$diff markdownlivepreview mdflow

> the MarkdownLivePreview alternative that keeps your work

MarkdownLivePreview is a great one-off: paste markdown, see it render. But it's a single scratchpad with no accounts, no saving, and no sharing. MDflow is what you graduate to — a real editor with folders, search, sharing and comments, and an API and MCP server for AI agents.

./start-free jump to the table ↓

preview → mdflow.diff

# scratchpad -> workspace
-editor = "plain textarea"
+editor = "monaco, syntax-highlighted"
-docs = "one, in memory"
+docs = "folders + collections"
-save = "lost on refresh"
+save = "synced to your account"
-agents = "none"
+agents = "remote mcp + full api"

$cat frustrations.log

what a preview pane can't do

Where a single-page scratchpad falls short — and how MDflow handles each one.

//editor

It's a plain textarea — no syntax highlighting or shortcuts.

A Monaco editor with markdown highlighting, Split, and Preview views.

//persistence

Nothing is saved; a refresh clears your work.

Documents live in your account and sync across devices.

//organization

One document only — no library, no folders.

Folders, collections, and full-text search across everything.

//sharing

No way to share a link; you copy text out.

Publish a clean reader link with comments and one-click cloning.

//images

No image handling — it's text in, HTML out.

Drag, drop, or paste images; they upload and render in your docs.

//agents

No API or automation.

A full HTTP API and a remote MCP server for AI agents.

$diff --stat preview mdflow

MarkdownLivePreview vs MDflow, line by line

The honest version — including where a simple preview tool still wins.

swipe to compare →

Feature comparison between MarkdownLivePreview and MDflow
// feature	MarkdownLivePreview	MDflow
›Renders Markdown (live preview)	Yes	Yes
›Real code editor (Monaco)	No	Yes
›Saved documents	No	Yes
›Multiple documents / folders	No	Yes
›Full-text search	No	Yes
›Images in documents	No	Yes
›Clean public share link	No	Yes
›Reader comments on shared docs	No	Yes
›Client-side encryption	No	Yes
›PDF export	Yes	Yes
›HTTP API	No	Full (Pro)
›AI agent access (MCP)	No	Remote (Pro)
›Works with no account	Yes	No
›Open source	Yes	No
›Price	Free	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.

$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 to start, €4.99 to go Pro

MarkdownLivePreview is free and open source. MDflow is free to start, with Pro at €4.99/month for unlimited files, the full API, and the remote MCP server.

Freefree forever

[x]5 markdown files
[x]5 image uploads
[x]Public sharing links
[x]Commenting

Pro€4.99/ month

[x]Unlimited 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=markdownlivepreview --oneline

Where MarkdownLivePreview is still ahead

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

Zero friction for a one-off. Nothing beats MarkdownLivePreview for a quick paste-and-render with no sign-up. MDflow needs a free account to save your work.
Open source. MarkdownLivePreview is open source. MDflow is a hosted product.
Dead simple. A single page with one job and no learning curve. MDflow is a fuller workspace.
No account, ever. It never asks for an account; MDflow does, because it saves and syncs your work.

$cat faq.md

MarkdownLivePreview alternative — FAQ

Is MDflow free like MarkdownLivePreview?

Yes. The free plan includes 5 markdown files, sharing, and commenting — no card. Pro is €4.99/month for unlimited files, the full API, and the remote MCP server.

Why use MDflow instead of a preview tool?

Because your work is saved, organized, searchable, and shareable — and agents can read it through the API and MCP server. A preview pane loses everything on refresh.

Does MDflow render the same markdown?

Yes. Full GitHub-Flavored Markdown — tables, task lists, footnotes, code — in a live preview, plus a real editor.

Can I share what I write?

Yes. A clean reader link with optional comments and one-click cloning; no account needed to read it.

Can AI agents read my markdown?

Yes. Agents connect to MDflow's remote MCP server or its full-access HTTP API (both Pro).

What does MarkdownLivePreview do that MDflow doesn't?

Render a one-off with zero sign-up, and it's open source.

$mdflow init

Try the MarkdownLivePreview 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