$diff typora mdflow

> the Typora alternativeyou don't have to install

Typora is a beautiful paid desktop app with fully in-place WYSIWYG — and if you write locally on one machine, it's hard to beat. MDflow trades the native app for the browser: nothing to install, free to start, synced across every device, with sharing, comments, and an API and MCP server for AI agents.

./start-free jump to the table ↓

typora → mdflow.diff

# desktop app -> browser workspace
-install = "native app, per-OS"
+install = "any browser, nothing to install"
-price = "$14.99 license"
+price = "free to start"
-devices = "one machine"
+devices = "synced everywhere"
-agents = "local files only"
+agents = "remote mcp + full api"

$cat frustrations.log

what a desktop-only app costs you

The hidden friction of keeping your writing chained to a single machine — and how MDflow handles each one.

//install

Typora is a native download you install and update per OS.

MDflow runs in any browser — nothing to install or update.

//sync

Files live on one machine; syncing is your job via a folder.

Documents sync to your account across every device you sign into.

//sharing

Sharing means handing someone a file.

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

//price

A one-time $14.99 license per user.

Free to start; Pro is €4.99/month with 10,000 files and the API.

//agents

No API; AI tools only see local files you point them at.

A full HTTP API and a remote MCP server agents can drive directly.

//capture

No built-in way to clip web pages into your notes.

A browser web clipper saves pages straight into your workspace as markdown.

$diff --stat typora mdflow

Typora vs MDflow, line by line

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

swipe to compare →

Feature comparison between Typora and MDflow
// feature	Typora	MDflow
›Renders Markdown	WYSIWYG	Edit/Visual/Split/Preview
›Runs in the browser (no install)	No	Yes
›Free to start	No	Yes
›Cross-device sync built in	No	Yes
›Seamless WYSIWYG editing	Yes	Visual mode
›DOCX / EPUB / LaTeX export	Yes	No
›PDF export	Yes	Yes
›Mermaid diagrams & math	Yes	No
›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)
›Web clipper extension	No	Yes
›Works fully offline	Yes	Drafts only
›Price	$14.99 one-time	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 in the browser vs a desktop license

Typora is a one-time $14.99 license per machine. MDflow is free to start in any browser, 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=typora --oneline

Where Typora is still ahead

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

Fully in-place WYSIWYG. Typora formats markdown in place as you type, with no mode to switch — the most polished writing surface around. MDflow now has a Visual (WYSIWYG) mode alongside Edit, Split, and Preview, but it's a dedicated mode rather than always-on in-place formatting.
Rich export formats. Typora exports to DOCX, EPUB, LaTeX, and more. MDflow exports .md and a print-ready PDF.
Fully offline native app. Typora works entirely offline on local files. MDflow is cloud-native with offline drafts.
Mermaid, math & CSS themes. Typora renders Mermaid and LaTeX math and supports deep CSS theming. MDflow renders GitHub-Flavored Markdown with light/dark themes.

$cat faq.md

Typora alternative — FAQ

Is MDflow a free Typora alternative?

Yes. The free plan needs no card, and Pro is €4.99/month — there's no license to buy.

Do I need to install anything?

No. MDflow runs in any browser and syncs across devices, unlike Typora's per-machine install.

Does MDflow have WYSIWYG editing like Typora?

Yes. MDflow has a Visual mode — edit the document as formatted rich text (WYSIWYG), with every change written straight back to clean markdown — alongside Edit, Split, and Preview. Typora differs by being fully in-place with no mode toggle.

Can MDflow export to Word or PDF?

PDF yes — a print-ready export — plus the original .md. DOCX, EPUB, and LaTeX export are Typora strengths MDflow doesn't match.

Can AI agents use my markdown?

Yes. Agents connect to MDflow's remote MCP server or its full-access HTTP API (both Pro), versus Typora's local-files-only model. 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 Typora do that MDflow doesn't?

Fully in-place WYSIWYG with no mode switch, DOCX/EPUB/LaTeX export, Mermaid and math, fully offline use, and CSS themes.

$mdflow init

Try the Typora 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