MDHero vs MDViewer
Open source newcomer meets established native viewer
Quick Overview
MDHero (by Vaibhav Kakde) is a free, open-source Markdown viewer available on macOS, Windows, and Linux. It is under active early development (v0.2.8, pre-1.0) and offers unique features like Marp slideshow support, LLM paste mode, and Vim keybindings. On Mac, it requires Apple Silicon — no Intel support.
MDViewer (by Crocopliers) is a native macOS Markdown viewer with a free Lite tier and a $9.99 Pro upgrade. It focuses on polished viewing: QuickLook integration, Git history with diffs, smart TOC, tabs, and inline editing. It runs on both Intel and Apple Silicon.
Both are free with Mermaid diagram support. The choice comes down to open-source flexibility vs polished native experience, and whether your Mac has Apple Silicon.
Feature Comparison
| MDViewer | MDHero | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Lite: Free / Pro: $9.99 | Free (MIT license) |
| Open source | No | Yes (MIT) |
| Platform | macOS only (13.0+) | macOS 12+ (Apple Silicon only), Windows, Linux |
| Intel Mac support | Yes | No (Apple Silicon only) |
| App size | ~15 MB | < 8 MB |
| Maturity | Stable (production) | Pre-1.0 (v0.2.8) |
| Finder QuickLook | Yes | No |
| Git history & diff | Yes (built-in) | No |
| Mermaid diagrams | Yes (interactive SVG with zoom) | Yes |
| Math (KaTeX/LaTeX) | Yes | Yes |
| Tabs | Yes (native macOS tabs) | No (pinned project folders) |
| Editing | Inline (double-click to edit) | View / Split / Edit modes |
| Marp slideshows | No | Yes |
| Vim keybindings | No | Yes |
| LLM paste mode | No | Yes |
| Syntax highlighting | Yes | Yes (25+ languages) |
| Table of contents | Yes (auto, tracks scroll) | Not documented |
| Live reload | Yes | Not documented |
| PDF export | Yes (⌘⇧E) | Not documented |
When to Choose MDViewer
- You have an Intel Mac — MDHero does not support Intel at all
- You want QuickLook — preview .md files in Finder without opening an app
- You need Git history and diff views built into your Markdown viewer
- You want a stable, production-ready app rather than pre-1.0 software
- You rely on tabs and live reload for day-to-day Markdown reading
- You want native macOS tabs that work with the rest of the system
When to Choose MDHero
- You value open source — MDHero is MIT-licensed, fully inspectable and modifiable
- You want Marp slideshow support to turn Markdown into presentations
- You use Vim keybindings and want them in your Markdown editor
- You want LLM paste mode for working with AI-generated content
- You need a Markdown viewer on Windows or Linux as well as Mac
- You prefer a split-pane editor with side-by-side source and preview
The Intel Question
This is the most important practical difference if you are choosing between these two apps on Mac. MDHero requires Apple Silicon — it will not run on any Intel-based Mac, regardless of macOS version.
MDViewer runs on both Intel and Apple Silicon, with macOS 13.0 or later. If you are on a 2019 MacBook Pro, a 2020 iMac, or any other Intel Mac still in service, MDHero is not an option.
Apple Silicon Macs (M1 and later) launched in late 2020, and many Intel Macs remain in active use. If you share Markdown workflows with colleagues, some of them likely still have Intel machines. MDViewer works for the entire team; MDHero works for part of it.
Open Source vs Polished Native
MDHero’s biggest advantage is being open source under the MIT license. You can inspect the code, contribute fixes, and build from source. For developers who care about software transparency, this matters.
The trade-off is maturity. MDHero is at v0.2.8 — pre-1.0 software with under 100 GitHub stars. Features may change, workflows may break between versions, and some capabilities are not yet documented. That is normal for early-stage open-source projects, but it means you are adopting a tool that is still finding its shape.
MDViewer is a closed-source commercial product, but it has been through more iterations. Features like QuickLook integration, Git history with color-coded diffs, and a scroll-tracking table of contents are polished and stable. The free Lite tier gives you most viewing features without paying.
It is a familiar trade-off: open source with rough edges, or closed source with a more complete experience.
FAQ
Does MDHero work on Intel Macs?
No. MDHero requires Apple Silicon (M1 or later). If you have an Intel Mac, MDHero will not run. MDViewer supports both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs running macOS 13.0 or later.
Is MDHero open source?
Yes. MDHero is released under the MIT license and its source code is available on GitHub. MDViewer is a closed-source commercial product with a free Lite tier.
Can MDHero create slideshows from Markdown?
Yes. MDHero supports Marp, a framework that turns Markdown files into slide presentations. MDViewer does not have a slideshow feature — it is focused on document viewing.
Does MDHero have Finder QuickLook?
No. MDHero does not provide a QuickLook extension. MDViewer includes QuickLook integration, so you can preview any .md file in Finder by pressing Space without opening the full app.
Try MDViewer
MDViewer Lite is free — with QuickLook, Mermaid, and tabs included. Pro adds editing, Git history, and PDF export for $9.99. Download and see how it fits your workflow.
Requires macOS 13.0 or later. Intel and Apple Silicon.