$diff hackmd mdflow

> the HackMD alternative for markdown you actually own

HackMD is built for teams writing together in real time — and it's good at that. But your notes live on its servers, GitHub sync and PDF export sit behind paid tiers, and there's no agent access. MDflow is a solo-first workspace: plain .md you own, free exports, and a full API and MCP server. If live multi-user editing is your priority, HackMD still wins — and we say so below.

./start-free jump to the table ↓

hackmd → mdflow.diff

# solo-first, agent-ready
-storage = "their servers"
+storage = "plain .md you own"
-pdf = "paid tier"
+pdf = "free"
-github = "paid tier"
+github = "free · commit-on-save"
+api = "full read/write (pro)"
-agents = "none"
+agents = "remote mcp (pro)"

$cat frustrations.log

the friction solo writers hit in HackMD

What solo writers run into when using a team-first tool — and how MDflow handles each one.

ownership

Documents live on HackMD's servers in its own store.

Every document is plain .md you can download anytime.

paywalled basics

PDF export and GitHub sync require a paid tier.

Export .md and PDF, and edit GitHub repo files, on the free plan.

agents

No first-party API or MCP for AI agents.

A full read/write HTTP API and a remote MCP server (Pro).

privacy

No client-side encryption for sensitive docs.

Encrypt any document in the browser with AES-256.

simplicity

Team features and permissions add overhead for solo writing.

A focused solo workspace — folders, search, and simple sharing.

sharing

Sharing centers on collaborative edit links.

A clean read-only reader link with comments, plus optional private email sharing.

$diff --stat hackmd mdflow

HackMD vs MDflow, line by line

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

swipe to compare →

Feature comparison between HackMD and MDflow
// feature	HackMD	MDflow
Renders Markdown (live preview)	Yes	Yes
Real-time collaborative editing	Yes	No
Plain .md you own	Their store	Plain .md
Free PDF export	Paid	Yes
GitHub sync	Paid	Yes
Slide / presentation mode	Yes	Yes
Clean public reader link	Yes	Yes
Reader comments on shared docs	Collab notes	Yes
Private email sharing	Yes	Pro
Client-side encryption	No	Yes
Full-text search	Yes	Yes
HTTP API	Limited	Full (Pro)
AI agent access (MCP)	No	Remote (Pro)
Vim keybindings	Yes	No
Price	Free + paid tiers	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 exports, no paywall on basics

HackMD gates PDF export and GitHub sync behind paid tiers. MDflow keeps those basics free — and edits your GitHub repo markdown free 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=hackmd --oneline

Where HackMD is still ahead

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

Real-time collaboration. HackMD is built for multiple people editing the same note live, with presence and cursors. MDflow has no real-time multi-user editing — it's solo-first.
Slide presentations. HackMD has a mature slide mode with themes and a presenter view. MDflow now has a presentation mode too — it splits a document into fullscreen slides at each top-level heading — but HackMD's is more full-featured.
Books & team spaces. HackMD assembles notes into books and team workspaces. MDflow uses folders and shareable collections instead.
Mature team permissions. HackMD's per-note roles and team spaces are richer for organizations.

$cat faq.md

HackMD alternative — FAQ

Is MDflow a good HackMD alternative for solo use?

Yes. It's solo-first: plain .md you own, folders, full-text search, free exports, sharing with comments, plus a full API and a remote MCP server.

Does MDflow support real-time collaboration?

No. MDflow has no live multi-user editing. If that's central to your workflow, HackMD is the better fit — MDflow focuses on owning and automating your markdown instead.

Is PDF export free?

Yes. Export any document to a print-ready PDF and download the original .md on the free plan, with no paid gate.

Do I own my notes?

Yes. Every document is plain .md you can download anytime, and you can encrypt sensitive ones client-side.

Can AI agents read my notes?

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 HackMD do that MDflow doesn't?

Real-time collaboration, books and team spaces, and richer team permissions.

$mdflow init

Try the HackMD 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