Looks like no one’s replied in a while. You can also set this non-formatting as default everytime you launch this app. Go to “Preferences” > under ‘Format’ > choose “Plain Text”. Question: Q: is there a notepad equivalent for mac More Less. Apple Footer. Its unique features like macro recording, guided indentation, simultaneous editing give it’s users an outstanding text editing and coding experience. Unfortunately, It is not available for Mac. Don’t worry we have found the Best Alternatives of Notepad++ for Mac. Nov 13, 2016 Looks like no one’s replied in a while. You can also set this non-formatting as default everytime you launch this app. Go to “Preferences” > under ‘Format’ > choose “Plain Text”. Question: Q: is there a notepad equivalent for mac More Less. Apple Footer.
Notepad++ is widely considered to be the best text editor available anywhere right now; there are people who have used it for more than ten years and who have never found a need to go to any other program for their text editing needs. Notepad++ is terrific for stripping formatting out of Office documents, as a programming/coding editor, to compare HTML files, and a hundred other tasks. But it has one huge flaw – it’s a Windows-only program. That’s right, there’s no Notepad++ for the Mac, and no plans for there ever to be one – the author of Notepad++ is committed to the Win32 API and does not intend to port Notepad++ over to the Mac. So what’s an Apple user to do? What are the alternatives to Notepad++ for Mac?
Also see our article The Best Notepad++ Plugins You Can Download Right Now
Fortunately, there are many and some of them are very good programs indeed. In this article, I’ll discuss several of the best free and paid options out there…as well as one unusual but workable scenario.
TextWrangler
Quick Links
Free Notepad App
TextWrangler is no longer developed but is so good that people still recommend its use. It is essentially the free version of BBEdit which I’ll discuss next. TextWrangler is almost equal to Notepad++ in that it works well with code, highlights syntax, can work out languages, works seamlessly with files, plain text, Unicode and has a spellcheck too. Unfortunately development on TextWrangler stopped in September of 2016, although the program is still available on the Mac App Store. TextWrangler is known to be compatible with macOS versions 10.9.5 through 10.12.6.
BBEdit 12
BBEdit 12 is the premium alternative to Notepad++ for Mac and is intended for serious writers, software developers, and website coders. BBEdit12 is compatible with macOS 10.12.6 and higher, and costs $49.99. (Upgrading from BBEdit 11 is $29.99, or $39.99 to upgrade from earlier versions.) At that price point, BBEdit 12 delivers a huge array of features and works with Git, HTML, FTP, AppleScript, Mac OS X Unix scripting and a whole host of other neat tricks. While the cost means you would only ever use this app if you’re a serious coder, what it does, it does very well.
TextMate
TextMate is a heavy hitter in terms of features. It requires macOS 10.9 or higher, but has search and replace, auto indent, auto pairing, a clipboard with history, column tools, multi-language support, CSS and HTML tools, foldable code blocks and a raft of other goodies. At $59 for a full single-user license, it isn’t cheap but again, if you live in text, this app has everything you could possibly need whether coding, building web pages or writing your next novel.
Sublime Text 3
Mail app for mac how to put an image in the signature. Sublime Text 3 is another alternative to Notepad++ that gets a lot of recommendations from whomever I ask. It is another premium text editor at $80, although you can download an evaluation copy for free and use it without paying. Sublime is actively developed, is very customizable, works with all types of code, can batch edit, use symbols and all the neat things you would expect from a premium program. The distraction-free mode works well too if you’re prone to procrastination. Sublime is available for macOS 10.7 or higher and also runs on Windows and Linux.
Atom
Atom is often referred to as the free Sublime Text 3 and to a degree that’s true. It is capable of many things that Sublime Text 3 is capable of including customization, code friendliness, wrapping, editing, cross platform editing, auto complete, multiple panes and has a built-in package manager for addons. Atom is still relatively new but seems to be going down very well with Mac users so far.
Komodo Edit
Komodo Edit is a code-oriented alternative to Notepad++. It is a lighter version of Komodo’s integrated development environment (IDE), which only hardcore coders would ever need. This light version supports multiple languages, autocomplete, markdowns, addons, customizations and more. It also plays nicely with most code types and has its own GitHub page with a range of packages to use.
MacVim
MacVim has been described as the text editor Unix and code purists use. Whether that’s true or not, MacVim is certainly a powerful text editor. It does many things the others in this list do but with fewer menus and distractions. That isn’t to say it doesn’t have features because it has plenty, but the UI is kept purposely simple. There is the usual customization options if you don’t like the barebones look. It is free and while there is a bit of a learning curve, the investment is apparently well worth it.
jEdit
jEdit is our final standalone alternative to Notepad++ for Mac. It calls itself a ‘mature programmer’s text editor’ whatever that means. Despite that, the Java app works across OS, supports macros, languages, plugins, folding, code, word wrap, clipboard history, markers and lots more besides. It is free and includes access to a range of plugins and downloads that are created and maintained by a team of volunteer developers.
Notepad++ on Wine
It may be that none of these alternatives will work for you because you just have to have Notepad++. Well, there is one way to achieve that goal. Most Mac users are familiar with Wine, the windows emulator that runs on top of macOS and permits Mac owners to run (some) Windows programs. Notepad++ has been tested in the past and found to work reasonably well with Wine. Reports from Wine users (who maintain an extensive database of application compatibility tests) indicate that Notepad++ version 6.1.2 works fairly well. Function keys weren’t supported, and automatic app updating was not testing, but the core functionality of Notepad++ worked fine.
Since Wine is free, and Notepad++ is free, then it may be worth the effort to download Wine, download Notepad++, and see if you can get the editor to work under the emulator.
If you are looking for an alternative to Notepad++ for Mac, there are quite a few. While some cost money and are only really worth the investment if you live in text, others are free and well worth a try. Each looks and feels slightly different so there is bound to be one here you like. And if all else fails you can always try to run Notepad++ under emulation.
Got any other suggestions for an alternative to Notepad++ for Mac? Tell us about it below if you do!
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.
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..