shouldiuse.io

VERDICT

Should I use Markdown Guide?

A free and open-source reference guide that explains how to use Markdown. - markdownguide.org

Worth it. Use it if you write Markdown anywhere — it is free, accurate, and the reference most company handbooks point to. Skip it if you wanted a tool: it explains syntax but does not render, edit, or enforce anything.

Confidence

High. Based on 40+ public sources: official guide pages, handbook citations, one blog book review, and retail listings.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support qualityNo support channels mentioned in sources.
  • Security posture

Pricing

$0

Website

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes
The Markdown Guide (book)Paid — price not shown in sources

Best for

  • Newcomers learning Markdown syntax
  • Developers writing READMEs and docs
  • Reddit and Obsidian users
  • Teams standardizing documentation formatting

Not for

  • Anyone wanting an editor, renderer, or linter — this teaches, it does nothing
  • Teams needing enforced style rules rather than a reading reference
  • Experienced Markdown writers; the cheat sheet alone suffices
  • Buyers expecting support, SLAs, or a security page

Gotchas - check before you buy

medium

Generic Markdown differs across renderers — check the tool-specific page for your app.

low

Nothing to purchase here; only the separate print/ebook edition costs money.

low

No security page; fine for a static reference, but no published security posture.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Completely free; no signup or paywall on the site.
  • Cheat sheet puts everyday syntax on one page.
  • Cited across company handbooks like GitLab's.
  • Tool-specific guides for Reddit and other platforms.
  • Covers advanced techniques and hacks beyond basics.

Cons

  • Reference only — no editing, rendering, or tooling included.
  • Generic syntax advice may not match your app's Markdown flavor.
  • No published security page for the site itself.
  • Thin independent review footprint — 26 Goodreads reviews total.

Sources & method

Analyzed 9/21/2026 - 7 sources - No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

official x5review x2

Key stats

  • Value for money: 5/5

    Rating

  • $0

    Starting price

  • 7

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 5/5. Entirely free; only the print book costs money.
  • Ease of use: 5/5. Plain language plus a one-page cheat sheet.
  • Feature depth: 4/5. Basics, extended syntax, hacks, tool-specific pages.
  • Support quality. No support channels mentioned in sources.
  • Security posture: 4/5. Static content site; no issues reported, no security page.
  • $0 Price Full site free; open-source on GitHub
  • 26 Book reviews Goodreads ratings for the print edition
  • 60 pages Book length Condensed learn-Markdown edition
  • Open Source code mattcone/markdown-guide on GitHub

Pricing

Website

$0

  • Full basic and extended syntax reference
  • Cheat sheet and hacks pages
  • Tool-specific guides

The Markdown Guide (book)

Paid — price not shown in sources

  • Learn Markdown in 60 pages
  • Paperback sold via retailers

Security

No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

Alternatives

Compare Markdown Guide with each alternative.

Companies that use it

  • FlowFuse

Companies that could

  • Google Uses Internal Markdown style guide instead
  • GitLab⁴ Uses Own handbook Markdown guide instead
  • IONOS Uses Own published Markdown guide instead
  • iA Writer Uses Own Markdown guide for its apps instead
Full analysis

Based on 40+ public sources: official guide pages, handbook citations, one blog book review, and retail listings.

Free Markdown reference site, not software. Bookmark it; the only cost is the optional 60-page book.

Methodology

Based on 40+ public sources: official guide pages, handbook citations, one blog book review, and retail listings.

Sources

  1. Markdown Guide — Basic Syntaxmarkdownguide.org
    official
  2. Markdown Cheat Sheetmarkdownguide.org
    official
  3. mattcone/markdown-guide on GitHubgithub.com
    official
  4. GitLab Handbook Markdown Guidehandbook.gitlab.com
    official
  5. The Markdown Guide — Goodreadsgoodreads.com
    review
  6. Book Review: The Markdown Guide — Tubarkstubarksblog.com
    review
  7. Markdown Guide tools pages (Reddit)markdownguide.org
    official

Rate this review

Anonymous. You can change your vote.

Loading votes…

Comments

One queue. No nested comments. Give a display name first. Limit: 200 words per comment and 7 comments per day. You can edit or delete yours.

Save a name to write a comment.

0 / 200 words

No comments yet.