Edit directly in Preview or Source—side by side or one view at a time.
Zizeg compared
Five Markdown editors.
Five different workflows.
Zizeg, Clearly, Typora, Obsidian, and iA Writer take different approaches to Preview, Source, formatting, files, safety, and export. Here is the practical difference.
Zizeg’s defining approach
Preview and Source are both editable, side by side or one at a time.
Different editors, different priorities
The quick answer: which one fits?
Lightweight, free source editing with a polished, separate preview.
Focused single-surface writing with Markdown rendered as you type.
Connected notes, knowledge management, and an extensive plugin ecosystem.
Distraction-free long-form writing and a broad set of export formats.
Focused comparison
The details that shape the editing experience.
This table concentrates on workflow differences rather than counting every feature. “Not documented” means we found no equivalent control in the vendor material—not that one cannot exist.
| Workflow | Zizeg | Clearly | Typora | Obsidian | iA Writer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core editing model | Separate Preview and Source editors, kept in sync | Source editor with a separate Preview mode | One Live Preview surface, with an optional Source Code mode | Live Preview or Source editing, plus a Reading view | Plain-text Editor with a separate rendered Preview |
| Rendered + source together | Yes — built-in Split view | Not in the current version | No — one editing surface at a time | Yes — the same note can be opened in Editing and Reading views | Yes — Editor and Preview can share the screen |
| Both views editable | Yes — edit either side | No — Preview is read-only | One editing surface rather than two panes | No — the Reading view is read-only | No — Preview is read-only |
| Formatting controls | Toolbar, menus, and shortcuts in both editors; commands toggle styles on/off | Format menu and shortcuts | Optional floating toolbar, menus, and shortcuts | Commands and configurable hotkeys | Toolbar, Format menu, and shortcuts |
| Typography per view | Direct font family and size controls for Preview and Source independently | Font size and Preview font controls | Theme-driven appearance for the editing surface | Theme and CSS-driven appearance | Editor font plus template-driven Preview styling |
| Markdown storage | Standalone .md files; no library or vault |
Standalone .md files |
Standalone Markdown files and folders | Markdown files inside a vault, with an .obsidian settings folder |
Plain-text files organized through Library locations |
| External file changes | Monitors open files, surfaces conflicts, and can repair a document after a Finder rename | Automatically reloads files changed outside the app | File sidebar watches folder changes | Refreshes vault files; in-app renames can update links | Works with Finder-openable files and Library locations |
| Images and local assets | Stores pasted images in a sibling assets folder and repairs paths after Finder renames | Saves pasted images beside the document | Configurable image destinations, relative paths, and image tools | Configurable attachment locations inside the vault | Images and content blocks from the Library, same folder, or a subfolder |
| Remote-content safety | Remote images are blocked by default and can be approved individually | No equivalent per-image approval control documented | Remote image URLs supported; no equivalent approval control documented | Remote image URLs supported; no equivalent approval control documented | Remote image URLs supported; no equivalent approval control documented |
| Export | PDF and self-contained HTML | PDF and print | PDF, HTML, image, and additional formats through Pandoc | Built-in PDF; additional publishing options through plugins and Obsidian Publish | PDF, DOCX, HTML, Markdown, and project archive |
| Price and availability | Available now on the Mac App Store. Free viewing; $14.99 lifetime, $2.99/3 months, or $9.99/year to edit and export. Subscriptions include a 7-day trial. | Free and open source; direct download and Mac App Store | 15-day trial; $14.99 one-time direct purchase | Free; optional paid Sync, Publish, and commercial support plans | 7-day trial; $49.99 one-time on Mac, direct or Mac App Store |
Where Zizeg stands apart
Markdown control without giving up document editing.
Zizeg is designed for people who want Markdown to remain visible and trustworthy without making its syntax the only place where real editing happens.
- Edit where you think: Preview and Source are equal editors.
- Tune each view: choose the font family and size independently.
- Use Mac document conventions: native tabs, autosave, and Finder files.
- Keep files portable and safer: plain Markdown, local assets, and remote-image approval.
The closest technical alternative
Ferrite also makes both sides editable.
Ferrite is a free, open-source dual-pane Markdown editor whose raw and rendered views are both editable. That makes its core model closer to Zizeg than the Mac editors in the main table.
It appears separately because Ferrite is currently developed and tested primarily for Windows and Linux. Its macOS support is described as experimental, and its Mac builds are unsigned and not notarized.
Sources and scope
Checked against current vendor documentation.
Competitor features and prices last checked September 5, 2026; they can change. Zizeg's Mac App Store availability was rechecked September 23, 2026.
Methodology and sources
The comparison uses vendor websites, product documentation, support pages, changelogs, and official source repositories. Where an equivalent capability was not documented, the table says so instead of treating missing documentation as proof that it cannot exist.
Product and company names are trademarks of their respective owners. This factual comparison does not imply endorsement or affiliation.
See Zizeg in action
Preview and Source.
Both editable.
Explore the real application, its Mac-native workflow, and the details behind the comparison.
