5 Best PDF to Markdown Converters in 2026

The short answer

Choose Plainmark when you want to inspect a text-based PDF beside editable Markdown. Choose Mathpix for equations and scientific OCR. Choose Marker for an open-source local converter, Docling for structured developer and RAG pipelines, and Microsoft MarkItDown for lightweight multi-format extraction.

ToolBest forMain trade-off

PlainmarkSide-by-side reviewNo OCR for scanned PDFs

MathpixEquations and papersCloud account and usage limits

MarkerLocal open-source conversionPython and model setup

DoclingRAG and document pipelinesMore configuration than a web tool

MarkItDownLightweight extractionPDF structure can require cleanup

How this comparison was made

We converted the same one-page, text-layer PDF with Plainmark, Mathpix, Marker 2.0.0, Docling 2.120.3, and Microsoft MarkItDown 0.1.7 on August 19, 2026. The sample contains a title, three section headings, a bullet list, and a two-column table. We checked the exported Markdown against the source instead of assigning a made-up accuracy score.

ToolTitleListTable

PlainmarkH1 preservedPreservedFlattened

MathpixReturned as H2PreservedPreserved

MarkerReturned as H2PreservedPreserved

DoclingReturned as H2PreservedPreserved

MarkItDownNo heading markupReadableFlattened

Test environment: Windows, CPU processing, default settings. Docling took about 247 seconds and Marker about 132 seconds on their first model-backed run; subsequent runs may be faster. Download the exact test PDF.

Document support

Text PDFs, scans, tables, equations, and image extraction.

Review experience

Whether the source and Markdown can be inspected together.

Processing model

Browser upload, managed cloud service, or local installation.

Setup cost

How much configuration is required before the first conversion.

Best for review

1. Plainmark

Plainmark is designed around a review workspace: the original PDF remains visible while you edit, preview, copy, or export the Markdown. It works best with text-based reports, papers, and presentations.

Plainmark testSame engine as the web tool

Remote Research Workflow Brief

Executive summary

Key findings

Headings and paragraphs
Review before reuse

# Remote Research Workflow Brief ## Executive summary ## Key findings - Headings and paragraphs - Review before reuse

In our reproducible test, headings, paragraphs, and bullets were preserved. A two-column table was flattened and needed manual reconstruction. Plainmark does not currently run OCR, so scanned pages are outside its intended scope.

Choose Plainmark ifYou want a no-install web workflow and care more about checking the result than automating thousands of files.

Download the Plainmark test PDF or try the converter.

Best for scientific documents

2. Mathpix

Mathpix provides a managed upload workspace and exports both Markdown and Markdown with images. In our test, it preserved every bullet and rebuilt the two-column table correctly. The main document title was exported as ##, so its hierarchy needed one manual edit.

Mathpix PDF upload dialog containing the Plainmark test PDF — Uploading the shared test PDF.

Mathpix export menu showing Markdown and Markdown with images options — Markdown export options after conversion.

Actual Mathpix outputTable preserved

## Remote Research Workflow Brief

## Executive summary

| Document element | Review priority |
| :--- | :--- |
| Headings | Check hierarchy |
| Lists | Check nesting |
| Tables | Compare every row |

Choose Mathpix ifYour source contains mathematical notation, scientific tables, or scanned research material and a cloud workflow is acceptable.

Result tested directly; broader OCR capabilities checked against Mathpix PDF conversion.

Best open-source option

3. Marker

Marker 2.0.0 preserved the paragraphs, bullets, and complete table in our local CPU test. It returned the document title as an H2 and added bold markup inside the section headings. Its first run took about 132 seconds after installation and model setup.

Actual Marker 2.0.0 outputTable preserved

## Remote Research Workflow Brief

## **Key findings**

- Headings and paragraphs provided the most reliable structure.

| Document element | Review priority |
|---|---|
| Headings | Check hierarchy |
| Lists | Check nesting |
| Tables | Compare every row |

Choose Marker ifYou want local, open-source processing, can manage Python and model dependencies, and value table recovery over instant setup.

Tested locally with default settings. See the official Marker repository.

Best for RAG pipelines

4. Docling

Docling 2.120.3 preserved the body, list, and complete table. Like Mathpix and Marker, it rendered the document title as an H2. The first CPU conversion took about 247 seconds after its models loaded. Setup initially failed from a Windows path containing non-ASCII characters before succeeding in a plain English path.

Actual Docling 2.120.3 outputTable preserved

## Remote Research Workflow Brief

## Key findings

- Headings and paragraphs provided the most reliable structure.

| Document element   | Review priority   |
|--------------------|-------------------|
| Headings           | Check hierarchy   |
| Lists              | Check nesting     |
| Tables             | Compare every row |

Choose Docling ifYou are building a document-processing or RAG pipeline, need structured outputs, and can absorb a heavier local setup.

Tested locally with default settings. See the Docling project.

Best lightweight utility

5. Microsoft MarkItDown

MarkItDown 0.1.7 installed and ran quickly, and it retained the document's readable text. It did not generate Markdown headings for this sample, split one paragraph across lines, and flattened the table into a sequence of cell values.

Actual MarkItDown 0.1.7 outputReadable text, limited structure

Remote Research Workflow Brief

Executive summary

Key findings

- Headings and paragraphs provided the most reliable structure.

Document element
Review priority
Headings
Check hierarchy

Choose MarkItDown ifYou need a small, multi-format extraction utility and are prepared to rebuild PDF hierarchy and tables afterward.

Tested locally with default settings. See the official Microsoft MarkItDown repository.

Which PDF to Markdown converter should you choose?

Choose Plainmark for text-based PDFs that require visual review.
Choose Mathpix for scanned scientific papers and equations.
Choose Marker when local, open-source processing matters most.
Choose Docling for structured ingestion and RAG pipelines.
Choose MarkItDown for lightweight, multi-format extraction.

No converter removes the need to review important documents. Check headings, reading order, tables, image placement, footnotes, and equations before publishing or indexing the Markdown.

Want to review the result yourself?

Convert a text-based PDF with the original page beside editable Markdown.

Open Plainmark