This page's audience our own tag's counts — open to see them

Period

–Visits

–Page views

–Clicks to vendors

–Time on page

–Reading now

Clicks to vendors, by tool

Top countries

Devices

– · visits, page views and clicks counted by our own tag, which counts more than our checked analytics; every figure rounded down · how we count

Head-to-head · Markdown Editors

Dillinger vs Ghostwriter

Updated Oct 2026
Both researched from official sources
3 checks side by side

Higher score Dillinger #4 in Markdown Editors 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 3 features Visit Dillinger

Ghostwriter #6 in Markdown Editors 8.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 3 features Visit KDE

Dillinger leads on 0 checks, Ghostwriter on 0, and 3 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 3 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

Highest scoreDillinger · 8.7/10
Free planboth
Most featuresDillinger · 2 of 3

Dillinger scores higher on our rubric for markdown editors: 8.7 against 8.4 out of 10; our editors rank them #4 and #6.

Dillinger is the better fit for free browser-based editing with cloud files. Ghostwriter is the better fit for free desktop writers needing Markdown flexibility.

Dillinger fits best
Free browser-based editing with cloud files
Ghostwriter fits best
Free desktop writers needing Markdown flexibility

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Show only differences

Feature	Dillinger 8.7/10 Visit ↗	Ghostwriter 8.4/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.7	8.4
Ranking	#4 in Markdown Editors	#6 in Markdown Editors
Best for	Free browser-based editing with cloud files	Free desktop writers needing Markdown flexibility
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Free plan	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud	Desktop
Platforms	Web	Windows, Linux, macOS
Support	Docs	Community, Docs
Integrations	5 integrations	4 integrations
Built for	Solo, Small business	Solo, Small business
Features Dillinger 2/3 · Ghostwriter 1/3
Real-time collaboration	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Cloud sync	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Local file support	✓	✓
Specs
Supported platforms	web	Windows, Linux, macOS
Export formats	Markdown, HTML, PDF	HTML, Pandoc, MultiMarkdown, commonmark
Publishing workflow	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Markdown flavor	Not checked yet	Github_flavored
Our review
Pros	Monaco editor with syntax highlighting, cursors, search, and autocompletion Live side-by-side preview with synchronized scrolling Cloud connections plus Markdown, HTML, and PDF export	Live preview, focus mode, fullscreen mode, and document navigation Supports cmark-gfm, Pandoc, MultiMarkdown, Discount, and cmark Free, open source, with autosave, backups, and image drag-and-drop
Cons	Available as a web application rather than a desktop editor Offline core editing starts only after the initial load Export options are limited to Markdown, styled HTML, and PDF	macOS support is community-supported and requires building from source Desktop-only workflow with local files rather than a hosted workspace Export and processor options depend on installed Markdown processors
Our verdict	Dillinger is a free, open-source Markdown editor that runs in the browser. It is aimed at developers, technical writers, and other users creating README files, documentation, blog posts, or structured prompts. Core editing requires no… Read the review →	Ghostwriter is a free, open-source Markdown editor developed by KDE for writers who want a focused desktop workspace. It works with local files on Windows, Linux, and macOS, and combines a distraction-free interface with live HTML preview,… Read the review →

DillingerMarkdown Editors 8.7Free plan
GhostwriterMarkdown Editors 8.4Free plan

Compare the top tools in

Strengths and trade-offs

Dillinger — where it wins
- Monaco editor with syntax highlighting, cursors, search, and autocompletion
- Live side-by-side preview with synchronized scrolling
- Cloud connections plus Markdown, HTML, and PDF export
Where it doesn't
- Available as a web application rather than a desktop editor
- Offline core editing starts only after the initial load
- Export options are limited to Markdown, styled HTML, and PDF
Ghostwriter — where it wins
- Live preview, focus mode, fullscreen mode, and document navigation
- Supports cmark-gfm, Pandoc, MultiMarkdown, Discount, and cmark
- Free, open source, with autosave, backups, and image drag-and-drop
Where it doesn't
- macOS support is community-supported and requires building from source
- Desktop-only workflow with local files rather than a hosted workspace
- Export and processor options depend on installed Markdown processors

Dillinger8.7/10 · Free plan
A flexible free editor for Markdown work across local files and cloud storage.
Visit Dillinger Full verdict →
Ghostwriter8.4/10 · Free plan
A capable free Markdown editor for focused local writing across three desktop platforms.
Visit KDE Full verdict →

Swap in another markdown editor

First tool Second tool

More comparisons

All markdown editors comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated 7 Oct 2026 · How we research and update