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QLCommonMark vs MacDown 3000

Side-by-side comparison for macOS

QLCommonMark

6.0
Developer Tools

Quick Look plugin for CommonMark and Markdown

MacDown 3000

7.5
Productivity

Markdown editor with live preview and syntax highlighting

Metric QLCommonMark MacDown 3000
Category Developer Tools Productivity
AI Score 6.0 7.5
30-day Installs 6 785
90-day Installs 31 1.8K
365-day Installs 175 2.7K
Version 1.1 3000.0.6
Auto-updates No No
Deprecated Yes No
GitHub Stars 49 155
GitHub Forks 3 12
Open Issues - 64
License MIT
Language C Objective-C
Last GitHub Commit 8y ago 2mo ago
First Seen Jul 24, 2017 Dec 27, 2025

Reviews

QLCommonMark

QLCommonMark is a Quick Look plugin that renders CommonMark and Markdown files in macOS, offering a seamless preview experience for developers and writers. It supports a comprehensive Markdown spec and integrates well with macOS, though its last update was in 2017.

Renders CommonMark and Markdown files in macOS's Quick Look feature.

Pros

  • + Integrates seamlessly with macOS Quick Look.
  • + Supports CommonMark, handling complex documents.
  • + Free and open-source under the MIT license.

Cons

  • - No updates since 2017, potential compatibility issues.
  • - Manual updates required as no auto-update feature.

MacDown 3000

MacDown 3000 is a sleek Markdown editor offering live preview, syntax highlighting, and a modern interface. Ideal for macOS users seeking a reliable tool for writing and content creation.

A Markdown editor with live preview and syntax highlighting.

Pros

  • + Lightweight and modern interface
  • + Live preview and syntax highlighting
  • + Recent updates indicate active development

Cons

  • - No auto-update feature
  • - Unknown license status
  • - Some past bugs, though resolved