grep AlternativesFile Search Utilities and other similar apps like grep

grep is described as 'Command-line utility for searching plain-text data sets for lines matching a regular expression' and is a File Search utility in the file management category. There are more than 25 alternatives to grep for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Linux, Mac, BSD and iPad apps. The best grep alternative is DocFetcher, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like grep are Agent Ransack, grepWin, ripgrep and Clapgrep.

filter to find the best alternatives

grep alternatives are mainly File Search Utilities but may also be Web Log Analyzers or Text Editors.  Filter by these or use the filter bar below if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of grep.
grep icongrep
  35
  • ...

grep is a command-line utility for searching plain-text data sets for lines matching a regular expression.

More about grep
grep alternatives page was last updated Oct 3, 2024
  1. DocFetcher icon
     123 likes

    DocFetcher is a portable German/English open source desktop search application. It allows you search the contents of documents on your computer. - You can think of it as Google for your local document repository.

    121 DocFetcher alternatives
    Filter panel and preview panel enabled

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux

    Top DocFetcher Features

    1.  Search-in-files
    2.  File content indexing
    3.  Indexed search
    4.  Full-Text Search
    5.  Content Searching
    6.  Portable
    7.  Built-in viewer
    8.  Shared Folders
    9.  Reads odt files
    10.  Network Scanner
    11.  Search in Archives
    DocFetcher icongrep Icon

    DocFetcher VS grep

    Is DocFetcher a good alternative to grep?
     
    • DocFetcher is the most popular Windows, Mac & Linux alternative to grep.

    • DocFetcher is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to grep.

    • DocFetcher is Free and Open Sourcegrep is also Free and Open Source
  2. Agent Ransack icon
     109 likes

    Agent Ransack is a tool for finding files and information on your hard drive fast and efficiently. When searching the contents of files Agent Ransack also displays the text found. Users can then quickly browse the results without having to separately open each file!

    74 Agent Ransack alternatives
    Search results, showing the contents view docked below the file list view:

    License model

    • FreemiumProprietary

    Platforms

    • Windows

    Agent Ransack Features

    1.  File Search
    2.  Search-in-files
    3.  Context Menu extension
    4.  Outlook search
    5.  Ad-free
    Agent Ransack icongrep Icon

    Agent Ransack VS grep

    Is Agent Ransack a good alternative to grep?
     
  3. grepWin icon
     74 likes

    grepWin is a simple search and replace tool which can use PCRE regular expressions to search for strings of text within files. grepWin adds an entry to the shell context menu to easily search selected folders.

    33 grepWin alternatives
    Context menu.

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • PortableApps.com
    • Chocolatey

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Portable
    2.  Dark Mode
    3.  Command line interface
    4.  Ad-free
    5.  Support for regular expressions
    6.  External editor support
    7.  Command Line Options
    grepWin icongrep Icon

    grepWin VS grep

    Is grepWin a good alternative to grep?
     
  4.  19 likes

    ripgrep is a command line search tool that combines the usability of The Silver Searcher (an ack clone) with the raw speed of GNU grep.

    14 ripgrep alternatives
    ripgrep screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD

    ripgrep Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  Full-Text Search
    3.  Support for regular expressions
    4.  PHP IDE
    5.  Ngnix Caching
    grep Icon

    ripgrep VS grep

    Is ripgrep a good alternative to grep?
     
    Comments about ripgrep as an Alternative to grep
     
    Centaro

    Shorter name, more functionality.

    Positive commentDec 5, 2023
    0
    grep Icon
    • ripgrep is Free and Open Sourcegrep is also Free and Open Source
  5. Clapgrep icon
     5 likes

    Ever had a folder full of PDF files, where you knew, somewhere in there, is what you're looking for. But you did not know in which file. So you had to search each of them at a time…

    52 Clapgrep alternatives
    Clapgrep screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Full-Text Search
    2.  No Tracking
    3.  Ad-free
    4.  No registration required
    5.  Works Offline
    6.  Content Searching
    7.  File content indexing
    8.  Advanced searching
    Clapgrep icongrep Icon

    Clapgrep VS grep

    Is Clapgrep a good alternative to grep?
     
  6. AstroGrep icon
     33 likes

    AstroGrep is A Microsoft Windows GUI File Searching (grep) utility. Features include regular expressions, versatile printing options, stores most recent used paths and has a "context" feature which is very nice for looking at source code.

    38 AstroGrep alternatives
    Main window

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1. File Explorer icon  Windows Explorer Extension
    2.  Dark Mode
    3.  Portable
    4.  Graphical User Interface
    5.  Support for regular expressions
    AstroGrep icongrep Icon

    AstroGrep VS grep

    Is AstroGrep a good alternative to grep?
     
  7. dnGREP icon
     41 likes

    dnGrep allows you to search across files with easy-to-read results. Search through text files, Word documents, PDFs, and archives using text, regular expression, XPath, and phonetic queries. dnGrep includes search-and-replace, whole-file preview, right-click search in File...

    56 dnGREP alternatives
    Main Screen

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Portable
    2.  Dark Mode
    3.  Search and Replace
    4.  Support for regular expressions
    5.  No Tracking
    6.  Full-Text Search
    7.  Ad-free
    8.  Works Offline
    9.  No registration required
    dnGREP icongrep Icon

    dnGREP VS grep

    Is dnGREP a good alternative to grep?
     
  8. FAR - Find And Replace icon
     7 likes

    FAR is a simple tool for search and replace operations over multiple files. You can apply ordinary "word by word" replacement, or choose to use fully featured regular expressions.

    31 FAR - Find And Replace alternatives
    Find

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Works Offline
    2.  Ad-free
    3.  Multiple files
    4.  Search and Replace
    5.  Dark Mode
    6.  Batch Rename Files
    7.  Batch Editing
    8.  Portable
    9.  MP3 / ID3 Renaming
    10.  No registration required
    11.  Built-in viewer
    12.  Support for regular expressions
    FAR - Find And Replace icongrep Icon

    FAR - Find And Replace VS grep

    Is this a good alternative to grep?
     
  9. The Silver Searcher icon
     14 likes

    Silver Searcher is a code search tool similar to ack that claims to be much faster. It's implemented in C and has some extra features such as ignoring files per .hignore, .gitignore contents.

    19 The Silver Searcher alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    • BSD

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  Code Search
    3.  Support for regular expressions
    The Silver Searcher icongrep Icon

    The Silver Searcher VS grep

    Is The Silver Searcher a good alternative to grep?
     
  10. TextCrawler icon
     16 likes

    TextCrawler is a fantastic tool for anyone who works with text files. This cool utility enables you to instantly find and replace words and phrases across multiple files and folders. It utilises a powerful Regular Expression engine to enable you to create sophisticated...

    7 TextCrawler alternatives
    TextCrawler screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeProprietary

    Platforms

    • Windows

    TextCrawler Features

    1.  Multiple files
    TextCrawler icongrep Icon

    TextCrawler VS grep

    Is TextCrawler a good alternative to grep?
     
  11. PowerGREP icon
     22 likes

    PowerGREP is a powerful Windows grep tool. Quickly search through large numbers of files on your PC or network, including text and binary files, compressed archives, MS Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PDF files, OpenOffice files, etc.

    80 PowerGREP alternatives
    PowerGREP screenshot 1

    License model

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows

    PowerGREP Features

    1.  Portable
    2.  Support for regular expressions
    3.  Search and Replace
    PowerGREP icongrep Icon

    PowerGREP VS grep

    Is PowerGREP a good alternative to grep?
     
    • PowerGREP is the most popular commercial alternative to grep.

    • PowerGREP is Paid and Proprietarygrep is Free and Open Source
  12. Advanced Find and Replace icon
     Like this app

    Search files with smart queries as with Google, replace simple or multiline text in multiple files. The batch replace operation easily updates hundreds of different links in several files. Extremely fast, easy to use, with excellent help.

    40 Advanced Find and Replace alternatives
    Find operation

    License model

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows

    Advanced Find and Replace Features

    1.  Search and Replace
    Advanced Find and Replace icongrep Icon

    Advanced Find and Replace VS grep

    Is this a good alternative to grep?
     
12 of 41 grep alternatives