Unmarkdown™ vs Markdown Here
Markdown Here lets you write markdown in email and render it in-place. Unmarkdown™ converts AI output for 6 destinations. Same universe, different workflows.
The fundamental difference
Markdown Here is a browser extension for people who write in markdown and want to render it as formatted HTML inside an email compose window. You type markdown directly in Gmail or Outlook, press a keyboard shortcut, and the markdown is replaced with rendered text.
Unmarkdown™ is a web app for people who receive markdown output from AI tools and need to convert it for a specific destination. You paste the AI output, choose your destination (Google Docs, Word, Slack, OneNote, Email, or Plain Text), and paste the formatted result where you need it.
The workflows are reversed. Markdown Here starts with a blank compose field and lets you write markdown. Unmarkdown™ starts with existing markdown (typically from an AI tool) and converts it for where it needs to go.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Unmarkdown™ | Markdown Here |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Web app | Browser extension |
| Price | Free tier + Pro ($8/mo) | Free (open source) |
| Workflow | Paste AI output, copy formatted result | Type markdown in compose field, toggle to render |
| Handles AI output | Core use case | No (write-first workflow) |
| Gmail support | Yes (copy formatted, paste into Gmail) | Yes (render in-place, some quirks) |
| Outlook support | Yes (inline-styled HTML) | Partial (web version, with limitations) |
| Google Docs output | Yes | No |
| Word output | Yes | No |
| Slack output | Yes (mrkdwn format) | No |
| OneNote output | Yes | No |
| Plain text output | Yes | No |
| Total destinations | 6 clipboard + 3 downloads | 1 (in-place email render) |
| Templates | 62 built-in + custom | Custom CSS (manual) |
| Code syntax highlighting | Yes | Yes (with theme options) |
| Math rendering | Yes (KaTeX) | Yes (TeX math support) |
| Tables | Yes (native per destination) | Yes (GFM tables) |
| Toggle back to markdown | No (copy-paste workflow) | Yes (reversible toggle) |
| Works without leaving email | No (separate tab) | Yes (in-place) |
| Document publishing | Yes | No |
| API | REST API | No |
When Markdown Here is a good fit
Markdown Here works well for a specific workflow:
- You prefer to write in markdown syntax and want formatted output in your email
- You want to stay in Gmail or Outlook without switching tabs
- You value the toggle feature (switch between markdown source and rendered view)
- You use custom CSS to control the styling of your rendered markdown
- You need code syntax highlighting with configurable themes
For developers who think in markdown and primarily communicate via email, Markdown Here is a natural fit. It has been around since 2012 and has a loyal user base.
When Unmarkdown™ is a better fit
Unmarkdown™ covers the scenarios Markdown Here was not built for:
- Converting AI output. You copied from ChatGPT or Claude and need the formatting to survive the paste. Markdown Here requires you to type markdown first.
- Non-email destinations. Google Docs, Word, Slack, OneNote, and Plain Text are not supported by Markdown Here at all.
- Destination-aware formatting. Slack uses mrkdwn (single asterisks). Email uses inline CSS. Word uses heading styles. Each destination needs different output.
- No extension to install. Unmarkdown™ runs in a browser tab. No Chrome Web Store, no permissions, no compatibility issues across different email clients.
- Publishing and sharing. Turn any markdown into a live webpage with templates, analytics, and access controls.
A note on compatibility
Markdown Here has documented compatibility issues across platforms. Gmail’s "quick compose" does not show the toolbar button. Outlook.com strips reply exclusion. Tumblr removes all inline styles. Facebook Notes has broken italic rendering. These issues come from the in-place rendering approach, which depends on each platform’s rich text editor behaving predictably.
Unmarkdown™’s copy-paste approach avoids these issues entirely. The formatting is generated independently, then pasted as the final step. If the destination supports rich text paste, it works.
Which should you use?
If you write markdown from scratch in email compose windows and want an in-place renderer, Markdown Here is purpose-built for that.
If you have AI-generated markdown that needs to go into Google Docs, Word, Slack, OneNote, Email, or any other app with proper formatting, try Unmarkdown™. The clipboard copy feature is free with no account required.
Your markdown deserves a beautiful home.
Start publishing for free. Upgrade when you need more.