Fast
Opens instantly. Renders as you type. Quiet on battery. No JavaScript runtime sitting between you and your file.
Marlo · for macOS
Markdown editor for Mac.
Native, fast, no Electron.
A native macOS Markdown editor with live preview. Fast, focused, made for Mac.
Universal binary · macOS 14+
README.md — Marlo
# Marlo
A native macOS Markdown editor with
*live preview*.
## Features
- **Split view** editor and preview
- Syntax tinting in the editor
- Export to HTML
- Tables, task lists, code fences
## Hello
```swift
let editor = MarloEditor()
editor.open(file)
```Marlo
A native macOS Markdown editor with live preview.
Features
- Split view editor and preview
- Syntax tinting in the editor
- Export to HTML
- Tables, task lists, code fences
Hello
let editor = MarloEditor()
editor.open(file)Built for Mac. Not ported to it.
Native
Built with AppKit and WebKit. Real macOS menus, real shortcuts, real undo. Universal binary. No Electron, no Chromium, no surprise.
Focused
No accounts. No cloud. No subscription. Your Markdown stays a plain file on your disk, exactly where you put it.
Everything a Markdown editor for Mac should be.
-
Live preview
GitHub-style rendering updates as you type. Side-by-side, editor-only, or preview-only.
-
Split view
Editor on the left, preview on the right. Drag the divider, or hide either pane with a keystroke.
-
Syntax tinting
Headings, emphasis, code, and links tint as you write — without leaving plain text behind.
-
HTML & PDF export
Export the current document to clean, standards-compliant HTML or a polished PDF.
-
Native shortcuts
⌘O, ⌘S, ⌘F, ⌘Z, ⌘⇧E for export. All the muscle memory you already have.
-
Tables & task lists
Full GitHub-Flavored Markdown: tables, task lists, fenced code, blockquotes, images, footnotes.
-
Dark mode
Follows the system. Light and dark themes built in — no flash, no toggle hunt.
-
Plain files
Just .md on your disk. Open in any editor. Commit to git. Sync with iCloud, Dropbox, or anything that moves files.
Why Marlo needed to exist.
Most Markdown editors today are web apps in a costume. They ship a copy of Chromium, eat 400 megabytes of memory to render a list of bullet points, and spin up your fans the moment you scroll. A Markdown file is plain text. The editor for it should feel that way.
Marlo is built with the same frameworks Apple uses to build TextEdit and Notes: AppKit for the chrome, WebKit for the preview, Foundation for the file work. It launches in a frame. It scrolls without thinking. It closes cleanly. Your Markdown is still your Markdown when it's done — a plain .md file on your disk, exactly where you put it.
If you write notes, README files, blog posts, or documentation on a Mac, Marlo is the editor you wanted Notes to be.
FAQ
What is Marlo?
Marlo is a native Markdown editor for Mac with live preview. It is built with AppKit and WebKit — not Electron.
Is Marlo really native?
Yes. Marlo uses AppKit for the UI and WebKit for preview rendering. There is no Chromium runtime, no JavaScript app shell, no V8 engine. The download is small and the memory footprint stays in the tens of megabytes.
Does Marlo sync to the cloud?
No. Marlo edits local Markdown files. You keep them in iCloud Drive, Dropbox, a git repository, or wherever you already store them. Your files are not Marlo's business.
Is Marlo on the Mac App Store?
Mac App Store availability is planned. The current build is distributed directly from this site as a downloadable .dmg.
How much does Marlo cost?
$9.99 as a one-time purchase. All future updates are included. There is a 14-day free trial — try the full app, then decide.
Is there a subscription?
No. Pay once, own it. The $9.99 covers all current and future updates.
What's the refund policy?
14-day no-questions refund. Email us within 14 days of purchase and we'll refund you. We'd rather you walk away happy than feel stuck.
What macOS version do I need?
macOS 14 or later. Apple Silicon and Intel both supported via a universal binary.
Get the best Markdown editor for Mac.
$9.99 forever. 14-day free trial. No subscription.
One purchase · all updates included