$diff dillinger mdflow

> the Dillinger alternative that remembers your work

Dillinger is a clean browser markdown editor — but it's built around a single document autosaved to your browser or pushed to your own cloud files. MDflow gives you a real workspace: folders, search, sharing with comments, and an API and MCP server agents can drive.

./start-free jump to the table ↓

dillinger → mdflow.diff

# beyond a single scratchpad
-docs = "one autosaved buffer"
+docs = "folders + collections"
-find = "ctrl-f this document"
+find = "full-text search across all"
-share = "export a file"
+share = "clean link + comments"
-agents = "none"
+agents = "remote mcp + full api"

$cat frustrations.log

what a single scratchpad can't do

Sourced from years of forum threads and user feedback — and how MDflow handles each one.

//workspace

Dillinger centers on one document; there's no folder tree or library.

MDflow organizes documents in folders and collections you can search.

//persistence

Your work autosaves to the browser — clear it and it's gone.

Documents live in your account and sync to every device you sign in on.

//sharing

To share, you export a .md, HTML, or PDF file and send it.

Publish a clean reader link; people can comment and clone their own copy.

//search

No cross-document search — it's one buffer at a time.

Built-in full-text search with highlighted snippets and folder context.

//agents

No API or agent access; it's a manual editor.

A full read/write HTTP API and a remote MCP server for Claude, Cursor, and Codex.

//privacy

Notes sync through third-party cloud files you wire up yourself.

Private by default, with optional client-side AES-256 encryption.

$diff --stat dillinger mdflow

Dillinger vs MDflow, line by line

The honest version — including the rows where Dillinger still wins.

swipe to compare →

Feature comparison between Dillinger and MDflow
// feature	Dillinger	MDflow
›Renders Markdown (live preview)	Yes	Yes
›Monaco editor	Yes	Yes
›Works with no account	Yes	No
›Saved multi-document workspace	No	Yes
›Folders & collections	No	Yes
›Full-text search	No	Yes
›Cloud sync across devices	Via your cloud files	Built-in
›Dropbox / Google Drive sync	Yes	No
›Edit GitHub repo files	Yes	Yes
›Clean public share link	No	Yes
›Reader comments on shared docs	No	Yes
›Client-side encryption	No	Yes
›HTTP API	No	Full (Pro)
›AI agent access (MCP)	No	Remote (Pro)
›Export to PDF / HTML	Yes	PDF + .md
›Vim / Emacs keybindings	Yes	No
›Price	Free	Free · €4.99 / month for Pro

$./why-mdflow

why people switch

$mdflow open

Genuinely easy to use

No vault to configure, no ribbon to learn, no plugins to wire up. Open the browser, make a folder, start writing markdown. That's the whole onboarding.

$curl /api/v1

Full API + remote MCP server

A documented HTTP API with full read and write access, plus a remote Model Context Protocol server — so scripts and agents can manage your workspace without running a local server. Claude.ai and ChatGPT connect with a one-click OAuth sign-in; other clients use a token.

$mdflow context

Built for AI agents

Folder descriptions and document metadata give Claude, Cursor, and Codex scoped context. Your notes become a knowledge base agents can actually use.

$mdflow share

Sharing & comments that just work

Publish one document at an unguessable link — readers get a clean rendered page, can comment on a passage, and can clone their own copy. No account needed to read.

$cat pricing.txt

free to start, €4.99 to go Pro

Dillinger is free and open source. MDflow is free to start too, with Pro at €4.99/month for 10,000 files, the full API, and the remote MCP server.

Freefree forever

[x]100 markdown files
[x]5 image uploads
[x]Public sharing links
[x]Commenting

Pro€4.99/ month

[x]10,000 markdown files
[x]10,000 image uploads
[x]Full HTTP API access
[x]Remote MCP server

// no card to start · fair-use applies

./start-free full pricing

$git log --author=dillinger --oneline

Where Dillinger is still ahead

We'd rather be straight with you. Dillinger is a mature product, and there are real reasons to stay — especially if you depend on these:

Direct cloud-service sync. Dillinger imports and saves straight to Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, and Bitbucket. MDflow now edits GitHub repo markdown in place, but syncs to its own workspace for the rest.
No account at all. You can open Dillinger and write with zero sign-up. MDflow needs a free account to save your work.
Vim & Emacs keybindings. Dillinger ships Vim and Emacs modes plus a zen fullscreen mode. MDflow's editor is Monaco without those modes.
Open source. Dillinger is open source and self-hostable. MDflow is a hosted product.

$cat faq.md

Dillinger alternative — FAQ

Is MDflow a free Dillinger alternative?

Yes. The free plan includes 100 markdown files, public sharing, and commenting — no card required. Pro is €4.99/month for 10,000 files, the full HTTP API, and the remote MCP server.

Does MDflow sync like Dillinger?

Dillinger syncs to your own cloud files; MDflow syncs to your account across every device you sign into, and keeps offline drafts that auto-retry when you reconnect.

Can I save and organize many documents?

Yes. MDflow has folders, shareable collections, and full-text search — unlike Dillinger's single-buffer model.

Does MDflow connect to Dropbox, Drive, or GitHub?

GitHub, yes. Connect a GitHub account to a workspace and edit the markdown in your repositories in place — browse repos, branches, and folders, then commit straight back on save. Dropbox and Google Drive, not directly; MDflow also stores its own documents and exposes them through a full HTTP API and a remote MCP server.

Can AI agents use my markdown?

Yes. Agents connect to MDflow's remote MCP server or its full-access HTTP API (both Pro) to read and manage your workspace. Claude.ai and ChatGPT sign in with one-click OAuth — no token to paste — while clients like Claude Code, Cursor, and Codex use a Personal Access Token.

What does Dillinger do that MDflow doesn't?

Direct cloud-file sync, no-account use, Vim/Emacs keybindings, and being open source/self-hostable.

$mdflow init

Try the Dillinger alternative built for today.

Sign in with Google, create a folder, and start writing markdown that people and AI agents can read. The free plan needs no card.

./start-free →see pricing