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vis vs Vim: catalog facts
vis	Vim
Free Free and open source.	Free Free under the Vim licence, which is GPL-compatible charityware and asks for a donation to…
Linux, Command line	Windows, macOS, Linux, Command line
Vi-style modal editing with sam structural regular expressions Multiple selections for editing several places at once	Already installed on nearly every server you will ever log into Decades of plugins, and configuration knowledge that does not expire
Not fully compatible with Vim commands or plugins Smaller ecosystem than Vim or Neovim	The learning curve is the standard example of a steep learning curve Language server and completion support needs plugins that Neovim handles better
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License not stated	License: Vim
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 September 21, 2026

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