MacDown vs Muesli
MacDown
macdown.uranusjr.com
Muesli
muesli.mdSide by side
| Figure | MacDown | Muesli |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Markdown editors | 7.9 (#18) | 8.5 (#7) |
| Cloud sync | No | Yes |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Local file support | Yes | Yes |
| Supported platforms | macos | The maker lists browser use and desktop builds for macOS, Windows, and Linux; the download page labels the desktop downloads “Coming soon.” |
| Product | MacDown is an open source Markdown editor for macOS released under the MIT License. | Muesli is a real-time collaborative Markdown editor for teams and AI agents that edit the same plain .md file. |
| Security | The FAQ says MacDown has no registered Mac developer certificate, so macOS may warn that it is from an unidentified developer when opened. | The privacy policy states service traffic uses TLS, production access is restricted, and audit logs record security-relevant actions. |
| Support | The FAQ directs users to report product issues and suggestions on the project's GitHub issue page. | The maker provides support and privacy contact by email at [email protected]. |
Plans
In their own words
MacDown
MacDown has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
Muesli
Muesli is a free, real-time collaborative Markdown editor for teams and AI agents working in the same plain .md file. Collaborators can see live cursors and presence, discuss material in comment threads, submit tracked suggestions, and use append-only history with snapshots. Editing tools include inline preview, a source toggle, KaTeX math, Mermaid diagrams, editable tables and callouts, wikilinks, and backlinks. Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, Copilot, and Gemini CLI can work through MCP or edit the file directly. When a human is present in a document, agent edits become suggestions for review. Guest links can grant viewer, commenter, or editor access without requiring accounts. Storage choices include local files, S3-compatible services, GitHub, Gitea, Forgejo, and Google Drive. Muesli is available on the web, Windows, macOS, Linux, and as a self-hosted service, and is open source under AGPL-3.0. Self-hosting uses one Docker image, but durable documents and history require Postgres and Redis. The hosted service says document contents remain in user-chosen storage and are not read, mined, or used for training.