Alternatives to Thonny

A Python IDE for beginners that comes bundled with Python and includes a simple debugger. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.

Replacements

Listings that take over the same core job as Thonny.

  • Spyder

    An open-source Python IDE for scientific work with a variable explorer and an IPython console.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    Spyder is an open-source Python IDE for scientific work with a variable explorer and IPython console, more advanced than Thonny's beginner focus.

  • PyCharm

    Python IDE with debugging, testing, scientific tools and web framework support.

    FreemiumProprietaryWindowsmacOSLinux

    PyCharm is a professional Python IDE with testing and framework support, heavier and closed source, with paid professional features.

  • Visual Studio Code

    Microsoft's code editor, free to use but shipped under a Microsoft licence rather than an open one.

    FreeProprietaryWindowsmacOSLinux

    Visual Studio Code is a general editor that handles Python through extensions, requiring a separate Python install and more setup than Thonny.

  • PyScripter

    A free, open-source and lightweight Python IDE for Windows.

    FreeOpen sourceWindows

    PyScripter is a free open-source lightweight Python IDE with a mature feature set, but it runs on Windows only.

  • Wing Python IDE

    A Python IDE with a debugger, editor and testing tools, plus features for managing AI coding agents.

    FreemiumProprietaryWindowsmacOSLinux

    Wing Python IDE offers a free Wing 101 edition for simpler needs, with a paid Pro license for the full debugger and testing tools.

  • Geany

    A small, fast IDE built on GTK that starts instantly and does not depend on a heavy desktop environment.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    Geany is a light GTK-based IDE with a configurable build command for many languages, but it does not bundle Python and debugging is basic.

  • Jupyter

    Browser-based notebooks, JupyterLab and the classic Notebook, that combine live code, text and visualizations.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxWeb

    JupyterLab offers an interactive notebook workflow in a browser, which can be tried without installing, rather than a simple desktop IDE.

Also worth comparing

These listings name Thonny as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.

  • KTurtle

    An educational programming environment from KDE that teaches coding by drawing with turtle graphics.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsLinux

    Thonny moves beginners to real Python with a bundled interpreter and simple debugger, and it runs on Windows, macOS and Linux.

  • Scratch

    A free block-based programming language and online community for making interactive stories, games and animations.

    FreeProprietaryWeb

    Thonny is a desktop Python IDE for Windows, macOS and Linux, so beginners write text code with a simple debugger instead of snapping visual blocks.

Similar software

Related functionality, not a direct replacement.