Downright and Typora are both serious Markdown editors. They make different promises about the center of the experience.
Choose Downright if…
- You want a native macOS editor and viewer with no WebView.
- You want Document, Split, and Source views over the same bytes.
- You review Markdown written by coding agents and need word-level change marks before accepting a rewrite.
- You want a free MIT-licensed tool with no account or cloud sync requirement.
Choose Typora if…
- You prefer an inline Live Preview that hides Markdown markers as you type.
- You want a cross-platform writing surface on macOS, Windows, and Linux.
- You prefer a mature paid product with a one-time license and a short trial.
The practical difference
Typora is a focused writing environment. Downright is a file-aware review surface. Downright keeps the source view close, treats external writes as a first-class event, and makes the unchanged file the authority. Neither choice is universally better. Choose the one that matches the work you actually do.
Reviewed/tested August 16, 2026. Compare the publishers directly: Typora pricing and FAQ and the full editor comparison. This page describes workflow differences, not a universal ranking.