Fix a table directly in the formatted document and see its Markdown change beside it. Edit Preview or Source in the same loose file, side by side or one view at a time. Viewing is free. Editing and export require an unlock. If linked notes are your main job, consider Obsidian.
Explore ZizegZizeg compared
Which Markdown editor fits the way you work on a Mac?
Zizeg, Clearly, Typora, Obsidian, and iA Writer take different approaches to Preview, Source, formatting, files, safety, and export.
Zizeg’s defining approach
Preview and Source are both editable, side by side or one at a time.
Different editors, different priorities
Five workflows to choose from
We make Zizeg, one of the five apps below. Each choice fits a different job.
Open a standalone Markdown file, write with syntax highlighting, and toggle to a formatted preview. Clearly is free and open source. For a long draft where you want to dim everything outside the current paragraph, try iA Writer’s Focus Mode.
Visit ClearlyDraft a document in one surface with Markdown formatting appearing as you type. Open the file directly and use the outline to jump between sections. If you regularly compare editable Markdown with the formatted result side by side, consider Zizeg.
Visit TyporaOrganize a collection of linked notes in a vault. The vault is a local folder, and you can open an existing folder as one. For a single file you received and want to edit in place, a document editor such as Zizeg or Typora is a simpler fit.
See how Obsidian vaults workWrite a long draft in Markdown with Focus Mode highlighting the sentence or paragraph you’re working on. Preview the document when you want to review formatting. If you want to make changes directly in a continuously formatted document, consider Typora.
Visit iA WriterFocused 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loose file or vault | Open a loose Markdown file in place | Open a Markdown file directly | Open a Markdown file directly | Work inside a local folder opened as a vault | Open a file directly or organize it in the library |
| 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 | Source is the editing surface. Preview has interactive checkboxes. | 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 | Asks by default. Optional automatic reload merges nonconflicting edits and asks what to keep if they conflict. | 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 | Resize in Preview. Store images beside the Markdown or embed them. Zizeg offers to repair document asset paths after a Finder rename. | 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 with rendered Mermaid diagrams and LaTeX formulas | 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.
- Work with diagrams and formulas: edit Mermaid in Source with its diagram visible in Split, or click a LaTeX formula in Preview to edit it.
- 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.
Explore the workflows in more detail. Editable Preview vs Split · Edit without a vault · Typora alternative · MacDown alternative
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
Vendor documentation and comparison scope
The workflow cards draw on vendor documentation. Check the sources below for current features and pricing.
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.
