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Notepad3 vs Notepad++: catalog facts
Notepad3	Notepad++
Free Free to download and use, with source code published on GitHub.	Free Free as in speech and free as in beer, in the author’s own words, under the GNU General…
Windows	Windows
Small memory footprint and fast start Syntax highlighting and code folding	Opens instantly and uses little memory, thanks to pure Win32 and the Scintilla component Syntax highlighting for many programming and natural languages, with tabs and split view
Windows only Far fewer features and plugins than a full IDE	Windows only; there is no official macOS or Linux build The plugin ecosystem is older and less active than that of modern editors
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License not stated	License: GPL-3.0
No account needed	No account needed
Works offline	Works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 20, 2026

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