Notepad2 is the best option for those who want Notepad with just a couple of extra options plus the ability to write formatted code in languages like HTML, PHP, ASP, JS, CSS, Java, SQL, Perl, and more.
Windows Notepad has been around for a long time. The simple text editor has been part of every single Windows versionA Quick Look at the History of Windows in Visual FormA Quick Look at the History of Windows in Visual FormRead More since 1.0.
However, just because it’s in its fourth decade doesn’t mean it’s the best text editor. In fact, in its 30+ years of life, you can almost count the number of new features on one hand.
Many apps have now surpassed it in ease-of-use and quality of features. But what are those apps? What do they do well? And when should you use them? Here’s where Notepad falls short, plus six leading alternatives.
Where Notepad Falls Short
I don’t want to criticize Notepad too heavily. It has a negligible draw on your system’s resources, it opens almost instantly, and it’s still the best way for making quick notesToo Lazy to Take Notes? Try These Faster Notetaking Tips InsteadToo Lazy to Take Notes? Try These Faster Notetaking Tips InsteadThere are several shortcuts you can take to capture everything from lectures to meeting minutes to to-do lists. Let's explore some of those shortcuts today with these tips for faster note-taking.Read More while you’re on a phone call or chatting with a colleague.
Nonetheless, when viewed alongside some of its modern competitors, you’ll quickly find some glaring weaknesses.
For example, it can’t handle newlines in Unix- or classic Mac OS-style text files, it lacks advanced formatting features, it doesn’t support multiple document interface (MDI), you can’t block-select, and there are no syntax coloring, code folding, or macros… The list goes on.
Some third-party alternatives remedy these omissions and introduce several additional features.
1. Notepad++
TL;DR: Best all-round alternative text editor.
The best known and most widely-used alternative is Notepad++. It was originally designed for coding and development, but it’s features have since made it popular among people who just want a more powerful text editor.
Out of the box, you’ll find several additions that instantly set it apart from the Microsoft product. There are line numbers, a more robust search tool, support for tabs, syntax highlighting, macro recording, and zoom.
Notepad++ really starts to shine when you delve into the plugins. You will find a spell checker, an FTP client, a script executor, hex editors, and more.
To use the plugins, either use Plugin Manager (which ships with the main app) or download your preferred plugin and install it manually. Navigate to the plugins subfolder of your Notepad++ installation, then put the DLL in plugins, the configuration file in pluginconfig, documentation in plugindoc. See our guide on Notepad++ plugins for help.
Download — Notepad++
2. Syncplify.me Notepad!
TL;DR: Download Syncplify.me Notepad! for a word processing-esque experience.
Syncplify.me Notepad! is more geared towards people who want to use their text editor to write rather than to code and program.
When you open the program for the first time, you’ll instantly feel at home when you see the familiar Microsoft Office ribbon across the top of the screen. Start using the app, and the similarities with Word continue: it supports drag-and-drop editing, you can customize print jobs with margins, indentations, headers, footers, and your find-and-replace history is saved for later use.
Syntax highlighting for 35 programming languages is included, but you won’t find code folding, auto-complete, macro recording, or session support.
Download — Syncplify.me Notepad!
3. QOwnNotes
TL;DR: Anyone who uses Notepad to stay organized should switch to QOwnNotes.
Free Photoshop Like App For Mac
Despite the growth of specialist to-do appsEvernote vs. OneNote: Which Note-Taking App Is Right for You?Evernote vs. OneNote: Which Note-Taking App Is Right for You?Evernote and OneNote are amazing note-taking apps. It's hard to pick between the two. We compared everything from interface to note organization to help you choose. What works best for you?Read More like Evernote, OneNote, and the recently-released Microsoft To-DoMicrosoft To-Do vs. Wunderlist: Everything You Need to KnowMicrosoft To-Do vs. Wunderlist: Everything You Need to KnowMicrosoft To-Do will replace Wunderlist in the coming months. Learn about To-Do's best features, what's still missing, and how you can migrate from Wunderlist to To-Do.Read More, some people still use Notepad for making lists and staying organized7 Google Keep Features for Perfect Lists7 Google Keep Features for Perfect ListsGoogle Keep has a few features that make it perfect for list keeping. Not only can you create a checklist and sync the app across platforms, Google Keep also offers location-based reminders and more.Read More. Unfortunately, it’s not up to the task, especially if you want to do more than make a simple list of groceries.
However, if you like the simplicity of Notepad compared to OneNote, you should give QOwnNotes a try.
You can organize all your notes and lists into projects and sub-folders (accessible in the right-hand panel), and the app supports rich text notes, images, hyperlinks, and tables. The presence of folders, sub-folders, and hyperlinks means you can make your own wiki.
It also includes a built-in calculator and an “Import from Evernote” tool. Oh, and did I mention the app can even sync via Calendar Plus using AES-256 encryption?
Download — QOwnNotes
4. PSPad
TL;DR: The best alternative for coders and programmers.
PSPad has been a favorite among coders and professionals for many years. It was first released in 2001.
Its myriad features are development orientated. There’s MDI, syntax highlighting, a HEX editor, an HTML code checker, a code explorer, a macro recorder, an external compiler, an FTP client, and even templates for HTML, PHP, Pascal, JScript, VBScript, MySQL and more.
Like Notepad++, there’s a thriving community who have built a variety of plugins for increased functionality. Some of the best are the JavaScript packer, the SQL code reformatting script, and the text-to-table adaptor.
It does have some useful features for casual users, including a spell check and search-and-replace, but you should use something else if you’re not planning to spend a lot of time coding.
PSPad is semi-portable100 Portable Apps for Your USB Stick for Windows and macOS100 Portable Apps for Your USB Stick for Windows and macOSPortable apps let you take your favorite software anywhere via a flash drive or cloud storage. Here are 100 of them to cover your every need, from games to image editors.Read More: you can download a ZIP folder that can be unpacked into any directory. There’s also an installer, but it’s ad-supported — make sure you don’t install any unnecessary software.
Download — PSPad
5. EditPad Lite
TL;DR: The purest Notepad replacement.
If you’re looking for a replacement for Notepad but don’t want an app with hundreds of extra bells and whistles, EditPad Lite is your best option.
Some features separate it from the Microsoft app, but they’re minor enhancements rather than complete overhauls.
For example, EditPad offers a tabbed interface so you can work on several files at the same time and there is unlimited undo/redo (rather than the one step provided by Notepad). You’ll also find a more robust search-and-replace tool, and the app automatically backs up your work to prevent data loss.
Perhaps most interestingly, you can configure the app per file type. When you’re coding, you can turn off word wrapping, when you’re writing a personal memo you can turn off line numbering and turn on proportional fonts.
Download — EditPad Lite
6. GetDiz
TL;DR: If you’re an ASCII artist who wants a fun and quirky twist, download GetDiz.
GetDiz isn’t for serious coders or people who need to operate in 50 different programming languages. It’s primarily for people who want to make art5 Free Apps to Turn Photos Into Art on Android, iPhone, or Web5 Free Apps to Turn Photos Into Art on Android, iPhone, or WebTurn your selfies into art with these free creative tools and join the new filter craze that is now taking over the internet.Read More with ASCII characters. Sure, it’s a niche group, but it’s also a fun group.
What makes it so good for artists? Well, it can read and create NFO and DIZ files, as well as ASCII art, then save the output as a GIF file. The only drawback is the app will create the GIF using what’s visible on the screen rather than the full window.
Other benefits include automatic window resizing to fit the text width of files, built-in URL support, and custom word highlighting.
Download — GetDiz
Which Is Your Favorite Notepad Alternative?
The very notion of a “best” alternative is subjective: the right app is the one that works for you. You should spend time testing a few different ones before settling on your long-term preference.
The most important thing to take away from this article is that Notepad has been surpassed and you will be able to find a more compelling alternative, regardless of how you use the app.
Which Notepad alternatives would recommend to your fellow readers? What features make them unique? Let us know in the comments below.
Explore more about: Note-Taking Apps, Notepad.
- If only Notepad2 has tabs. Just need something that is fast and simple as notepad but with tabs.
- It is really sad to see that there are practically no objective articles. Pseudo-journalists write articles for product placement. But hypocritically they do not say it.
The recipe is always the same.We are talking about a software or other product, which is known by many people, and then we are talking about another product that is supposed to be wonderful.
And we quickly realize that this wonderful product costs money and is expensive.We are not ashamed to mix everything. Free products (very rare), products supposedly free and which are not free but the one who writes the article does everything to sell them, or even a paid product and the article is still promoted.The majority of articles on the internet are made by sellers but they hide it.
These pseudo-journalists are paid handsomely for promoting articles from companies, and they pretend to do so objectively.
But when we are paid to sell any product we are not at all objective. We are sellers. And sellers are paid to sell anything.Honesty in humans is really rare and it is not surprising that the Capitalist is so popular. It is based on lies, greed, theft. - I'm a user of EmEditor. But free alternatives Notepad2 and Notepad++ have approached or exceeded its features by now.I often rely the ability to select the encoding for viewing foreign language text or DOS NFO art, and to preview text in mixed/binary files, which RichText-based editors fail to do reliably.Some of these tools have lost focus, and have added formatting and modern GUI bloat, or increased system requirements too much (EmEditor). Commercial products have a problem, because a text editor can be reasonably 'complete', and they can no longer sell a new version. Notepad as a scratch box is only useful for 'notes' as long as it is light in memory and visually compact.
- My go-to notepad is Metapad. It has options for Word Wrap, selection of primary font, keep on top, transparency, hyperlinks, primary and secondary font selection and has many more features.
- You know what I hate about all the notepad replacements?None of them are basic text editors like notepad.
- NoteTab Pro. Been using it for years, and I love it!
- NoteTab Pro - using in for years. I love it!
- I've been using ConTEXT for awhile now instead of notepad.
- If you don't want to pay the registration for Edit Plus, which is well worth it, in my opinion, then I recommend Geany and Kate.
- I just leave OneNote open all the time. The impact on system resources is negligible.
- Textpad..
- Notepad2
- NoteTab Light
- Notetab Light is also excellent with HTML
- TextPad: the Notepad replacement for people who write... or write HTML... or write software.
- Onenote
- vim :Pjust kidding
- Microsoft has not changed anything with Notepad since Windows 95
- DocPad is great!
- I may be greedy here... but I'd love to have a simple notepad like the EditPad mentioned in the article - with built-in password protection/encryption. Something like MS Word 'Lite'...
- Worst thing about notepad is that its undo only has a depth of one. Very dangerous...
Notepad for Mac is a note-taking app for Mac OS X. A trial version is available from several download sites, while the full licensed version of Notepad for Mac will cost you $20. Notepad for Mac installs easily.
The concept behind Notepad for Mac is that any text can be saved and pasted into any app. You can drag and drop text from one app to another, or you can cut and paste to the Notepad for Mac. As text is moved through Notepad for Mac, it builds up a history list, which lets you recall any content and reuse it quickly. Notepad for Mac supports passwords, so you can protect your sensitive notes from others. There's a flexible search capability that can scan through all the notes you've made and pull up matches. The search allows wildcards, so you can look for text based on expression patterns. There's a full set of text tools available, so you can format your notes on the notepad any way you want. You can print directly from Notepad for Mac, too.
We used Notepad for Mac for almost a month to see if it added to our productivity. It's a mixed bag. While the ability to drag and drop any text is handy, this is not something that's new to Mac OS anyway. Storing and managing notes is fine, but there are apps for free that do the same job. In the end, we're not convinced that spending $20 has really given us anything we couldn't get elsewhere with no cost.
Editors' note: This is a review of the trial version of Mac Notepad for Mac 8.0.0.316.