary syntax extensions, and full support for macOS text conventions like force-touch word lookup, inline predictions, and Writing Tools.

Standout features

• CodeMirror 6 engine for fast, correct editing, even on 10MB+ files
• Extensions via CSS, JavaScript, and CodeMirror for custom themes and behavior
• Official add-ons for live preview, custom theming, and AI writing assistance
• Native macOS text features — force-touch lookup, inline predictions, Writing Tools
• Strict GitHub-Flavored Markdown, no vendor lock-in syntax
• No telemetry — nothing about what you write ever leaves your Mac

Pricing

Completely free and open source (MIT).