A markitdown.tech alternative
markitdown.tech is a hosted service built on Microsoft's MarkItDown that converts documents to Markdown on a server. It works, and for many documents the output quality is fine. But it uploads your files for processing, it markets itself for AI without shipping any token or chunking tooling, and its paid plan runs around $9.90/mo. If any of those are dealbreakers, MarkPrep is a direct alternative.
MarkPrep targets the same MarkItDown text-layer quality tier, so conversion quality on typical digital documents is comparable. The difference is the model around it: MarkPrep runs locally in your browser so files never leave your device, it adds the AI-ready tooling markitdown.tech lacks, and it undercuts on price.
Side by side
| MarkPrep | markitdown.tech | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Browser (WebAssembly), local | Server-side (files uploaded) |
| Files leave your device | Never | Yes — processed on a server |
| Token counting | Live, per-model | None |
| Context-window verdict | Yes | None |
| Chunking for RAG | Heading-aware preview + JSONL | None |
| OCR | Local Tesseract, offline | Limited |
| Price | Free unlimited; Pro $4/mo or $29/yr | ~$9.90/mo, limited free tier |
When to use which
Stay with markitdown.tech if you prefer a hosted endpoint and do not mind uploading files, and if token counting and chunking are not part of your workflow. It is a straightforward way to run MarkItDown without any local setup.
Switch to MarkPrep if you want files to stay on your device, if you want the output shaped for an LLM, or if you want to pay less. MarkPrep runs in the browser with nothing to install, adds a live token count, context-window verdict, heading-aware chunk preview, and JSONL export with heading-path and page metadata, and is free for unlimited use with Pro at $4/mo.
Frequently asked questions
How is MarkPrep different from markitdown.tech?+
markitdown.tech is a hosted service that runs Microsoft's MarkItDown on a server, so your files are uploaded for processing. MarkPrep runs entirely in your browser via WebAssembly, so nothing is uploaded and nothing leaves your device. MarkPrep also adds token counting and chunking that markitdown.tech does not ship.
Does markitdown.tech count tokens or chunk for RAG?+
No. Although it markets itself as being for AI, markitdown.tech ships no token counting, no context-window awareness, and no chunking. MarkPrep adds a live per-model token count, a context-window verdict, heading-aware chunk preview, and JSONL export with heading-path and page metadata.
Is MarkPrep cheaper?+
Yes. MarkPrep is free for unlimited use, with an optional Pro plan at $4/mo or $29/yr. markitdown.tech runs around $9.90/mo with a limited free tier, so MarkPrep undercuts it while adding the AI-ready tooling.
Do I have to upload my files?+
Not with MarkPrep. Conversion happens locally in your browser tab, so sensitive documents never touch a server. markitdown.tech processes on the server side, which means your files are sent to it for conversion.
Is the conversion quality comparable?+
Both aim at the same open-source MarkItDown text-layer quality tier, so for typical digital documents the output is comparable. The differences are where it runs, what it costs, and whether the result is shaped for an LLM — and on all three MarkPrep is built for the AI workflow.
Try it in your browser
No upload, no account, no server. Convert a file and see the token count in seconds.