MarkDownload alternatives for Chrome: what replaces it in 2026
Updated October 14, 2026 · 5 min read
MarkDownload turned any web page into a Markdown file for years, and for a lot of people it was the whole clipping workflow. It no longer installs in Chrome. If you are looking for a MarkDownload alternative, the idea outlived the extension: four maintained tools do the same job, and the right one depends on what you clip.
What happened to MarkDownload
MarkDownload did nothing wrong. It ran on an extension format that Chrome retired.
Chrome extensions declare a manifest version. Google retired version 2 in favor of version 3, and MarkDownload stayed on version 2. Its public repository on GitHub still declares manifest_version: 2, and its latest release is 3.4.0 from August 23, 2024.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| August 23, 2024 | MarkDownload 3.4.0, the last release |
| October 9, 2024 | Chrome starts disabling Manifest V2 extensions in the stable channel |
| July 24, 2025 | With Chrome 138, Manifest V2 extensions are disabled for all users |
| August 31, 2026 | Google removes the remaining Manifest V2 extensions from the Chrome Web Store |
The Chrome dates come from Google's Manifest V2 deprecation timeline. The effect shows in the project's issue tracker. From November 2024, users quote the message Chrome displays on disabled Manifest V2 extensions: "This extension is no longer available because it doesn't follow best practices for Chrome extensions." A report from March 2025 says version 3.4 no longer loads in Chrome 134, and another that the extension has disappeared from the Edge add-ons store. A community pull request that migrates the extension to Manifest V3 has been open since May 28, 2026 without being merged.
The MarkDownload repository is still online under an Apache 2.0 license, with a little over 4,000 stars. That open license is why forks exist.
Can you still use MarkDownload?
In Chrome, no. The store listing is gone and Chrome no longer runs Manifest V2 extensions. The same applies to browsers that follow Chrome's extension platform closely.
In Firefox, yes. Firefox still supports Manifest V2, and MarkDownload remains on Firefox Add-ons. The version listed there is 3.2.0, last updated on September 26, 2022. It runs, but nobody is fixing it when a site changes.
MarkDownload alternatives compared
Store figures below were read on the Chrome Web Store on October 14, 2026.
| Extension | Users | Last update | What it is | Output |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MarkSnip | 30,000 | September 30, 2026 | Manifest V3 successor of the MarkDownload approach, heavily extended | .md file, clipboard, Obsidian |
| Modern MarkDownload | 4,000 | January 20, 2026 | Manifest V3 port that stays close to the original | .md file, clipboard |
| Obsidian Web Clipper | 1,000,000 | July 22, 2026 | Official Obsidian extension with templates and highlights | Note in an Obsidian vault |
| Markforge | New | February 19, 2026 | Site-aware clipper with dedicated parsers per platform | .md file, clipboard |
MarkSnip
The most complete replacement. Its listing describes article extraction with Mozilla's Readability, conversion with Turndown and GitHub Flavored Markdown, which means tables survive, LaTeX for math, batch export of several tabs, per-site rules and a local library of clips. If you want what MarkDownload did and then some, start here.
Modern MarkDownload
A port of the original to Manifest V3. Fewer additions, same spirit: a popup, an options page, a Markdown file at the end. Choose it if you liked MarkDownload exactly as it was and want the smallest change in habits.
Obsidian Web Clipper
The official clipper from the Obsidian team, with one million users on Chrome alone. It has templates, variables, highlights and a reader mode, and it runs on Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Edge. It saves into an Obsidian vault and nowhere else, and it does not download images on its own. We cover that last point in how to save images locally with Obsidian Web Clipper.
Markforge
Markforge is our extension, so weigh this paragraph accordingly. It is not a MarkDownload fork and it does less on generic articles than MarkSnip. Its reason to exist is the pages where a generic article extractor gives poor results: an X thread, a Reddit post with its comments, a ChatGPT or Claude conversation, a Stack Overflow question with its answers, a Gmail thread, a Hacker News discussion. Each of those has its own parser that understands the page.
Which one to pick
- You want MarkDownload back, with more features: MarkSnip.
- You want MarkDownload back, unchanged: Modern MarkDownload.
- Everything you clip goes into Obsidian: Obsidian Web Clipper.
- You mostly save threads, discussions and AI conversations: Markforge.
Nothing stops you from running two. A generic clipper for articles and Markforge for social and chat pages is a reasonable pairing, since they do not compete for the same clicks.
Moving from MarkDownload to Markforge: what carries over
If Markforge matches what you clip, most of your habits carry over.
What you keep
- A Markdown file with YAML front matter, built from a template you can edit.
- A filename template with variables such as
{title},{date}and{site}. - Images downloaded next to the note, in an
imagesfolder. - Copy to clipboard, and an editable preview before saving.
- A custom download folder, including one inside an Obsidian vault.
What changes
- Clipping part of a page works by picking an element on the page with Clip Selection, not by converting a text selection.
- Obsidian integration is a folder, not a URI. You point Markforge at a vault folder and it writes the file there.
What is missing in version 1.0.0
- No Firefox version.
- No context menu entries, and no export of several tabs at once.
- Tables are flattened to text, where MarkDownload converted them to Markdown tables.
That last point alone will rule Markforge out for some workflows. Better to know it before installing.
Frequently asked questions
Why did MarkDownload disappear from the Chrome Web Store?
MarkDownload is a Manifest V2 extension, and its last release, 3.4.0, dates from August 23, 2024. Chrome began disabling Manifest V2 extensions on October 9, 2024, finished on July 24, 2025 with Chrome 138, and Google removed the remaining Manifest V2 extensions from the Chrome Web Store on August 31, 2026.
Is MarkDownload still available for Firefox?
Yes. Firefox still runs Manifest V2 extensions, and MarkDownload is listed on Firefox Add-ons. The version there is 3.2.0, last updated on September 26, 2022, so it works but is no longer maintained.
What is the closest replacement for MarkDownload in Chrome?
MarkSnip and Modern MarkDownload are both Manifest V3 extensions built on the MarkDownload approach: Readability to find the article, Turndown to convert it, templates for front matter. MarkSnip is the more actively developed of the two.
Is Markforge a fork of MarkDownload?
No. Markforge is a separate code base written for Manifest V3. It converts generic pages too, but its focus is dedicated parsers for specific sites such as X, Reddit, ChatGPT, Claude and Stack Overflow.
Does Markforge have a Firefox version?
No. Markforge is Chrome only today. On Firefox, the original MarkDownload and Obsidian Web Clipper are the options to look at.
Related guides