Smultron review
A focused Mac editor with coding tools and a one-time $9.99 purchase.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Smultron is a macOS text editor for everyday writing and code editing, with tools aimed at beginners as well as experienced users. It brings programming and markup syntax coloring together with writing features such as focus mode, split windows, and full-screen editing. For Mac users who want one desktop editor for text work and coding, that mix is the main appeal; it is not suited to people who need an editor on other operating systems.
The standout toolset goes beyond basic text entry. Advanced find and replace supports regular expressions, and Smultron can compare two saved documents with color-coded changes. Reusable snippets can include cursor and selection placeholders, while configurable commands can be run from within the editor. A folder browser with filtering, bookmarks, notes, and a column data tool for delimited text add practical options for working with files and structured text. These features suit varied solo workflows, though the product details do not establish an extension ecosystem; users who depend on add-ons should look for an editor with verified extension support.
Smultron 14 costs $9.99 as a one-time purchase, rather than a subscription. The vendor offers a free-to-download demo, but it cannot save documents until licensed, so it is not a free plan for ongoing work. Purchases from the vendor's own store have a 14-day refund guarantee. The Mac App Store is another purchase route, where regional pricing may vary. Choose Smultron if a single Mac editor with useful writing, coding, comparison, and column-data tools fits your needs; choose another option if you need cross-platform access, a save-capable free tier, or confirmed extension support.
Smultron pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Syntax coloring, regex search, and color-coded document comparison
- Snippets, configurable commands, and folder browsing with filtering
- Column data tools and focused writing views in one editor
- Where it doesn't
- Available for macOS only
- The demo cannot save documents until licensed
- The $9.99 purchase is not a recurring subscription
Smultron fact sheet, pricing and score →
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