Sublime Text vs Notepad++

by Gralio Mar 14, 2025

Sublime Text and Notepad++ cater to different coding needs. Sublime Text offers a premium, feature-rich experience for serious developers across platforms. Notepad++ provides a free, simpler alternative specifically for Windows users focused on essential coding tasks.

At Gralio.ai we help to simplify your decision-making process by offering detailed, side-by-side software comparisons like this one, to help you confidently choose the tool that aligns with your business goals.

This comparison was created by analysing 4096 reviews and 60 websites, saving 23 hours, 15 minutes of reading.

Sublime Text

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Notepad++

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About

Sublime Text is a software program used for writing and editing code. It offers a streamlined interface, powerful features for navigating and manipulating code, and strong performance. Sublime Text is designed specifically for developers and is known for its speed, customizability, and extensive plugin ecosystem.

Notepad++ is a free text editor designed for Windows. Think of it as a powerful upgrade to your basic Notepad. It's especially helpful for programmers, as it color-codes code in different programming languages, making it easier to read and write. Notepad++ also offers handy features like auto-completion and the ability to handle large files, making it a popular choice for developers.

Summary

Main difference

Sublime Text offers a more polished and feature-rich experience, ideal for developers seeking advanced customization and a distraction-free environment. Notepad++ excels as a free, lightweight option for basic coding tasks on Windows, prioritizing speed and simplicity.

Relative strengths of Sublime Text (compared to Notepad++)

Superior Customization: Sublime Text offers extensive theme customization and a vast plugin ecosystem for tailoring the editor to specific needs, exceeding Notepad++'s basic theming and limited plugin support.
Cross-Platform Compatibility: Sublime Text is available on Windows, macOS, and Linux, broadening its usability compared to Notepad++'s Windows exclusivity.
Enhanced Performance: While both editors are generally fast, Sublime Text's optimized architecture handles large files and complex operations more efficiently than Notepad++.

Relative weaknesses of Sublime Text (compared to Notepad++)

Cost: Sublime Text's paid license can be a barrier, especially for casual users or budget-conscious businesses, whereas Notepad++ is free.
Simpler User Interface: Notepad++'s interface is more intuitive for beginners, while Sublime Text's minimalist design may require a learning curve.
Windows Focus: Notepad++'s deep integration with Windows offers some OS-specific advantages that Sublime Text, as a cross-platform tool, doesn't fully replicate.

Who should use Sublime Text VS. Notepad++

Sublime Text is a fast and customizable code editor loved by developers for its speed and minimalist design. Its powerful features, like multi-cursor editing and an extensive plugin ecosystem, boost productivity. However, some users find occasional performance lags and the plugin installation process complex. Best for businesses of all sizes, particularly in software development, but suitable for various industries.

Notepad++ is a free and lightweight text editor popular among developers for its speed and simplicity. Users appreciate features like syntax highlighting and tabbed file management. However, some find its Windows-only availability and lack of collaborative features limiting. It's a great choice for individual coders or small teams working on Windows.

Excellent fit for small, medium, and large businesses.
Best fit for Software, IT, & Telecommunications; suitable for other sectors like E-commerce, Retail, and more.

Ideal for individual developers or small teams.
A good fit for software development and IT-related industries.

Sublime Text and Notepad++ features

Supported

Partially supported

Not supported

Type in the name of the feature or in your own words tell us what you need

Python API

Supported

Sublime Text offers a Python API for creating extensions and plugins.

Partially supported

Notepad++ supports Python extensions via the Python Script plugin.
Multi-cursor editing

Supported

Sublime Text fully supports multi-cursor editing with features like splitting selections into lines, adding cursors at specific locations, and performing simultaneous operations across multiple selections.

Supported

Notepad++ supports multi-cursor editing using the mouse and optionally via plugins.
Code snippets

Supported

Sublime Text allows users to create, customize, and use code snippets to improve coding speed.

Supported

Notepad++ supports code snippets via the NppSnippets plugin.
Built-in terminal

Partially supported

Sublime Text can integrate a terminal via the Terminus package.

Partially supported

Notepad++ does not have a built-in terminal but plugins like NppConsole offer this feature.
Autocompletion

Supported

Sublime Text supports robust autocompletion capabilities that can be customized and extended through various settings and packages.

Supported

Notepad++ supports autocompletion for words and functions, but not for specific class methods.
Custom themes

Supported

Sublime Text fully supports installing and customizing themes via UI and color scheme themes. Users can install themes using Package Control or manually. Customization is flexible, allowing theme extension, CSS color syntax, and community sharing.

Supported

Notepad++ allows installing and customizing themes.

Qualities

Value and Pricing Transparency

-0.14

Neutral sentiment

+1

Strongly positive sentiment
Customer Service

No data

No data
Ease of Use

+0.65

Rather positive sentiment

+1

Strongly positive sentiment
Reliability and Performance

+0.5

Rather positive sentiment

+0.54

Rather positive sentiment
Ease of Implementation

-0.67

Rather negative sentiment

+0.33

Rather positive sentiment
Scalability

+1

Strongly positive sentiment

-0.71

Strongly negative sentiment

Sublime Text and Notepad++ Pricing

Sublime Text offers a free trial. A license can be purchased for continued use. Personal licenses are a one-time purchase and include 3 years of updates. Business licenses are on a tiered annual subscription basis.

Plans

User sentiment

Neutral

-0.14

See full Pricing page

No data

User sentiment

Strongly positive

We couldn't find a pricing page for Notepad++.

Sublime Text and Notepad++ review insights

4096 reviews analysed from

Users love

Sublime Text is known for its speed and responsiveness, making it efficient for coding.
The minimalist interface provides a distraction-free environment, allowing for focused work.
Highly customizable with an extensive plugin ecosystem, empowering users to tailor the editor to their specific needs.
Supports a wide array of programming languages and file types, making it a versatile tool for various development tasks.

Lightweight and fast startup
Tabbed interface for multiple files
Syntax highlighting for various languages
Persistent unsaved data across sessions
Extensible via plugins

Users dislike

Occasional performance lags, especially with larger files.
Limited selection of themes available, could be more customizable.
Plugin installation can be complex and unintuitive for beginners.
The constant pop-up reminders to purchase a license can be disruptive.

Only available for Windows OS
Lacks collaborative features for team-based editing
No built-in cloud sync or version control
Can struggle with very large files (e.g., multi-GB logs)
UI can feel outdated

Sublime Text and Notepad++ Ratings

G2

4.5/5

(1741)

G2

4.6/5

(2355)

Company health

Employee growth

20% decrease in the last year

Web traffic

No data

15% increase in the last quarter

Financing

No data

How does each product's plugin ecosystem impact extensibility?

Sublime Text's extensive plugin ecosystem, accessible through its Package Control feature, significantly enhances its extensibility, allowing users to add languages, tools, and functionalities far beyond the core features. Notepad++ also supports plugins for added functionality, but its ecosystem is smaller than Sublime Text's, offering fewer options for extending the core features. While still providing customization options, Notepad++'s extensibility is more limited in comparison.

Which product offers a more intuitive multi-cursor editing experience?

Sublime Text offers a more intuitive and robust multi-cursor editing experience. While both Sublime Text and Notepad++ support multi-cursor editing, Sublime Text's implementation is considered more powerful and user-friendly, allowing for easier selection manipulation and more efficient simultaneous editing. Notepad++'s multi-cursor functionality, while present, often requires plugins or less intuitive methods.

What are the advantages of Sublime Text?

Sublime Text offers a highly customizable environment with an extensive plugin ecosystem, allowing developers to tailor the editor to their specific needs and workflows. It is known for its speed and responsiveness, providing a smooth and efficient coding experience. While it has a minimalist interface for focused work, Sublime Text supports a wide array of programming languages and file types, making it versatile for various development tasks.

What are the disadvantages of Sublime Text?

Sublime Text's disadvantages include occasional performance issues with large files, a limited selection of built-in themes, a complex plugin installation process that can be difficult for beginners, and disruptive pop-up reminders to purchase a license.

Alternatives to Sublime Text and Notepad++

PyCharm

PyCharm is a software development tool made by JetBrains for professional programmers using the Python language. It helps developers write, organize, test, and fix their code more efficiently. This is achieved through features like code completion suggestions, error highlighting, and integration with other tools. PyCharm is available in a free "Community" version, and a paid "Professional" version with more advanced capabilities.

Jira

Jira is a popular work management tool from Atlassian used by teams of all sizes to track tasks and projects. It helps organize, prioritize, and track work progress through customizable workflows, boards, and reporting features. Although highly configurable and initially popular for software development, Jira is now used by various teams for project management, bug tracking, and issue resolution.

Visual Studio Code

Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is a free code editor by Microsoft for building modern web and cloud applications. Available on Linux, Mac OSX, and Windows, it supports nearly every major programming language. VS Code features syntax highlighting, code refactoring, a built-in terminal, and version control integration. A vast library of extensions allows users to customize the editor for specific workflows and programming languages.

Neovim

Neovim is a modern, enhanced version of the popular Vim text editor. It retains Vim's efficient editing style while offering improvements like an embedded scripting language for easier customization, support for external plugins for added functionality, and a built-in client for language-specific tools. Neovim prioritizes a consistent user experience across different platforms and a vibrant, active community for support.

Datalore

Datalore is a cloud-based platform designed for data science teams to collaborate on projects. It offers tools for writing code, connecting to databases, analyzing data, and creating visualizations. Teams can work together in real-time, making it easier to share insights and build data-driven solutions. While offering advanced features, Datalore also provides a user-friendly interface, making it accessible for team members with varying technical skills. Datalore can be hosted online or within your own IT environment.

Edit+

Edit+ is a versatile text editor designed for Windows users. It goes beyond basic notepad functionality by offering advanced features specifically for web developers and programmers. Edit+ excels in editing various programming languages like HTML, PHP, and Java. It also includes a hex viewer for specialized tasks.

Page co-authored by

Michal Kaczor

CEO at Gralio

Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs of any business and find solutions to its problems.

Tymon Terlikiewicz

CTO at Gralio

Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX, HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.

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