Traditional word processors like Microsoft Word and Google Docs cater to the majority of users who write on their computers. They're easy to use and have a plethora of tools and functions to format text in any required manner. However, most word processors use custom formatting exclusive to their platform. For example, you may have observed that copying text from a Microsoft Word file onto Google Docs or vice versa may mess up the formatting. The same applies to migrating text from LibreOffice to MS Word. This is especially annoying for people like me who constantly need to input text into online content management systems.

I often write my articles in MS Word and then paste them into the CMS later in order to save my progress offline. However, this results in added work, since I have to reformat my articles inside the CMS once again. To reduce my work and prevent this from happening, I decided to migrate all my writing work to Markdown-based text editors. Markdown is a text format that uses common symbols to format text. This way, it's easy to convert text -- along with its formatting -- into HTML. As a result, pasting any piece of text written in Markdown into a CMS will not meddle with the formatting. In my quest to make my work easier, I found some cool Markdown-based text editors that can give traditional word processors a run for their money. Here are a few of them.

5 StackEdit

Best online Markdown editor

Lots of users may not want to download and install applications on their computers. This could be due to privacy reasons or the lack of storage space. Irrespective of the reason, StackEdit comes to your rescue. The editor is completely web-based so all you have to do is head to the website in order to access it. Once you're on the site, you will see a pretty simple UI with a split-screen view. The left half of the page is the editor, while the section on the right is a live preview of what the text is going to look like with all the formatting.

During your first session on StackEdit, the editor displays a bunch of instructions to familiarize you with the platform. There's a toolbar at the top with all the basic formatting tools, along with the option to create multiple folders and sub-folders. Hitting the StackEdit logo in the top-right corner launches a menu form where you can sign in to sync workspaces, create new workspaces, or view the Markdown cheat sheet if you're new to editing text in this format.

The sync feature means you can use StackEdit on multiple devices simply by signing in to your Google account. You don't have to download any software. It's also completely free, which is surprising considering the number of features it offers.

4 Dillinger

A minimalist tool

Personally, I find the UI of Dillinger to be better due to its minimalist nature. It's a little less cluttered compared to StackEdit and has a more serious look. If you're well-versed with HTML and have used apps like Notepad++, you'll find yourself right at home with Dillinger. Along with a live preview like StackEdit, Dillinger offers options to preview the text in HTML, Styled HTML, Markdown, and PDF formats. You can also export the file in any of these above-mentioned formats.

The biggest highlight of Dillinger, as per me, though, is the fact that you can directly export your files into Dropbox, GitHub, Medium, Google Drive, or OneDrive. If you publish articles on Medium, Dillinger is an excellent companion since you don't even have to manually copy and paste your text onto the platform. Dillinger does it for you. I also like the fact that the text on each line is numbered inside Dillinger. Thanks to this, if I want to send the file to a colleague, they can take a look and suggest edits easily based on the line number. It's also easy to reference parts of the text based on this numbering.

3 Obsidian

For power users

Obsidian has gained a lot of popularity recently owing to its versatile nature. If you've been on the lookout for note-taking apps or services that can help you create a personal knowledge management system, you may have come across Obsidian. What I absolutely love about Obsidian is how you can use one app for multiple purposes. For instance, I use it to jot down quick notes when researching for an article. Unlike basic note-taking apps, you can create folders and nested folders inside them in Obsidian, which is useful.

Apart from these benefits, Obsidian can also act as a Markdown editor - making it the perfect all-in-one tool for most users. If you're downloading an app, you might as well get one that serves multiple purposes. The best part is that you can migrate your notes from Notion to Obsidian in a few simple steps, which means you can replace multiple tools and software that you use regularly with Obsidian. It's worth noting though that Obsidian's UI can feel rather intimidating when using it for the first time. Especially if you only plan on using it as a Markdown editor.

I wish there was an option to disable all the other options whenever required since they can be a bit distracting when using the app as a simple word editor. Both the online tools mentioned above are more simplistic in nature, so I would recommend trying Obisidan only if you want an app to serve multiple purposes. Notably, it also consumes more resources as opposed to using either StackEdit or Dillinger inside a web browser.

2 Ulysses

Apple users, assemble

Just like Obsidian, Ulysses has a ton of features that set it apart from basic Markdown editors. There's the ability to segregate documents based on their type, a built-in proofreader and editing assistant in more than 20 languages, and the option to export your documents in various formats, including a blog post that lets you upload your content directly onto the CMS. Neat. The app's website claims there have been several books written using Ulysses too, making it a good option to write long pieces of text. There are features like page separators, the ability to divide long passages into small chunks of text, and a built-in tool that can compile your text as an ebook that is ready to publish.

Since we're focusing on the Markdown capabilities, Ulysses is an ideal option for online writers since it can not only write text that doesn't need formatting when posted on a CMS but can also be used to add pictures with alt text, a featured image, and an excerpt for SEO purposes. A godsend for freelancers like me is that you can use Ulysses to create multiple folders for different clients. So, all your articles get sorted automatically, making it easy to search for them. Moreover, there's also a way to set a word limit, so if you're aiming to write an article under 2000 words, Ulysses will keep displaying the remaining number of words at all times.

There are two downsides to Ulysses, the primary one being that the app is only limited to Apple devices. So, you either need to have a Mac, iPad, or an iPhone in order to use it. This is a big bummer if you use a Windows PC. Additionally, the app turns into a paid one after a 14-day free trial. You can use the app for a few days and decide whether it's worth paying for.

1 HackMD

Great for collaboration

Google Docs is one of my favorite services for collaborating on a document with my colleagues. I love how multiple people can work on a single document at the same time, thus reducing the number of iterations required, and the time spent on making changes to a document. If you wish to do the same but in a Markdown editor instead, I highly recommend taking a look at HackMD. In terms of UI, HackMD resembles the likes of StackEdit or Dillinger with its two-part interface. On the left is an editor where you input text while the right half displays a live preview.

Once you create a new document, you are the host, and you get the ability to add multiple collaborators. Just invite them via a link and they can join your document. Each user is given a different color code and all the text inputted by that user will be in that specific color. HackMD is free to use and offers a decent number of features. While it's not loaded with functionality like some other apps on this list, the ability to collaborate is its USP.

Bid adieu to traditional word processors

If you're an online writer like me, using word processors like Microsoft Word or LibreOffice isn't a bad option, but it increases your work since you may have to reformat your article once you post it online. A Markdown editor prevents this from happening, while also making it easier to preview how your article would look when published in real-time.