An honest comparison across the axes buyers actually care about: markdown fidelity, version history, setup friction, and multi-device access. We included Knowdust and rated it on the same criteria as everyone else.
| Editor | Pricing | Real .md files | Git history built-in | No install required | Multi-device without extra cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Obsidian Local-first knowledge base | Free; Sync $4–8/mo; Publish $8/mo | — | — | — | |
| Typora Distraction-free WYSIWYG | $14.99 one-time (after free beta) | — | — | — | |
| HackMD Collaborative markdown in the browser | Free; Team plan from $5/user/mo | — | |||
| Notion All-in-one workspace | Free; Plus $5/mo; Business $25/user/mo | — | — | ||
| iA Writer Focused writing, beautifully designed | $49.99 Mac; $9.99 iOS; $29.99 Windows | — | — | — | |
| Knowdustthis site Markdown notes with real git history | $5/month; free tier available |
Want version history without configuring anything?
Knowdust has git history built in. Every note is a .md file. Every save is a commit. No setup required.
Try Knowdust freeLocal-first knowledge base · Free; Sync $4–8/mo; Publish $8/mo
Obsidian stores notes as plain Markdown files on your device and has a rich plugin ecosystem. It's the power-user choice — incredibly flexible but requires meaningful setup time.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Distraction-free WYSIWYG · $14.99 one-time (after free beta)
Typora renders markdown as you type — there's no split pane, just a clean document view. It's the best writing experience for people who don't want to see markdown syntax while writing.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Collaborative markdown in the browser · Free; Team plan from $5/user/mo
HackMD is a web-first collaborative markdown editor — think Google Docs for markdown. Strong for team notes and documentation, but not ideal for personal note-taking.
Strengths
Weaknesses
All-in-one workspace · Free; Plus $5/mo; Business $25/user/mo
Notion is not a markdown editor — it's a block-based workspace that accepts markdown shortcut syntax. It's extremely versatile, but if you want markdown fidelity, it can frustrate.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Focused writing, beautifully designed · $49.99 Mac; $9.99 iOS; $29.99 Windows
iA Writer is a premium writing app with a distinctive minimalist design. It's opinionated about simplicity — one font, one focus mode — and great for long-form writing.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Markdown notes with real git history · $5/month; free tier available
Knowdust writes your notes as real .md files to an actual git repository. Every save is a commit — you get a full diff log, version comparison, and one-click restore. No install. Works from any browser.
Strengths
Weaknesses