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Head-to-head · Text Editors

Notepad++ vs EmEditor

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 6 checks side by side
Higher score Notepad++ #4 in Text Editors 9.1/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 5 features Visit Notepad++
EmEditor #10 in Text Editors 8.5/10 Free plan · 7-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 5 of 5 features Visit EmEditor

Notepad++ leads on 0 checks, EmEditor on 0, and 6 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 6 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreNotepad++ · 9.1/10
  • Free planboth
  • Free trialonly EmEditor

Notepad++ scores higher on our rubric for text editors: 9.1 against 8.5 out of 10; our editors rank them #4 and #10.

Notepad++ is the better fit for windows users wanting a capable free editor. EmEditor is the better fit for windows users working with extreme file sizes.

  • Notepad++ fits best

    Windows users wanting a capable free editor

  • EmEditor fits best

    Windows users working with extreme file sizes

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Side by side

Feature Notepad++ 9.1/10 Visit ↗ EmEditor 8.5/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.1 8.5
Ranking #4 in Text Editors #10 in Text Editors
Best for Windows users wanting a capable free editor Windows users working with extreme file sizes
Pricing model Free Free plan + paid
Starting price Free plan $5/device/mo
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — 7 days
Deployment Desktop Desktop
Platforms Windows Windows
Support Community, Docs Email, Docs
Built for Solo, Small business Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Notepad++ 5/5 · EmEditor 5/5
Multi-cursor editing ✓ ✓
Macro recording ✓ ✓
Column editing ✓ ✓
Large-file handling ✓ ✓
Extension support ✓ ✓
Specs
Supported platforms Windows Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server 2019 or later; legacy support includes Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2
Our review
Pros
  • Multi-cursor, multi-selection, and column editing support
  • Macros, regex search, workspaces, and project panels
  • Free, open-source software under the GNU GPL license
  • Handles files up to 16 TB, with a controller for larger files
  • Supports column editing, multi-selection, macros, and regex replacement
  • Free edition includes plugins, external tools, and advanced editing features
Cons
  • Windows-only availability
  • Designed for local desktop use rather than browser editing
  • Large-file restrictions may affect very large documents
  • Windows-only support limits use across other operating systems
  • Free edition is restricted to personal home or school use
  • Professional annual pricing starts at $60 per computer per year
Our verdict

Notepad++ is a free, open-source text and source-code editor for Microsoft Windows. It supports syntax highlighting for programming and natural languages, making it suitable for developers, technical users, and anyone who wants more…

Read the review →

EmEditor is a Windows text editor for programmers, editors, database administrators, and server administrators. Its feature set covers ordinary text editing, syntax highlighting, regular expressions, CSV processing, macros, plug-ins,…

Read the review →
  1. Notepad++Text Editors 9.1Free plan
  2. EmEditorText Editors 8.5Free plan · 7-day trial

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Notepad++ — where it wins

    • Multi-cursor, multi-selection, and column editing support
    • Macros, regex search, workspaces, and project panels
    • Free, open-source software under the GNU GPL license

    Where it doesn't

    • Windows-only availability
    • Designed for local desktop use rather than browser editing
    • Large-file restrictions may affect very large documents

  • EmEditor — where it wins

    • Handles files up to 16 TB, with a controller for larger files
    • Supports column editing, multi-selection, macros, and regex replacement
    • Free edition includes plugins, external tools, and advanced editing features

    Where it doesn't

    • Windows-only support limits use across other operating systems
    • Free edition is restricted to personal home or school use
    • Professional annual pricing starts at $60 per computer per year
  • Notepad++9.1/10 · Free plan

    A capable free editor with advanced editing tools, but Windows-only coverage narrows its fit.

    Visit Notepad++Full verdict →
  • EmEditor8.5/10 · Free plan · 7-day trial

    A capable Windows editor for extreme file sizes, with useful free features and costly paid tiers.

    Visit EmEditorFull verdict →

More comparisons

All text editors comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update