Alternatives to Typora
Seamless live-preview markdown editor
Typora ranks #8 of 10 in Writing apps, with an Alt Score of 64. It is proprietary, sold as a one-time purchase from $14.99 one-time and available on Windows, macOS and Linux. 9 of 10 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
Writers, developers, and note-takers who write Markdown regularly and want a distraction-free editor without juggling separate source and preview panes.
A single-pane live preview editor where formatted Markdown appears as you type, with support for tables, code fences with syntax highlighting, math equations, and diagrams (Mermaid, flowcharts, sequence diagrams). Includes a file tree, auto-generated outline, Focus and Typewriter modes, and word count/reading time tracking. Documents export to PDF, Word, LaTeX, and EPUB, and themes are customizable via CSS.
You open or create a Markdown file and type directly in the single editing pane; syntax renders inline into formatted text in real time rather than toggling between edit and preview modes. Files stay as plain Markdown on disk, and you export or copy to other formats when needed.
Where Typora stands out
Verified capabilities most alternatives don't have.
Why people leave Typora
Dashed reasons are sourced facts; the rest are opinions. Vendors can dispute.
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Ranked alternatives
Ordered by Alt Score. Click any score to see the breakdown.
Feature comparison
How Typora compares with its alternatives, feature by feature.
| Writing apps checklist | Typora | Ulysses | iA Writer | Scrivener | Atticus | Dabble |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Goals & word counts | ||||||
| Export formats (docx, epub, pdf) | ||||||
| Sync between devices | ||||||
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| Publishing integrations |
Every fact and feature listed for Typora is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
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Starts at $14.99 one-time verified 2026-07-11
$ 14.99 (without tax) x 1 x
https://typora.io/#buy -
License Proprietary verified 2026-07-11
We grant You a non-exclusive, non-transferable, limited, revocable license to Use the Software in accordance with this EULA.
https://support.typora.io/License-Agreement/ -
Pricing model One-time verified 2026-07-11
It is one-time payment, not subscription.
https://support.typora.io/purchase/ -
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux verified 2026-07-11
Windows: require Windows 8, Windows 10 or Windows 11, support x86, amd64 (x64) and ARM (arm64) architecture.
https://support.typora.io/System-Requirements/ -
Status active verified 2026-07-11
Typora 1.13 Published · April 3, 2026 Updated · July 7, 2026
https://support.typora.io/What's-New-1.13/ -
Markdown support Yes verified 2026-07-11
Typora gives you a seamless experience as both a reader and a writer. It removes the preview window, mode switcher, syntax symbols of markdown source code, and all other unnecessary distractions.
https://typora.io/#features -
Distraction-free mode Yes verified 2026-07-11
When “Focus Mode” is enabled, Typora will fade out other contents except current line/block.
https://support.typora.io/Focus-and-Typewriter-Mode/ -
Long-form organization (chapters) No verified 2026-07-11
get an overview of the current document and quickly navigate to target sections.
https://support.typora.io/Outline/ -
Goals & word counts Partial verified 2026-07-11
Word count is displayed on status bar (Windows/Linux) or title bar (macOS when hover). Typora also counts lines, and characters, and estimated reading time.
https://support.typora.io/Word-Count/ -
Export formats (docx, epub, pdf) Yes verified 2026-07-11
For formats other than HTML, PDF and Images, Typora use pandoc for exporting. Pandoc is also used for importing non-Markdown files such as .docx, .rtf, etc.
https://support.typora.io/Export/ -
Sync between devices No verified 2026-07-11
Typora uses the Markdown format, storing work in plain text files. Therefore, you can use any 3rd party sync tools, such as iCloud Drive, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox and others, to sync your files
https://support.typora.io/Sync/ -
Version history Partial verified 2026-07-11
does not provide version control feature, but can save drafts timely to prevent data lost, when Typora exit or crashed without saving file, or you accidentally quite Typora without saving your writing
https://support.typora.io/Version-Control/ -
One-time purchase option Yes verified 2026-07-11
It is one-time payment, not subscription.
https://support.typora.io/purchase/ -
Offline Yes verified 2026-07-11
file based Markdown editor, Typora does not have concepts like “default working folder”
https://support.typora.io/File-Management/
FAQ
Yes. Manuskript, novelWriter and Ghostwriter have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.
Manuskript, novelWriter and Ghostwriter — every license claim links its source.