Phoenix Code vs Dillinger vs StackEdit: which Markdown editor?

Feature comparison at a glance

Swipe the table sideways to see all three editors →

Every cell above comes from our own testing or the projects' public source code and documentation, checked in July 2026. If you spot something outdated, tell us and we'll fix it.

Dillinger: the fastest scratchpad, recently rebuilt

First, a correction you'll see gotten wrong elsewhere: Dillinger is not abandoned. It was rebuilt on Monaco (the editor engine inside VS Code) with commits as recent as June 2026, and it now ships Vim and Emacs keybindings. Its biggest strength hasn't changed: the editor loads directly on the homepage, so you're typing Markdown two seconds after the page opens, with no account and no click-through.

When we tested it, tables and syntax-highlighted code showed up clearly. Mermaid diagrams aren’t supported; Dillinger’s own guide lists that as a known limitation. You can export to Markdown, styled HTML, and PDF for free. One thing to note: PDF files are generated on Dillinger’s server, so your document is sent off your computer for that step. Their privacy policy says this is only temporary. Documents are saved in your browser’s localStorage, and you can also sync with GitHub, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, and Bitbucket. There’s just one small ad banner on the page.

Where Dillinger stands out

You can start using Dillinger right away; no other tool here lets you type instantly on the landing page. It supports five cloud-sync providers and offers Vim and Emacs keybindings through Monaco. If you just need to quickly paste, preview, and export Markdown a few times a month, Dillinger is tough to beat.

StackEdit: a top offline PWA, but no updates since 2023

StackEdit stands out for its features: it supports Mermaid and UML diagrams, KaTeX math, and lets you publish to GitHub, GitLab, Blogger, WordPress, and more. You can also use it offline, just like a desktop app.

There are two things you should know before choosing StackEdit. First, development has stopped: the last update was in May 2023, and there are over 700 open issues with no responses. Second, exporting options are more limited than they seem. You can export Markdown along with HTML for free, but PDF, Word, EPUB, and LaTeX exports need a StackEdit sponsorship (starting at $5 for 3 months) and use StackEdit's server. The app says, "This feature is restricted to sponsors as it relies on server resources." Some sources claim StackEdit "has no PDF export," but that's not true: it does, but it's behind a paywall.

Where StackEdit stands out

StackEdit works best offline in your browser compared to the other two. It also offers the most publishing options: if you post to Blogger or WordPress, StackEdit does what the others can't. Its rendering for Mermaid, KaTeX, and ABC musical notation is still excellent.

Phoenix Code: a complete editor, not just a simple textbox

Phoenix Code does things differently. Its Markdown editor is built into a real, open-source code editor. You get live previews with Mermaid diagrams, tables, and highlighted code. Unlike a basic scratchpad, you can work with whole-folder projects, use built-in Git, and run free desktop apps on Windows, macOS, and Linux. There's also a built-in Claude Code AI assistant to help draft and restructure your Markdown. When you export to PDF, everything happens on your computer, so your document never leaves your machine.

When Phoenix Code might not be the best fit

To be fair, Phoenix Code is a full editor, so it's heavier than Dillinger if you just want to quickly paste and preview something. For that, Dillinger is the better choice. Phoenix Code also doesn't offer real-time multi-user collaboration, so if your team needs to edit together at the same time, HackMD is a better fit. The WYSIWYG editing mode, where you write directly in the rendered view like in Word, is only available in the paid Pro plan. The classic source-plus-preview editing remains free.

How we tested

In July 2026, we opened the same test document—complete with headings, bold text, a Markdown table, and a fenced JavaScript code block—in all three editors using the same Chromium browser. We took screenshots of the results you see above. For maintenance details like commit dates, open issues, and licenses, we checked each project's public GitHub repository. We got export and sponsorship information by reading StackEdit's and Dillinger's published source code and policies, not from third-party lists.

We only claim what we could verify. We did not live-test StackEdit's sponsor-only export features or try every Dillinger cloud-sync provider from start to finish.

Which should you choose?

If you just want to paste, preview, and go: Dillinger. It gives you the quickest way from clipboard to formatted preview, no account needed, and free PDF export. Just remember, the PDF step uses their server.

If you write offline in your browser or want to publish to a blog: StackEdit. Its offline PWA and Blogger or WordPress publishing features are still the best, as long as you are okay with no new updates and the $5 fee for PDF export.

If you work on READMEs, documentation, or projects with multiple files: Phoenix Code. It offers Mermaid diagrams, Git integration, desktop apps, AI help, and local PDF export, all in one free tool.

If you need real-time team collaboration: none of these three. Look at HackMD or CodiMD instead. (See? Told you we'd be honest.)

Common questions