Vanilla opens files and folders directly
Use it as the default Markdown handler, open a folder tree, pin docs, and move between files without maintaining a separate editor-plus-preview setup.
Vanilla vs Marked 2.
Vanilla Markdown is a better fit than Marked 2 when you want a standalone app for opening local Markdown files, browsing docs folders, following links, and reading without an editor sitting in the middle. Marked 2 is a serious preview companion for writers who already work in another editor and want live preview, export, and writing analysis. Vanilla leans into the simpler job: open the file itself, move through the docs tree, and get on with reading.
Both apps care about rendering. The difference is whether Markdown should open as its own reading workflow or as a sidecar to a separate writing app.
Best for
- People who want to open Markdown directly instead of watching another editor save
- Reading linked docs trees, README folders, and local technical references
- Mac workflows that care more about folder navigation and read-only safety than export pipelines
Not for
- Writers who explicitly want a preview companion for Vim, Sublime, or another editor
- Export-heavy workflows centered on PDF, DOCX, or HTML output
- Writing-analysis workflows built around document statistics and editorial metrics
Objective comparison
Both are Markdown-focused. One is built for reading the file itself.
| Criteria | Vanilla Markdown | Marked 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Primary use | Open local Markdown files and docs folders directly | Preview Markdown from another editor after each save |
| Interaction model | Standalone read-only viewer | Companion preview tool for a writing app |
| Best for | README files, linked docs trees, and local reference material | Writers who already live in Vim, Sublime, or another editor |
| Navigation strength | Folders, recents, pins, links panel, section navigator, history | Live preview, auto-scroll, document stats, and export |
| Workflow overhead | Open the file and read it | Keep a second app open as part of the writing workflow |
| Why choose it | You want a modern app for reading Markdown itself | You want a powerful preview sidecar for an editor-first setup |
Marked 2 is stronger for writing companions
If your world is “write in one app, preview in another,” Marked 2 is the deeper tool. Vanilla is not chasing that workflow.
Vanilla puts navigation at the center
Table of contents, document links panel, section navigator, recents, and file history matter more when the work is understanding an existing docs set.
Our angle is simpler and more modern
Marked 2 is a 12-year-old power tool. Vanilla is a focused native viewer for the “just let me read this properly” moment on today’s Macs.
More scoops
Keep comparing
Markdown viewer for Mac
See the core Mac-specific positioning for Vanilla as a reader-first app.
Read local README files
Go deeper on linked docs folders and project documentation workflows.
Bear alternative
Compare Vanilla with a polished note-taking app rather than a preview companion.
Obsidian alternative
Compare Vanilla with a broader Markdown workspace and knowledge base.
One last scoop
Choose Vanilla when Markdown should open as a document, not as an attachment to another tool.
Marked 2 is excellent when your editor stays in charge. Vanilla is better when the viewer itself should handle local files, folders, links, and reading flow.