Yes, Ritemark is completely free. There is no subscription, no premium tier, no trial period, and no hidden fees. Every feature in Ritemark is available to everyone who downloads it. This will not change.
What Do You Get for Free?
Ritemark includes everything in one free download. The visual markdown editor renders your text in real time with headings, bold, italic, lists, tables, code blocks, and images displayed as formatted content while saving as standard .md files.
The AI sidebar lets you chat with Claude Code, Codex or OpenCode next to your document, and the agent can read and edit the files in your folder. A built-in terminal is also there for command-line tools you install yourself.
The document workspace lets you open entire project folders, navigate between files, and manage your writing projects from a single window. The data editor opens and edits CSV and Excel files right inside the app.
Find in document, keyboard shortcuts, export to PDF and Word, and voice dictation (on Mac) are all included. Nothing is locked behind a paywall.
Why Is Ritemark Free?
Ritemark is built by Productory, Estonia's leading AI training company. We created Ritemark as an internal tool to write documentation and blog posts using AI agents like Claude Code. When we realized no other markdown editor offered a built-in terminal for AI integration, we decided to release it publicly.
Ritemark supports Productory's mission of making AI tools accessible and practical. A free, high-quality writing tool demonstrates what AI-integrated workflows look like in practice. It is both a product and a teaching tool.
Are There Any Costs to Using AI Tools?
Ritemark itself is free. The AI runs on your own account with an AI provider. Claude Code needs a paid Claude plan or an Anthropic API key, Codex signs in with your ChatGPT account, and OpenCode uses your own API keys from OpenAI, Google, Anthropic or OpenRouter. OpenAI includes Codex in every ChatGPT plan, the free one with tighter limits.
These costs come from the AI providers, not from Ritemark. With a Claude or ChatGPT plan you pay the plan's monthly price; with an API key you pay per use. Local models through Ollama only work in the terminal with a tool you install yourself, not in the AI sidebar.
You can use Ritemark as a standalone markdown editor without any AI tools and pay nothing at all.
How Does Ritemark Compare on Price?
Ritemark is the only dedicated markdown writing app that combines free pricing with native AI integration through a built-in AI sidebar. See the full best free local-first writing app comparison for how it stacks up against Obsidian, Bear, VS Code, and Typora.
| Editor | Price | AI Integration |
|---|---|---|
| Ritemark | Free | AI sidebar with Claude Code, Codex or OpenCode (your own plan or keys), plus a built-in terminal |
| Obsidian | Free (personal), $50/yr (sync), $8/mo (publish) | Community plugins |
| Typora | $14.99 (one-time) | None |
| iA Writer | $49.99 (one-time) | None |
| Ulysses | $49.99/yr subscription | None |
| Bear | Free (basic), $29.99/yr (Pro) | None |
| VS Code | Free | Built-in terminal |
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Ritemark ever become paid?
No. Ritemark will remain free. There are no plans for premium tiers, subscriptions, or paid add-ons. The app is built to support Productory's AI training mission, not to generate software licensing revenue.
Do I need to create an account?
No. Download, install, and start using Ritemark immediately. No signup, no login, no email address required. There is no Ritemark account server to connect to. To use the AI agents, you sign in with your own Claude or ChatGPT account or add an API key.
Is there a catch?
No catch. Ritemark is not freemium, not ad-supported, and does not sell data. The app collects anonymous usage analytics, which you can turn off in Settings (see the privacy policy). It is a free tool made by an AI training company to help people work with AI writing tools.
Does the free version have limitations?
There is only one version of Ritemark and it includes everything. No feature limits, no file count restrictions, no watermarks, no usage caps.
How do I get updates?
Updates are released on GitHub. Ritemark checks for new versions and notifies you when an update is available. Updates are also free.
Does Ritemark have a free trial?
There is no trial because there is nothing to trial. Ritemark is completely free from day one with all features unlocked. Download it for Mac or Windows and start using it immediately.
How is Ritemark free if AI tools cost money?
Ritemark is the app. The AI comes from Anthropic, OpenAI or another provider: Claude Code runs on a paid Claude plan or an Anthropic API key, Codex on your ChatGPT account, and OpenCode on your own API keys. You pay those providers, not Ritemark. You can also use Ritemark without any AI tools.
Is Ritemark available for students?
Yes. Ritemark is free for everyone, including students, researchers, and educators. No special license or discount is needed because there is no cost.
What is included in the free version?
Everything. The visual markdown editor, the AI sidebar (with your own AI plan or keys), CSV and Excel editing, PDF and Word viewers, find in document, keyboard shortcuts, voice dictation on Mac, the built-in terminal, file management and export to PDF and Word. There is no paid version with extra features.