Two readers for the same files
If you live in the terminal, Glow is probably how you read Markdown already. It is a free, open-source reader from Charmbracelet that renders Markdown right in the terminal: run glow README.md and the file appears formatted, with headings, lists and code styled for your terminal's light or dark background.
Aero Markdown is also a reader, not an editor, so this is a fairer comparison than most. Both are built to read files that already exist. The difference is where you read them: in the terminal, next to your commands, or in a Mac window built around the rendered page.
Features compared
Scroll sideways to compare both apps →
| Need | Glow | Aero Markdown |
|---|---|---|
| Where you read | In the terminal: a pager with less-style keys. | In a native Mac window. |
| Finding files | Run glow with no arguments to browse Markdown in the current folder and below, or the whole Git repository. | Open a file or a folder; a file tree stays beside the page. |
| Other sources | Reads stdin, a URL, or a README from GitHub or GitLab (glow github.com/owner/repo). | Local files and folders. |
| Headings and links | Styled headings and links; whether a link can be clicked depends on your terminal. | Heading outline beside the page; relative links open in the window, with back and forward. |
| Diagrams, math, images | A terminal can't draw them: Mermaid and math stay as text, and images aren't displayed. | Mermaid diagrams, KaTeX math and local images rendered. |
| Changed files | The README doesn't describe reloading a file while it is open; reopen it to see changes. | Reloads the open file at the current heading; unsaved edits are kept. |
| Styling | Dark and light styles, custom JSON stylesheets, word-wrap width. | Serif, Sans or Mono, width, line spacing, zoom and appearance. |
| Platforms | macOS, Linux, Windows, FreeBSD, OpenBSD and Android (Termux). | macOS 14 or later. |
| Cost | Free, MIT licence. | Aero Markdown is $14.99 USD, one-time, for a lifetime Aero 1.x license for one Mac. Download and checkout are not available yet. |
Features change between releases; see the Glow README and its releases for the version you install.
When Glow is the right tool
If your hands are already on the keyboard in a terminal, Glow is hard to beat for a quick read. glow README.md takes a second, it works over SSH on a remote machine, and it installs everywhere with one command (brew install glow on a Mac). Being able to pipe Markdown into it, or fetch a repository's README by name, makes it a natural part of scripts and command-line habits.
It is also free and cross-platform. If you read short documents and never miss diagrams or a sidebar, there is nothing to gain from a paid app.
When a window helps
Terminals are built for text. The moment a document depends on a Mermaid diagram, a formula, an image or a wide table, a terminal can only show you the source or a squeezed version of it. Long documents are also harder to navigate without an outline: you scroll, or search, and hope you land in the right place.
That is the reading Aero Markdown is built for. The file tree shows where you are in the project, the heading outline lets you jump within a long plan, and relative links take you to the next document and back. Diagrams, math and local images render as they would on GitHub, without a network connection.
It matters most with output from coding agents. Plans and reports change while you read them. In Aero Markdown the open file reloads at the same heading when an agent rewrites it, and optional local hooks let Claude Code, Cursor and Windsurf open the Markdown they write in the existing window. In a terminal pager, you would typically reopen the file and find your place again.
Use both
Many developers will keep Glow for quick reads in the terminal and over SSH, and open a reader when a document becomes something to study: a specification with diagrams, a long plan, a folder of linked notes.
Try it with the Markdown rendering reference, which contains a table, code, a Mermaid diagram, math, a local image and a link to a companion file. Run glow README.md inside the unzipped folder, then open the same folder in a reader, and compare what you see. For more on agent output, see read Markdown written by coding agents.
BEFORE YOU CHOOSE
Questions, answered.
Can Glow show Mermaid diagrams or images?
No. Glow renders Markdown as styled text in the terminal, so diagrams and math stay as source and images aren't displayed. Aero Markdown renders Mermaid, KaTeX math and local images.
Can Glow browse a folder of Markdown files?
Yes. Running glow with no arguments lists Markdown files in the current directory and below, or across the Git repository you are in.
Is Glow free?
Yes. Glow is open source under the MIT licence and available for macOS, Linux, Windows and BSD.
Sources & method.
HOW WE COMPARE
Written by the team building Aero Markdown. Official product documentation reviewed . These are documented workflow comparisons, not hands-on performance tests. Aero Markdown’s Mac app and checkout are not public yet.
We link the sources, acknowledge shared capabilities and leave unverified behavior open. Prices and releases can change; check the developer’s current terms.