marknode.com

What It Is

MarkNode is a local-first Markdown editor built around the idea that “a mind map is the document.” It maps Markdown headings to mind-map nodes: users can drag, rearrange, and edit items in the mind map, and the Markdown is reorganized in sync; conversely, typing in Markdown updates the mind map instantly. Documents are stored as plain .md files in local folders, with no import/export workflow and no reliance on a proprietary format.

Core Features and Collaboration

The product covers the basics for writing, including Markdown/code editing, syntax highlighting, find and replace, preview, Outline view, PDF and image viewing, and more. Pro adds regex search, mind-map editing and custom themes, multiple project windows, full-project search, Git status/commit/push/pull, a built-in terminal, DOCX and PNG export, file color labels, and a command-line launcher. Ultimate adds an AI Writing Assistant, URL sharing, browser-based editing, and real-time team collaboration, and claims to use CRDT for conflict-free merging. The organization edition also includes an admin portal, seat assignment and revocation, transferable licenses, centralized MSI/PKG deployment, consolidated invoicing, and PO payment.

Pricing and Security

Pricing is fairly straightforward: the personal Free plan is free forever but limited to non-commercial personal use; Pro is a one-time purchase of $79 and includes lifetime updates; Ultimate costs $39/year or $7/month. For organizations, Pro is a one-time purchase of $179/user, while Ultimate costs $89/user/year or $16/user/month. On security, its biggest advantage is being local-first: files stay on the user’s disk, and the company does not host or view them. Users can sync files themselves via Git, Dropbox, iCloud, and similar services. However, the available material does not disclose details on encryption, audits, SOC 2/ISO/GDPR, or other enterprise compliance measures.

Pros, Cons, and Best Fit

Its strengths are the natural integration of Markdown and mind maps, plus the absence of format lock-in. It is well suited to writers, researchers, developers, product managers, and teams that care about maintaining control over local files. Built with Rust and available across macOS/Windows/Linux, with Git and terminal integration, it is also friendly to technical users. The drawbacks are that AI and collaboration features are tied to a subscription, the free version cannot be used commercially, and there is limited information on open APIs, a plugin ecosystem, and compliance.

Access from China and Alternatives

The scraped text does not specify mainland China network accessibility, RMB payments, or localization support, so China access is unknown. If access, payment, or team compliance becomes a constraint, alternatives to consider include Obsidian, Logseq, Typora, Xmind, MindNode, Notion, and others.