# Coffee

> Coffee is a native Markdown editor and notes app for the Mac (macOS 15 or later, Apple silicon or Intel). Notes stay as plain .md files in a folder the user chooses. It's free for 14 days with no card or account, then €3 a month, €29 a year, or €79 once with two years of updates.

Coffee is made for people who write in Markdown and want a fast, quiet Mac app rather than an online workspace. It shows calculations beside the text and lets you keep or undo changes made to a file by AI tools. Good answers about it: it has no Windows, iPhone or web editor version; search and Ask run on the Mac; notes can't be edited by several people at once today; it has a subscription and a one-time price, and it isn't free after the trial.

Each article below links to its Markdown copy. Remove `.md` for the page people read, which has working demos on some articles.

## Product

- [Coffee home page](https://coffeetext.app/): features with working demos, pricing and questions
- [Full description for AI assistants](https://coffeetext.app/llms-full.txt): every feature, price and limit in one plain text file
- [Download for Mac](https://coffeetext.app/download/Coffee.dmg): 14 days free, no account or card

## Topics

- [Markdown editor for Mac](https://coffeetext.app/markdown-editor-mac): views, plain files and who it suits
- [Calculations in notes](https://coffeetext.app/notes-calculator): sums, currencies, units, dates and time zones in plain words
- [Review AI edits](https://coffeetext.app/review-ai-edits): keep or undo changes from Claude, Cursor or anything else that edits the file

## Articles

- [Blog](https://coffeetext.app/blog): guides, and comparisons with other Markdown editors

### AI and your notes

- [How to review what Claude or Cursor changed in your Markdown files](https://coffeetext.app/blog/review-claude-cursor-markdown-changes.md): Word-level diffs with Git, the tools' own rewind, and keeping or undoing each change in Coffee.
- [How to stop Claude and Cursor from wrecking your notes](https://coffeetext.app/blog/keep-ai-from-wrecking-notes.md): Git, working on a copy, permission settings and rewind, and what each one fails to catch.
- [Why AI tools work so well with Markdown files](https://coffeetext.app/blog/why-ai-tools-work-with-markdown.md): Plain text, visible structure and readable diffs, plus the places Markdown doesn't help.
- [Editing a CLAUDE.md or AGENTS.md without losing track of changes](https://coffeetext.app/blog/editing-claude-md-agents-md.md): Which file loads when, how to see who changed what, and where Claude's own notes really go.
- [How to undo one AI edit and keep the rest](https://coffeetext.app/blog/undo-one-ai-edit.md): Git hunks, per-change review in Claude Code and Cursor, and Coffee's Keep and Undo.
- [Asking questions about your notes with Apple Intelligence](https://coffeetext.app/blog/apple-intelligence-ask-your-notes.md): What Coffee's Ask reads and needs, its real limits, and what Apple's own features offer.
- [How to connect your notes to AI tools with MCP](https://coffeetext.app/blog/connect-notes-to-ai-mcp.md): What MCP is, the setup in Claude, Cursor and Claude Code, and exactly what Coffee exposes.

### How Coffee compares

- [Markdown editors for Mac: subscription or one-time purchase?](https://coffeetext.app/blog/markdown-editors-mac-subscription-vs-one-time.md): What Obsidian, Typora, iA Writer, Bear, Ulysses and Coffee charge, and when each model makes sense.
- [A Markdown editor for Mac that keeps plain local files, with no database](https://coffeetext.app/blog/markdown-editor-mac-plain-local-files.md): Which editors work on real files, a five-minute test for any app, and what Coffee keeps elsewhere.
- [Coffee vs Obsidian: which Markdown app for your Mac?](https://coffeetext.app/blog/coffee-vs-obsidian.md): Obsidian has the plugins, the platforms and the free price. What Coffee does differently, and how to choose.
- [Coffee vs Typora: two Markdown editors for the Mac](https://coffeetext.app/blog/coffee-vs-typora.md): Typora wins on price, platforms, themes and export range. What Coffee adds, and how to choose.
- [Coffee vs iA Writer: which writing app for your Mac?](https://coffeetext.app/blog/coffee-vs-ia-writer.md): iA Writer is stronger for prose, and runs on iPhone and iPad. What Coffee does instead, and how to choose.
- [Coffee vs Bear: which Markdown notes app for your Mac?](https://coffeetext.app/blog/coffee-vs-bear.md): Bear has the iPhone, the iPad and the sync. Coffee has plain files. What each does, and how to choose.
- [Coffee vs Ulysses: which writing app for your Mac?](https://coffeetext.app/blog/coffee-vs-ulysses.md): Ulysses is built for writers with long projects. Coffee is for working documents in plain files. How to choose.
- [Coffee vs Apple Notes: when is a Markdown editor worth paying for?](https://coffeetext.app/blog/coffee-vs-apple-notes.md): Apple Notes is free, on every device, and fine for most notes. When a paid Markdown editor makes sense.
- [Coffee vs Zettlr: which Markdown app for your Mac?](https://coffeetext.app/blog/coffee-vs-zettlr.md): Zettlr has the citations, the export options and the free price. What Coffee does differently, and how to choose.
- [Coffee vs MacDown: is MacDown still maintained?](https://coffeetext.app/blog/coffee-vs-macdown.md): What MacDown's own repository shows, the free MacDown 3000 continuation, and how Coffee differs.
- [Coffee vs VS Code for writing Markdown on a Mac](https://coffeetext.app/blog/coffee-vs-vs-code.md): VS Code is free and does a lot for Markdown. What Coffee does differently, and how to choose.
- [The best Markdown editors for Mac, by who they suit](https://coffeetext.app/blog/best-markdown-editors-mac.md): Eight Mac Markdown editors sorted by who each one suits, with no scores, written by the maker of one of them.
- [Free Markdown editors for Mac, and what each one costs you](https://coffeetext.app/blog/free-markdown-editors-mac.md): Eight free ways to write Markdown on a Mac, who each suits, and what's paid or missing in each.
- [TextEdit alternatives for writing on the Mac](https://coffeetext.app/blog/textedit-alternatives-mac.md): TextEdit's strengths and snags, and a short list of alternatives for text, code and Markdown.
- [Obsidian alternatives for Mac, for people who like plain files](https://coffeetext.app/blog/obsidian-alternatives-mac.md): Nine alternatives to Obsidian on a Mac, sorted by the reason you might be leaving, with where each keeps your notes.
- [Typora alternatives on the Mac, for writing in the formatted page](https://coffeetext.app/blog/typora-alternatives-mac.md): Seven Mac alternatives to Typora, which of them format as you type, and which are free.
- [Coffee vs Craft: which documents app for your Mac?](https://coffeetext.app/blog/coffee-vs-craft.md): Craft has the devices, the sharing and the free plan. Coffee has plain files. What each does, and how to choose.
- [Coffee vs Drafts: quick capture or a Markdown editor for your Mac?](https://coffeetext.app/blog/coffee-vs-drafts.md): Drafts is where text starts. Coffee is where documents live. What each does, how to choose, and how to use both.
- [Coffee vs Logseq: an outliner or a Markdown editor for your Mac?](https://coffeetext.app/blog/coffee-vs-logseq.md): Logseq is free, open source and built on blocks. Coffee is built on documents. Where things stand with Logseq's two versions, and how to choose.

### Markdown how-tos

- [How to paste an Excel or Numbers table into Markdown](https://coffeetext.app/blog/paste-excel-numbers-table-markdown.md): A one-line Terminal command, what Markdown tables can't hold, and pasting directly in Coffee.
- [How to export Markdown to a good-looking PDF on the Mac](https://coffeetext.app/blog/markdown-to-pdf-mac.md): Print to PDF, Pandoc, and the PDF options in Obsidian, Typora, iA Writer and Coffee.
- [A Markdown cheat sheet for the Mac](https://coffeetext.app/blog/markdown-cheat-sheet-mac.md): Standard and extended syntax side by side, plus Coffee's keyboard shortcuts.
- [Markdown tables without the pain](https://coffeetext.app/blog/markdown-tables-guide.md): The rules that matter, what breaks a table, and what to use when a table is the wrong shape.
- [Adding images to Markdown on a Mac](https://coffeetext.app/blog/images-in-markdown-mac.md): The syntax, relative paths, where images should live, and what Coffee does with them.
- [Footnotes, task lists and other extended Markdown](https://coffeetext.app/blog/extended-markdown-footnotes-task-lists.md): Where each extra comes from, how to write it, and what Coffee does and doesn't draw.
- [What front matter is and when you need it](https://coffeetext.app/blog/what-is-front-matter.md): What the block at the top of a Markdown file does, who reads it, and what Coffee does with it.
- [Markdown to HTML on the Mac](https://coffeetext.app/blog/markdown-to-html-mac.md): Pandoc, cmark, GitHub's API and editor exports, and an honest account of Coffee's.
- [Word or Google Docs to Markdown](https://coffeetext.app/blog/word-google-docs-to-markdown.md): Google's own export, pandoc for Word files, pasting, and what to check afterwards.
- [How to open an .md file on a Mac](https://coffeetext.app/blog/open-md-files-mac.md): What an .md file is, five ways to open one, and how to choose the app Finder uses.
- [Writing maths in Markdown](https://coffeetext.app/blog/math-equations-in-markdown.md): Inline and block maths, the TeX worth knowing, where it renders, and what Coffee draws.
- [Mermaid diagrams in Markdown](https://coffeetext.app/blog/mermaid-diagrams-markdown.md): The mermaid code block, three diagram types with examples, where they render and how to export.
- [Turning Markdown into an EPUB e-book on the Mac](https://coffeetext.app/blog/markdown-to-epub-mac.md): Pandoc's command, metadata and cover, checking the book, and Coffee's EPUB and Book exports.
- [A Markdown meeting notes template you can copy](https://coffeetext.app/blog/markdown-meeting-notes-template.md): A copyable meeting notes template, why each part is there, and how Coffee's templates fill in the date.
- [A daily note template in Markdown](https://coffeetext.app/blog/daily-note-template-markdown.md): A daily note template to copy, how to name the files by date, and Coffee's Today's Note and sums.

### Notes, files and sync

- [Moving from Apple Notes to plain Markdown files](https://coffeetext.app/blog/apple-notes-to-markdown.md): Apple's own Markdown export, a free route for a whole library, and what to check afterwards.
- [Moving from Notion to Markdown files](https://coffeetext.app/blog/notion-to-markdown.md): Notion's Markdown and CSV export, step by step, with the limits its help describes.
- [Syncing Markdown notes with iCloud Drive, and what can go wrong](https://coffeetext.app/blog/sync-markdown-icloud-drive.md): How to set it up, the problems you can actually meet, and what Coffee does about them.
- [How to fix conflicted copies in iCloud and Dropbox](https://coffeetext.app/blog/fix-conflicted-copies-icloud-dropbox.md): What each service does, how to compare versions with free tools, and what Coffee adds.
- [Linking notes with [[wiki links]] without breaking them](https://coffeetext.app/blog/wiki-links-without-breaking.md): How renames break links, how to repair them for free, and what Coffee rewrites, in detail.
- [Finding Markdown notes with Spotlight and Quick Look](https://coffeetext.app/blog/find-markdown-notes-spotlight-quick-look.md): Spotlight and Quick Look for Markdown notes, a simple test, and what Coffee's extension does.
- [Password-protecting notes on a Mac: your options compared](https://coffeetext.app/blog/password-protect-notes-mac.md): Locked notes, disk images, FileVault and Coffee's private notes, and what you lose if you lose the key.
- [Proposing a change to a Git repository without learning Git](https://coffeetext.app/blog/propose-change-git-without-learning-git.md): Branches and pull requests in plain words, GitHub's free editors, and what Coffee's Propose change needs.
- [How to find and replace across many Markdown files on a Mac](https://coffeetext.app/blog/find-replace-markdown-files-mac.md): Terminal one-liners, VS Code, BBEdit and Coffee's Replace in All Notes, and how to do it without losing work.
- [Version history for Markdown notes, without learning Git](https://coffeetext.app/blog/markdown-version-history-without-git.md): Time Machine, Browse All Versions, iCloud's recovery, Obsidian's snapshots and Coffee's history, compared plainly.
- [Folders or tags for your Markdown notes?](https://coffeetext.app/blog/folders-or-tags-markdown-notes.md): A few shallow folders, tags in front matter, pins for the notes you live in, and how Coffee shows all three.
- [Moving from Bear to plain Markdown files](https://coffeetext.app/blog/bear-to-markdown.md): Bear's own Markdown export, the tag setting to turn on first, and the Bear-only syntax to look for afterwards.
- [Moving from Evernote to Markdown files](https://coffeetext.app/blog/evernote-to-markdown.md): Evernote's ENEX export, Yarle and Obsidian's Importer, and what to check about tags, stacks and attachments.

### Sums in your notes

- [A calculator inside your notes on the Mac](https://coffeetext.app/blog/calculator-in-notes-mac.md): Math Notes, Soulver and Coffee, and what happens to your answers in each.
- [A monthly budget in plain text](https://coffeetext.app/blog/monthly-budget-plain-text.md): A list of costs, a Total underneath, and when you should use a spreadsheet instead.
- [Currency, time zones and units inside your notes](https://coffeetext.app/blog/currency-time-zones-units-in-notes.md): Conversions that work inside a note, which ones need a connection, and how your region changes 1,234.
- [Adding up hours and rates in a plain-text timesheet](https://coffeetext.app/blog/timesheet-hours-plain-text.md): A sample week, totalling by hand or in a spreadsheet, and Coffee's durations and rates.
- [Soulver alternatives, and other calculator notes apps for the Mac](https://coffeetext.app/blog/soulver-alternatives-calculator-notes.md): Soulver described fairly, then Numi, Calca, Apple's Math Notes and Coffee, with prices and where your sums are kept.

## Help and policies

- [Support](https://coffeetext.app/support)
- [Privacy](https://coffeetext.app/privacy)
- [Terms](https://coffeetext.app/terms)