Best Sublime Text Alternatives in 2026
Looking for alternatives to Sublime Text? In this comparison, we take a closer look at Sublime Text alongside similar software solutions including Sublime Text, Notepad++, Notepad5, Quicklook, Far Manager, UltraEdit, TextPad, Notepad2, AutoHotkey, IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition and Phase HTML-Editor.
Our detailed comparison table highlights key features, pricing, and performance of these leading solutions, empowering you to make an informed decision. Whether you're seeking robust functionality, user-friendly design, or cost-effective alternatives, explore how Sublime Text, Notepad++, Notepad5, Quicklook, Far Manager, UltraEdit, TextPad, Notepad2, AutoHotkey, IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition and Phase HTML-Editor stack up to find the perfect software for your goals.
Platform Compatibility
 Sublime Text
|
Available on Windows, Linux, macOS |
 Notepad++
|
Windows only |
 Notepad5
|
Windows and Mac |
 Quicklook
|
Mac OS X, iOS |
 Far Manager
|
Windows only, with a Mac version available |
 UltraEdit
|
Windows, Mac, Linux |
 TextPad
|
Windows only |
 Notepad2
|
Windows only |
 AutoHotkey
|
Windows only |
 IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition
|
Windows, Linux, macOS |
 Phase HTML-Editor
|
Web-based, works on all modern browsers |
License and Cost
|
Sublime Text
|
Proprietary software with a paid license and free trial period |
|
Notepad++
|
Free and open-source software |
|
Notepad5
|
Open source with MIT license |
|
Quicklook
|
Free software |
|
Far Manager
|
Free and open-source software |
|
UltraEdit
|
Commercial software with 30-day free trial |
|
TextPad
|
Commercial software with a fully functional 30-day trial version |
|
Notepad2
|
Free and open-source software |
|
AutoHotkey
|
Free and open-source software |
|
IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition
|
Free and open-source software |
|
Phase HTML-Editor
|
Web-based editor, unclear if free or commercial |
Key Features and Functionality
|
Sublime Text
|
Code editor with multiple cursors, powerful keyboard shortcuts, support for additional plugins, enhanced syntax highlighting. |
|
Notepad++
|
Lightweight text editor supporting multiple languages, built-in spell checker, tabbed editing. |
|
Notepad5
|
Open source text editor with syntax highlighting, code folding, limited plugin support. |
|
Quicklook
|
File preview software for various file types on Mac and iOS. |
|
Far Manager
|
Dual-pane file manager with plugin architecture, advanced file management features. |
|
UltraEdit
|
Powerful text editor supporting advanced search, code folding, macro recording, FTP client integration. |
|
TextPad
|
Text editor with powerful macros, syntax highlighting, integrated version control support. |
|
Notepad2
|
Lightweight fast text editor supporting syntax highlighting and regular expressions. |
|
AutoHotkey
|
Automation scripting tool for Windows with customizable macros and hotkeys. |
|
IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition
|
Free IDE for Java and other languages supporting advanced debugging, refactoring, version control integration. |
|
Phase HTML-Editor
|
Web-based HTML editor with code completion, collaborative editing features and drag-and-drop functionality. |
Choosing the right software isn’t just about features. Size, license type, user ratings, and popularity also matter.
This quick comparison shows how Sublime Text stacks up against Sublime Text, Notepad++, Notepad5, Quicklook, Far Manager, UltraEdit, TextPad, Notepad2, AutoHotkey, IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition and Phase HTML-Editor in these key areas—helping you find the best alternative for your needs.
Size
|
Sublime Text
|
|
|
Notepad++
|
|
|
Notepad5
|
|
|
Quicklook
|
56.8MB |
|
Far Manager
|
|
|
UltraEdit
|
84.9MB |
|
TextPad
|
|
|
Notepad2
|
|
|
AutoHotkey
|
2.9MB |
|
Phase HTML-Editor
|
3.6MB |
License
|
Sublime Text
|
Freeware |
|
Notepad++
|
Open Source |
|
Notepad5
|
Freeware |
|
Quicklook
|
Freeware |
|
Far Manager
|
Commercial |
|
UltraEdit
|
Commercial |
|
TextPad
|
Commercial |
|
Notepad2
|
Freeware |
|
AutoHotkey
|
Freeware |
|
Phase HTML-Editor
|
Freeware |