Zettlr
Zettlr is a free and open-source Markdown editor designed to support the entire writing process, from initial notes to final publication.
Our verdict
Who it's for
Your one-stop publication workbench for academic writing, journalism, and general text production.
Who should look elsewhere
Requires some familiarity with Markdown for optimal use.
Pros
- +Free and open-source, ensuring transparency and no hidden costs.
- +Strong privacy focus with no forced cloud sync or telemetry.
- +Excellent for academic writing with robust citation and export capabilities.
- +Highly customizable to suit individual writing styles and workflows.
- +Supports multiple languages and platforms (Windows, macOS, Linux).
Cons
- −Requires some familiarity with Markdown for optimal use.
- −Advanced features like grammar checking might require external plugins (e.g., LanguageTool).
- −May have a learning curve for users new to Markdown editors or Zettelkasten methods.
Key features
- ✓Full Zettelkasten/PKMS support
- ✓First-class citation support (BibTex, JSON, Zotero, JabRef, Juris-M)
- ✓Versatile export to over 30 Pandoc-supported formats (e.g., journal submissions, presentations)
- ✓Project management and organization
- ✓Writing statistics and full-text search
- ✓Customizable UI with themes and custom CSS
- ✓Split-view for enhanced productivity
- ✓Markdown linting, spellcheck, and LanguageTool integration
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Billing | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zettlr | — | month | Privacy First: No forced cloud-synchronization or telemetry; Manage all writing projects; First-class Citation Support (Zotero, JabRef, Juris-M) |