markdown-it-py is a port of the JavaScript markdown-it parser. It’s CommonMark-compliant, has presets (commonmark, gfm-like), a plugin collection (mdit-py-plugins: footnotes, front matter, task lists, math, admonitions) and a token stream you can inspect or render to Markdown again. Jupyter, MyST and Sphinx use it. Pick it for spec compliance.
Python-Markdown is the oldest and most widely used package. It follows the original Markdown rules (not CommonMark: lists need 4-space indents, for example) and has many extensions, including a table of contents, metadata and attribute lists. MkDocs is built on it. Pick it if your tools or existing content depend on it.
mistune is a fast pure Python parser with plugins (tables, footnotes, task lists, math, …) and an AST output mode. It escapes raw HTML by default in create_markdown(). Pick it for speed or when you want the AST as plain dicts.
markdown-it-pymarkdown-it-py is a CommonMark-compliant Markdown parser for Python, a port of markdown-it. How to render Markdown to HTML, enable GFM tables.
mistunemistune is a fast pure Python Markdown parser with plugins and AST output. How to render Markdown to HTML safely, enable tables and footnotes.
Python-MarkdownPython-Markdown is the classic Markdown library for Python, used by MkDocs. How to convert Markdown to HTML, enable tables, fenced code.