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Notepad4 vs BowPad: catalog facts
Notepad4	BowPad
Free Free and open source.	Free Free and open source.
Windows	Windows
Lightweight and quick to start Syntax highlighting, code folding and auto-completion for many languages	Syntax highlighting for over 100 languages Handles UTF-8, UTF-16 and UTF-32
Windows only Single-document design rather than a tabbed or project-based editor	Windows only, requiring Windows 10 22H2 or later Ribbon interface may not suit everyone
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License not stated	License not stated
No account needed	No account needed
Works offline	Works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 24, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 1, 2026

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