Guide

WYSIWYG Markdown Editor for Mac

A split-pane editor shows raw Markdown on the left and a preview on the right. A WYSIWYG editor shows only the formatted result — syntax hides as you type. Here's what that means in practice, and the best Mac apps that do it.

Split-pane vs WYSIWYG: what's the difference?

Split-pane

Raw Markdown on the left. Rendered preview on the right. You're always looking at two views — the syntax and the result. Functional, but cognitively split. MacDown and most web editors work this way.

WYSIWYG

One view. Type **bold** and it renders bold immediately. Move your cursor away and the asterisks disappear. You always see a formatted document — the syntax is there but stays hidden.

Best WYSIWYG Markdown editors for Mac

Kite

$14.99 one-time+ Quick Look

Approach: Syntax hides as cursor moves away

Native macOS app. Type **bold** and it renders bold immediately — the asterisks disappear when your cursor moves. Also includes a Quick Look extension so .md files render formatted in Finder.

Typora

$29.99 one-time

Approach: Syntax hides on cursor leave

The original WYSIWYG Markdown editor. Similar live-render approach to Kite. Cross-platform (Windows, Linux, Mac). No Quick Look integration. More expensive.

iA Writer

$49.99 one-time

Approach: Focus mode, not true WYSIWYG

Not truly WYSIWYG — it highlights syntax but doesn't hide it. Focused on distraction-free writing. Premium price. Export-focused.

Obsidian (Live Preview)

Free (personal)

Approach: Live preview mode renders inline

Obsidian's Live Preview mode is WYSIWYG-like — syntax hides when cursor leaves. But requires a vault. Not designed for reading arbitrary .md files from the filesystem.

Kite: WYSIWYG editor + Quick Look in one app

Kite combines a WYSIWYG Markdown editor with a Quick Look extension — the only Mac app that does both. $14.99 one-time, native macOS, 18 MB.

Download Kite — $14.99 one-time