6 Free Alternatives to Notepad++

Here is a list of 6 free alternatives to Notepad++. Notepad++ is an open-source text editor. It is a nice text editor that brings additional features packed in a simple interface. If you are looking for Notepad++ alternatives for Windows, then you can check out this list.

All the text editors listed here are completely free and offer similar features to Notepad++ if not more. Some of these text editors are proper programming IDE supporting various programming and markup languages. These editors come with a built-in package manager or plugins to extend the functionality and more programming environments to the editor.

Just like Notepad++, all these editor support syntax highlights for various programming languages. These editor packed with features such as search and replace, search with regular expression, spell checker, project management, macros, keyboard shortcuts, multi-pane view, and themes to customize the appearance of the editor.

My Favourite Alternative to Notepad++

Atom is my favorite alternative to Notepad++. It is a good editor for programming and web development. It supports various programming languages and comes with a built-in package manager to install more environments. Additionally, it has Git and GitHub integration to directly fort projects.

Also check out our list of free Online Notepad Websites, Open Source Code Editor Software, and Lightweight Code Editor Software for Windows.

Atom

Atom is a free alternative to Notepad++. It is an open-source cross-platform text editor available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. This editor is a good fit for programming purposes as it can open projects with various types of files.

Atom has a built-in package manager that allows users to install suitable packages for their needs. Users don’t have to switch editors for different file types. They can just install a package manager and continue their workflow within the Atom editor.

Another programming-orientated feature of Atom is that it has integration with Git and GitHub means users can directly fort projects and codes from GitHub without leaving the editor.

Main Features:

• Cross-platform
• Project Management
• Built-in Package Manager
• Auto-complete feature for various programming languages
• Multiple Panes view to open multiple files side by side
• Find and replace text across projects
• Themes to customize the appearance of the editor interface
• Git and GitHub integration

Final Thoughts:

Atom is a good alternative to Notepad++ and has many advantages over it especially for programmers. With built-in package manager, themes, and GitHub integration, it is good for programming as well as structured note-taking.

Sublime Text

Sublime Text is another free alternative to Notepad++. This is a suitable text editor for markup, programming and can also be used for taking notes. It supports various programming languages and color-code the syntax. On top of that, users can install plugins to add more programming environments to it.

Sublime Text can manage projects allowing users to bring all their workflow instantly under one editor. It supports multiple panes to open multiple files side by side on the screen. Furthermore, it has a command palette that features code snippets for various languages and has heavily customizable keyboard shortcuts.

Main Features:

• Cross-platform
• Project Management
• Built-in Package Manager and Python API
• Command Palette with code snippets
• Multiple Panes view to open multiple files side by side
• Find and replace text across projects
• Handy keyboard shortcuts and custom key binding

Final Thoughts:

Sublime Text is a feature-rich text editor that can be your default IDE for programming needs. With project management and a built-in package manager, it has a huge advantage over Notepad++.

Bluefish

Bluefish is another powerful text editor that can serve as an alternative to Notepad++. It has a simple UI  with all the options laid out right on the screen. The interface of this editor is in compliance with KDE and Gnome UI guidelines offering a familiar appearance to that particular userbase.

In terms of functionality, it supports many programming and markup languages along with support for projects. It has a multi-threaded view to open multiple files side by side. There is one feature of this editor that sets it aside from the rest. It can be integrated with external filters and programs that can be handy for error detection, text processing, and running custom scripts.

Main Features:

• Cross-platform.
• Project Management.
• Multi-threaded support for remote files for HTTPS, FTP, SFTP, WebDAV, etc.
• Multiple Panes view to open multiple files side by side.
• Find and replace with regular expression, pattern-replacing, etc.
• Snippet Sidebar: specify and insert patterns.
• Programming language-aware spell checker.
• Integrate external programs and filters.

Final Thoughts:

Bluefish Editor is a nice text editor for programming needs. It is a good consideration for Linux users who would find the interface familiar.

SynWrite

SynWrite is another free alternative to Notepad++ for Windows. This is a versatile editor that can work for web designs, programming, and writing. It has a similar interface to Bluefish keeping everything on the screen all the time.

SynWrite packs many useful features to improve productivity. It has multiple selections for text replacement and allows users to edit multiple lines at once. Users can also create and use macros for different tasks and install plugins to add more environments.

Main Features:

• Project Management
• Syntax Highlight for various programming and markup languages
• Edit multiple lines at once
• Auto-complete feature for various programming languages
• Built-in code snippets
• Multiple Panes view to open multiple files side by side
• Find and replace with regular expression
• Built-in Color Picker
• Preview Images

Final Thoughts:

SynWrite brings all the good features from various text editors under one program. With features like multiple edits, color picker, content map, etc. it is a nice option to consider for maximum productivity.

Notepad GNU

Notepad GNU is a free alternative to Notepad++. It is quite similar to Notepad++ in terms of features and interface. The editor has a simple UI with all the options under the menubar.

It offers a basic feature set including find and replace, regular expression search, document map, tree map of the directory, and more. Additionally, users can create and run macros, insert objects and text format.

Main Features:

• Auto-complete feature for 55 programming languages
• Syntax highlight
• Macro support
• User-defined code snippets

Final Thoughts:

Notepad GNU is a decent text editor. It lacks many features that are present in a proper programming IDE. But it is good enough for programming and regular writing.

TextPad

TextPad is another free text editor that can serve as a Notepad++ alternative for Windows. This is a good editor for regular text files. It is very similar to Notepad++. This editor supports various programming and markup language with syntax highlight. It shows a tree-view of the directory so users can easily access files from their projects. In terms of functionality, it has search and replace with regular expressions and can also store and run macros.

Main Features:

• Search and replace
• Text formatting options
• Search with regular expression
• Tree-view of open directory
• Open multiple files in tabs
• Support Macros

Final Thoughts:

Textpad is a nice text editor that is very similar to Notepad++. Almost all the features you get in Notepad++, you can find in Textpad as well.