Notepad++ vs Zed

Notepad++9.1Visit Zed8.8Visit

Higher score Notepad++ #4 in Text Editors 9.1/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 5 features Visit Notepad++

vs

Zed #7 in Text Editors 8.8/10 Free plan · 14-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 4 of 5 features Visit Zed

• Notepad++ fits best

  Windows users wanting a capable free editor

• Zed fits best

  Modern teams wanting collaborative editing

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature	Notepad++ 9.1/10 Visit ↗	Zed 8.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.1	8.8
Ranking	#4 in Text Editors	#7 in Text Editors
Best for	Windows users wanting a capable free editor	Modern teams wanting collaborative editing
Pricing model	Free	Free plan + paid
Starting price	Free plan	$10/mo
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	14 days
Deployment	Desktop	Cloud, Desktop
Platforms	Windows	macOS, Windows, Linux
Support	Community, Docs	Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Notepad++ 5/5 · Zed 4/5
Multi-cursor editing	✓	✓
Macro recording	✓	✓
Column editing	✓	✓
Large-file handling	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Extension support	✓	✓
Specs
Supported platforms	Windows	macOS, Windows, Linux
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	Free plan includes Git, debugging, extensions, agents, and collaboration Supports macOS, Linux, and Windows with broad developer tooling Native editing, Git, Vim-style, AI, and real-time collaboration features
Cons	Windows-only availability Designed for local desktop use rather than browser editing Large-file restrictions may affect very large documents	Pro costs $10 per month after the free Personal plan Advanced business controls require the $30-per-seat monthly plan AI usage beyond included Pro capacity is billed based on usage
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 →	Zed is a desktop code editor for software developers who want fast editing, collaboration, and integrated AI workflows. It runs on macOS, Linux, and Windows, and combines multibuffer editing, native Git operations, language-server support,… Read the review →

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

• Zed — where it wins

  • Free plan includes Git, debugging, extensions, agents, and collaboration
  • Supports macOS, Linux, and Windows with broad developer tooling
  • Native editing, Git, Vim-style, AI, and real-time collaboration features

  Where it doesn't

  • Pro costs $10 per month after the free Personal plan
  • Advanced business controls require the $30-per-seat monthly plan
  • AI usage beyond included Pro capacity is billed based on usage

• 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 →
• Zed8.8/10 · Free plan · 14-day trial

  A capable free editor for collaborative teams, with paid AI tiers that cost more.

  Visit ZedFull verdict →