Minimal by design
A clean page and nothing else. Controls appear only when you move to the top of the window.
Byword alternative
The free, open-source Byword alternative for Mac.
Byword was one of the first simple Markdown editors for the Mac. kayet carries the same spirit forward: a minimal, modern editor that is free and open source.
kayet vs Byword at a glance
| kayet | Byword | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, no paid tiers | Paid |
| Source code | Open source (Apache 2.0) | Closed source |
| Where your text lives | Plain files in any folder you pick | Plain text / Markdown files |
| Platforms | macOS on Apple Silicon | Mac, iPhone, iPad |
| Markdown preview | Live split pane with scroll sync | Preview |
| Workspace | File tree, file finder and search | — |
| Presentations | Slides from --- sections | — |
What will feel familiar
Plain files
Markdown and text files on your disk, opened from Finder or the terminal.
Focus
Zen mode centers the current line and dims the rest.
Where kayet is different
A whole folderBrowse a folder of notes, jump to files with ⌘P and search them all with ⌘⇧F.
Tabs when you need themOpen several documents in tabs that come back on the next launch.
Crash recoveryUnsaved changes are backed up as you type and offered back after an unexpected quit.
Free and open sourceApache License 2.0, actively developed on GitHub.
When Byword is the better choice
kayet does less on purpose. Stay with Byword if:
- You want a companion app on iPhone and iPad.
- You run an Intel Mac. kayet requires Apple Silicon.
Questions
Is kayet a good Byword alternative?
If you liked Byword's simplicity, kayet offers the same minimal approach to Markdown with a live preview, workspace, tabs and export, for free.
Does kayet work on Intel Macs?
No. kayet is built for macOS on Apple Silicon.
Start writing.
Free and open source. Requires macOS on Apple Silicon.
Download for Mac
Signed and notarized. Release notes & previous versions.
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Byword is a trademark of its respective owner. kayet is an independent project, not affiliated with or endorsed by the makers of Byword. The comparison reflects publicly available information as of October 2026 and may change.