Windows Notepad Alternatives

Windows Notepad is described as 'Fast, lightweight editor bundled with Windows since 1985. Supports plain text, UTF-8, Linux newline, over 100 languages, with improved features' and is a very popular Text Editor in the os & utilities category. There are more than 100 alternatives to Windows Notepad for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Mac, Linux, BSD and Flathub apps. The best Windows Notepad alternative is Notepad++, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Windows Notepad are Sublime Text, Vim, Kate and gedit.

filter to find the best alternatives

Windows Notepad alternatives are mainly Text Editors, but if you're looking for Code Editors or IDEs you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Windows + Free. You can also filter by region, for example EU-based alternatives if you prefer software developed in the European Union. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Windows Notepad.
Windows Notepad iconWindows Notepad
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Fast, lightweight editor bundled with Windows since 1985. Supports plain text, UTF-8, Linux newline, over 100 languages, with improved features.

More about Windows Notepad
More about Windows Notepad
Windows Notepad alternatives page was last updated May 16, 2025
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  1. Text Editor icon

    Text Editor

     1 like
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    GNOME Text Editor is a simple text editor focused on a pleasing default experience.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • GNOME
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    Text Editor screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Support for Themes
    3.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Ad-free
    2.  No Tracking
    3.  Syntax Highlighting
    4.  Works Offline
    5.  No registration required
    6.  Crash recovery
    7.  Auto-saving

    Text Editor VS Windows Notepad

     
  2. Scribes icon

    Scribes

     24 likes
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    A text editor for GNOME that combines simplicity with power.

    Scribes focuses on streamlining your workflow. It does so by ensuring common and repetitive operations are intelligently automated. And also by eliminating factors that prevent you from focusing on your tasks.

    The res.

    109 Scribes alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    Scribes simple and sleek (startup)
    Discontinued

    Last release on 2011.

    Scribes Features

    1.  Syntax Highlighting
    2.  Gtk

    Scribes VS Windows Notepad

     
  4. EdytorNC icon

    EdytorNC

     3 likes
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    EdytorNC is text editor for CNC programmers. Some features : bolt holes calculation; solutions of triangles calculation; speed, feed calculation; conversion inch/mm, mm/inch; code colouring; RS232 data transmission with automatic file saving and possibility to download new CNC...

    175 EdytorNC alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • PL flagPoland
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    EdytorNC screenshot 1
    Discontinued

    Last update on Nov 2018.

    EdytorNC Features

    EdytorNC VS Windows Notepad

     
  5. Nota (Maui Applications) icon

    Nota (Maui Applications)

     2 likes
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    Nota is a convergent text editor. Nota is easy to use, with a simple interface by default. Nota supports syntax highlighting for various languages, focus mode, annotations, configurable fonts, colors, a integrated side panel and more.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • MX flagMexico

    Platforms

    • Linux
    Nota (Maui Applications) screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Minimalistic

    Features

    1.  Syntax Highlighting

    Nota (Maui Applications) VS Windows Notepad

     
  6. MyTextArea icon

    MyTextArea

     1 like
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    MyTextArea is a quick and simple online text editor for plain text. It features plain text editing, local storage (saving to browser storage), character/word counter. New features added on a regular basis.

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Online
    MyTextArea screenshot 1

    MyTextArea VS Windows Notepad

     
  7. Nextpad icon

    Nextpad

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    Nextpad is Fast, Beautiful and lightweight Notepad app designed for Windows 10. It lets you create, edit, view or print your file very easily and efficiently.

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • IN flagIndia

    Platforms

    • Windows

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Nextpad VS Windows Notepad

     
  9. TweakStyle icon

    TweakStyle

     16 likes
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    An IDE tailor-made for web design and frontend development.

    License model

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • FR flagFrance
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    TweakStyle screenshot 1

    TweakStyle Features

    1.  Syntax Highlighting
    2.  Code Completion
    3.  Coding
    4.  Browser-based
    5.  Support for styluses

    TweakStyle VS Windows Notepad

     
  10. Tincta icon

    Tincta

     11 likes
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    Tincta is an elegant one-window text editor that is intuitive to use on personal tasks like writing blog posts, letters or grocery lists. But it also has all functionality you need for professional web design and programming.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    Tincta screenshot 1

    Tincta Features

    1.  Support for MarkDown

    Tincta VS Windows Notepad

     
  11. TowPad icon

    TowPad

     1 like
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    Modern wordpad app for Windows with a focus on simplicity and ease of use.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Windows 11

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Lightweight
    3.  Distraction-free

    Features

    1.  Spell Checking
    2.  Works Offline
    3.  WYSIWYG Support
    4.  No Tracking
    5.  Dark Mode
    6.  Support for MarkDown
    7.  Full-Text Search
    8.  No registration required
    9.  Live Preview
    10.  Ad-free
    11.  Text editing

    TowPad VS Windows Notepad

     
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