Compare software

hgrepGNU Grep
Free

Free to use; the source is published on GitHub.

 Free

Free software from the GNU Project with no paid tier.

Command line Linux, Command line
  • Shows surrounding code for each match
  • Syntax highlighting in search results
  • Installed by default on most Linux systems
  • Thorough documentation via man, info and online manual
  • Output is longer than plain grep, less suited to piping
  • Command line only
  • Slower on large codebases than tools like ripgrep or ugrep
  • Does not skip ignored files or directories by default
Downloadable app Downloadable app
Open source Open source
License not stated License: GPL-3.0-or-later
No account needed No account needed
Works offline Works offline

Checked October 2, 2026

Checked October 1, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.