Software Alternatives & Startups

Notepad++ VS Notepad.exe

Compare Notepad++ VS Notepad.exe and see what are their differences

Notepad++

A free source code editor which supports several programming languages running under the MS Windows environment.

Rating
5.0 · 2 reviews
Pricing
Open source
Notepad.exe

Lightweight macOS code editor. Skip the setup, write code, run instantly. Built-in iOS simulator, AI assistance, and Linux support.

No screenshot yet
Rating
0 reviews

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Notepad++ seems to be a lot more popular than Notepad.exe. While we know about 176 links to Notepad++, we've tracked only 4 mentions of Notepad.exe.

social mentions
176 vs 4
Text Editors popularity
98% vs 2%
alternatives listed
240+ vs 16

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Notepad++
Notepad.exe
Website notepad-plus-plus.org notepadexe.com
Pricing
Open source
—
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Notepad++ 6 features
Notepad.exe 5 features
  • Free and Open Source
    Notepad++ is completely free to download and use, and its source code is open for anyone to review, modify, and contribute to.
  • Lightweight and Fast
    Notepad++ is lightweight, meaning it uses fewer system resources compared to more complex IDEs, allowing for quick loading times and responsiveness.
  • Syntax Highlighting
    Supports syntax highlighting for over 80 programming languages, making it easier to read and write code.
  • Plugin Support
    Offers a wide range of plugins to extend its functionality, including customization options, code analyzers, and more.
  • Tabbed Interface
    Allows multiple documents to be opened in the same window through a tabbed interface, which greatly improves productivity.
  • Regular Updates
    Frequently receives updates and patches, improving its features and fixing bugs.

Possible disadvantages

  • Limited Advanced Features
    Lacks some of the advanced features and integrations of full-fledged IDEs, which might be necessary for professional software development.
  • Windows Only
    Natively available only on Windows, although it can be run on other systems using compatibility layers like Wine, which might affect performance.
  • Manual Plugin Management
    Managing plugins can be cumbersome, as users often need to download and install them manually.
  • Occasional Stability Issues
    Although generally stable, users sometimes encounter crashes or bugs, particularly when using many plugins.
  • Extremely Lightweight
    Notepad.exe is one of the most lightweight text editors available, consuming minimal system resources and launching almost instantly, making it ideal for quick edits and low-powered machines.
  • Built into Windows
    Notepad comes pre-installed with every version of Windows, meaning users don't need to download or install any additional software to have a basic text editor ready to use.
  • Simple and Easy to Use
    The interface is incredibly straightforward with no learning curve. Anyone can open it and start typing immediately, making it accessible to users of all skill levels.
  • Plain Text Editing
    Notepad saves files as plain text by default, which is perfect for editing configuration files, code snippets, batch scripts, and other files where formatting can cause issues.
  • No Bloat or Distractions
    Notepad has no unnecessary features, toolbars, or plugins that could distract from the task at hand. It provides a clean, distraction-free writing environment for simple text tasks.

Possible disadvantages

  • Very Limited Features
    Notepad lacks many features found in modern text editors, such as syntax highlighting, line numbering, auto-complete, tabs for multiple files, and find-and-replace with regex support (though recent versions have improved slightly).
  • No Plugin or Extension Support
    Unlike editors such as VS Code or Sublime Text, Notepad does not support plugins or extensions, so users cannot expand its functionality to meet specific needs.
  • Poor Large File Handling
    Notepad has historically struggled with opening and editing very large files, often becoming slow or unresponsive when dealing with files that are several megabytes or larger in size.
  • Limited Encoding Support
    While recent versions have improved, Notepad has traditionally had limited support for different text encodings, which could cause issues when working with files in UTF-8, Unicode, or other non-ANSI encodings.
  • No Multi-Tab or Split View
    Notepad only allows one file to be open per window and does not offer split-view or tabbed editing, making it cumbersome to work with multiple files simultaneously.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Notepad++
Notepad.exe

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Notepad++ is considered a good editor for both programmers and general users who need a reliable and feature-rich text editing tool.

Why this product is good

  • Notepad++ is a popular text and code editor due to its lightweight design, wide array of features, and support for numerous programming languages. It offers syntax highlighting, macro recording, customizable interfaces, and plugin support, making it highly versatile for various coding and text editing tasks. Its open-source nature allows for community-driven improvements, and it runs efficiently on Windows systems without consuming significant resources.

Recommended for

    Notepad++ is recommended for programmers, developers, and writers who need a robust text editor with advanced features. It's ideal for anyone using Windows who wants a free, efficient, and customizable editing solution capable of handling a wide range of file types and coding languages.

Overall verdict

  • Notepad.exe is a solid, no-frills text editor that excels at simplicity, speed, and reliability for basic text editing tasks, making it a dependable default tool on Windows.

Why this product is good

  • Extremely lightweight and fast, opening instantly even on older hardware
  • Simple, distraction-free interface with virtually no learning curve
  • Comes built into Windows, so there's nothing to install or configure
  • Reliable for quickly viewing or editing plain text and configuration files
  • Uses minimal system resources compared to heavier editors
  • Recent Windows updates have added useful features like tabs, autosave, and spellcheck

Recommended for

  • Users who need a quick and simple way to jot down notes or drafts
  • Viewing or making small edits to plain text and .txt files
  • Editing basic configuration or log files without formatting interference
  • Beginners who want an uncomplicated text editor
  • Anyone needing a fast, always-available tool on Windows without installing extra software

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Notepad++ 3 videos + Add
Notepad.exe 1 video + Add

Notepad++ Review

More videos

  • - Notepad++ Review
  • - Notepad++ Text Editor: Intro for Beginners

Notepad part1 - use notepad.exe on Fedora Linux

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Notepad++
Notepad.exe
98% 98%
2% 2%
97% 97%
IDE
3% 3%
98% 98%
2% 2%
100% 100%
0% 0%

User comments

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Notepad++ 5.0 · 2 reviews
Notepad.exe no reviews yet
  • Simple and Fast
    SaaSHub review
    · Aug 2026

    Fast, lightweight, and incredibly useful. A great free editor that gets the job done without unnecessary complexity.

  • the best assistant at work
    SaaSHub review
    · Sep 2024

    I've been using it for a long time, I can say that it has become my main tool in my work. First, you need to get used to using it and look at all the functionality. Overall, it's useful for me!

  • Boost Your Productivity with These Top Text Editors and IDEs
    convesio.com · Nov 2023

    Notepad++ provides a tabbed interface, allowing you to work on multiple files simultaneously. Its intuitive user interface makes it easy to navigate and edit your code efficiently. With features like syntax...

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Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Notepad++ 176 mentions
Notepad.exe 4 mentions

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Alternatives to Notepad++ and Notepad.exe

When comparing Notepad++ and Notepad.exe, you can also consider the following products.