Most people should just install Notepad++ and move on. It’s free, it’s GPL-licensed, and it comes with a plugin manager. TextPad is the paid one, built around macros, clip libraries and big-file handling, which suits people who edit multi-gigabyte logs or would rather buy a license once and forget about it.
As of October 2026, Helios sells a single-user TextPad license for $27.
File size is where they differ most. Helios documents TextPad’s limit as the largest contiguous chunk of virtual memory. The Notepad++ User Manual says syntax highlighting stops on files above 200MB from version 8.3 onward.
Which Is Better, Notepad++ or TextPad?
For most people, Notepad++. It costs nothing, has a plugin manager, and handles a long list of languages without any setup.
TextPad earns its spot in narrower cases. Very large files, mostly, or a plain one-time purchase. Either one is a big step up from Windows Notepad if you edit code or config files.
If your budget is zero, the choice is made for you, since TextPad is paid after its trial. Anyone who wants plugins or script runners will also end up with Notepad++. Multi-gigabyte logs and data files lean toward TextPad, whose documented limit is virtual memory.
On shared office or lab machines, TextPad sells site licenses by user count, while Notepad++ has no license to track at all.
Notepad++ and TextPad side by side
| Attribute | Notepad++ | TextPad |
|---|---|---|
| License and price | GPL-3.0-or-later, free | Proprietary, trial then paid |
| Platform | Windows (x86, x64, ARM64 builds) | Windows only (version 9 is 64-bit only) |
| Languages | Around 90 built in, plus User Defined Language | Syntax definition files per document class |
| Extension model | Plugins Admin | Add-ons: clip libraries, macros, syntax files |
| Large file behavior | Highlighting stops above 200MB by default | Limited by contiguous virtual memory |
Strengths and drawbacks of each
Notepad++ has no license cost, and Plugins Admin installs add-ons from inside the editor. There are portable and ARM64 builds, and the Function List and Document Map panels help when you’re moving around long files.
The downsides are real. Syntax highlighting switches off on very large files. Older versions had an update-verification gap that attackers exploited in 2025. And it’s Windows only.
TextPad’s complaint list is shorter and blunter. It’s paid once the trial ends, there’s no plugin manager, version 9 needs 64-bit Windows 10 or 11, and right-to-left scripts are not supported.
What you get for that is a one-time license with no subscription, a large file limit tied to virtual memory instead of a fixed cap, and keystroke macros and clip libraries built in.
When neither editor is the right pick
Stack Overflow’s 2025 Developer Survey puts Visual Studio Code first at 75.9% of respondents and Notepad++ third at 27.4%.
That gap says something about what developers expect from an editor now. Debugging, a terminal and Git in one window. Neither Notepad++ nor TextPad is built around that workflow.
If that sounds like you, a separate comparison of Notepad++ and VS Code as everyday editors covers the trade-off.
Anyone looking at a different paid editor than TextPad can also see how Notepad++ compares with UltraEdit.
Licensing, Price and Platform Support
Notepad++ costs nothing. TextPad costs $27 for a single-user license (GBP 16.50 or EUR 19), according to the TextPad download page. It’s a one-time purchase, not a subscription.
Notepad++ license and cost
Free, and open source, released under GPL-3.0-or-later. There’s no trial period to expire.
Don Ho wrote it. Wikipedia’s comparison of text editors dates the first release to 2003-11-25, although the Notepad++ article’s infobox gives November 24.
Source code is published next to each release on the official downloads page.
TextPad license and cost
TextPad is proprietary software from Helios Software Solutions, first released in 1992. It runs as a trial before purchase.
Helios confirmed on its forum that one single-user license can be installed on as many PCs as you like, as long as you are the only user. Site licenses are sold by user count for a single site.
Version 9 builds were free updates for licensed version 8 users (Helios release announcements). One catch is that workspace files saved in version 9 cannot be read by version 8.
Operating system support
As of October 2026, TextPad 9 runs only on 64-bit Windows, per the TextPad download page. That covers Intel, AMD and ARM 64-bit editions of Windows 10 and 11, plus Server 2016 to 2022.
TextPad 8 reaches further back, with 32-bit and 64-bit Windows 11, 10, 8.1 and 7, plus Server 2008 to 2022 (textpad.com specifications).
Notepad++ ships x64, 32-bit and ARM64 builds, with zip and 7z portable packages. It added a 64-bit MSI package for enterprise IT deployment in version 8.8.8, released 2025-11-18.
Anyone on a 32-bit Windows machine has to stay on TextPad 8 or pick a Notepad++ 32-bit build.
Some software directories tag Notepad++ with Mac and Linux icons. The official downloads page lists only Windows packages.
How Do Syntax Highlighting and Language Support Compare?
Out of the box, Notepad++ covers around 90 programming languages with highlighting, folding, auto-completion and a function list, according to the Notepad++ User Manual. TextPad handles highlighting through syntax definition files attached to a document class.
For a language that isn’t built in, Notepad++ wants a User Defined Language. You paste keywords into one of eight keyword sections, then add operators, delimiters, comments and folding rules. A lexer plugin is the fallback when that isn’t enough.
TextPad’s route is shorter on paper. Create a new document class from the Configure menu, match files by wildcard such as *.php, then point the class at a downloaded syntax definition file.
Ready-made definitions exist for both. TextPad hosts its own on the add-ons page, and Notepad++ has a User Defined Languages collection on GitHub.
Folding and customizable auto-completion are documented for Notepad++’s built-in languages. TextPad’s feature list centers on highlighting, automatic code indentation and block indents.
The same manual sets a limit. From version 8.3 onward, Notepad++ stops syntax highlighting on files over 200MB to avoid slowdowns. Since version 8.4.7 the threshold can be changed under Settings, then Preferences, then Performance, according to the Notepad++ Community.
Mainstream languages work out of the box in Notepad++. Niche ones need a definition file in either editor.
Tabs, Column Selection and Navigation Panels
Both editors keep many files open at once. Notepad++ leans on tabs with Function List and Document Map panels, while TextPad pairs optional tabs with a Document Selector pane.
In Notepad++, the Function List shows the functions in the current file, and its patterns can be customized through PCRE in an XML file. The Document Map (View menu) shows the whole file as a miniature sidebar.
TextPad’s Document Selector lists every open file in a pane, and version 9.4.0 (February 4, 2024) added a compare-files command to its context menu. Each document opens in one MDI window with up to 4 views (Helios specifications), and scrolling can be synchronized across files. Open files also reopen automatically after a Windows Update reboot (TextPad 9.4.0 release notes).
Notepad++ enters column mode through Alt+drag, Alt+Shift+arrow keys or the Edit menu. Typing then writes the same text into every selected row.
Copying in column mode copies a rectangle, which pastes over an equal-sized rectangle elsewhere. Step-by-step instructions for Notepad++ column mode are in a separate guide.
TextPad’s equivalent is block select mode, plus a Block Fill command.
Column selection matters most for aligned data such as logs and fixed-width exports. Notepad++ offers more panels out of the box, while TextPad keeps the layout simpler.
How Do Search, Replace and Regular Expressions Differ?
Regex dialect is where they split. TextPad’s engine is compatible with Perl and JavaScript, according to the Helios specifications, while Notepad++ uses the Boost library.
The Notepad++ User Manual puts Boost at version 1.90 as of Notepad++ 8.9.1 and says it departs from PCRE only in minor ways. A pattern tested on a PCRE website can still behave differently in the Find box.
Notepad++ can search and replace across a folder with Find in Files, which has file filters plus switches for subfolders and hidden folders. Find in Projects covers Project Panel files, and Replace All in All Opened Documents covers open tabs. Backward regex search is disabled by default because its results can surprise you.
TextPad has Find in Files with a Search Results window, and Find Next in All Documents steps through every open document (release 8.12.0, May 14, 2022). An optional regular expression builder sits under the Editor preferences, added in 9.1.0 (February 27, 2023).
Failure points are documented on both sides. Notepad++ shows “Find: Invalid regular expression” only when you press Find Next, so the manual says to test a new pattern there first.
TextPad’s Replace All has the recent record. Version 9.9.6 (May 12, 2026) fixed repeated replacements in runs of more than 5000 matches, and 9.9.3 (December 1, 2025) fixed missed matches when replacements split lines.
Notepad++’s own manual says its searching does not cover every need and points heavy users to external tools such as GrepWin and PowerGREP.
Keeping a regex cheat sheet open helps while you test the same pattern in each editor.
For everyday multi-file replaces, both work. Pick by regex dialect first.
Plugins, Macros and External Tools
Notepad++ extends through plugins installed inside the editor. TextPad extends through macros, clip libraries and capped lists of tools and scripts.
| Mechanism | Notepad++ | TextPad |
|---|---|---|
| Add-on manager | Plugins Admin | None, add-ons installed by hand |
| Macros | Record, save, replay, run to end of file | Keystroke macros with a macro editor |
| External tools | Run command (F5), NppExec console | Commands on the Tools menu |
| Scripts | NppExec scripts | Python, PHP and awk filter scripts |
How Notepad++ extends
Plugins Admin replaced the older Plugin Manager in Notepad++ 7.6, according to the Notepad++ Community. Installing a plugin is a quick search and tick, then a restart, and a separate guide covers installing plugins in Notepad++ in detail.
NppExec adds a console window and runs console programs and saved scripts, acting as an intermediary between Notepad++ and external tools or compilers (NppExec manual). The Compare plugin handles file differences and installs through Plugins Admin. Macros record and replay, and can also run until the end of the file.
Step-by-step use of the Compare plugin is covered in a guide on comparing files in Notepad++.
Macros are sensitive to caret position, so a macro recorded on one line replays relative to wherever the caret sits.
How TextPad extends
TextPad’s documented caps are 64 user-defined commands, 64 keystroke macros and 16 filter scripts (Helios specifications).
The macro editor arrived in 8.7.0 (May 12, 2021). Scripts that edit documents followed in 9.5.0 and 8.19.0 (June 9, 2024).
The Clip Library sidebar stores reusable text, including a clipboard history library, and clip libraries can be written in UTF-8 since 8.4.0 (April 17, 2020). An option adds JDK commands to the Tools menu. Version 9.8.0 (May 1, 2025) added backup and restore for the license key, settings, macros and clip libraries.
Visual file comparison has been built into TextPad since 8.0.0 (December 1, 2015), so it needs no add-on where Notepad++ needs the Compare plugin.
Macros saved with 8.10.0 (January 20, 2022) are not backwards compatible with earlier releases, which Helios flagged as a breaking change.
Notepad++ scales by adding plugins. TextPad stays inside fixed limits.
Which Editor Handles Large Files and Encodings Better?
TextPad is the safer pick for multi-gigabyte files because its documented limit is virtual memory, not a fixed size. Notepad++ opens very large files too, but its regex search is where the trouble shows up.
TextPad’s limit is the largest contiguous chunk of virtual memory, with no fixed cap (Helios specifications). Notepad++ 8.6.6 fixed a crash when a file crosses the 2GB threshold (release notes).
In a forum test, a 10,741,311,328-byte log opened in Notepad++ and used about 12.1GB of RAM. A regex search on the same file ended in “Invalid regular expression” after roughly 27 seconds.
Those last two figures come from one Notepad++ Community member’s test, so treat them as a user report, not a benchmark.
Where the sources disagree
Notepad++ Community threads give different ceilings. Older threads cite a 2GB Scintilla limit and refer to Scintilla 3.5.6, while the later test above opened a 10.7GB file after a warning that files of 2GB or more can take several minutes.
Version 8.3 (February 3, 2022) removed the 2GB open restriction for 64-bit builds, and version 8.6.6 (May 10, 2024) shipped Scintilla 5.5.0 in the same release that fixed the 2GB-threshold crash. That timing is the likeliest reason the answers differ.
On the TextPad side, the 7.6.3 notes (November 10, 2016) fixed line-ending handling in sections of files bigger than 2GB in the 64-bit edition. G2 reviewers describe files from hundreds of megabytes to a couple of gigabytes.
TextPad has its own large-file history, too. Version 9.7.0 (January 17, 2025) fixed text sometimes not being found in very large files.
Encodings and line endings
TextPad edits UTF-16, UTF-8 and 8-bit files with single and double byte characters, and it does not support right-to-left scripts. Internally it has used UTF-16 since 8.0.0, and code point search above 65535 only arrived in 9.9.4 (February 21, 2026).
Notepad++ has separate Convert to entries that rewrite the bytes on disk, while the entries above the separator only show the current encoding. UTF-8-BOM and UTF-8 are separate choices.
As of Notepad++ 8.8.8, the ANSI entries are disabled when the Windows setting “Use Unicode UTF-8 for worldwide language support” is on. Its regex engine also reads characters beyond the Basic Multilingual Plane as two characters.
TextPad handles DOS, UNIX, Mac and mixed line endings. Mixed endings are easier to spot once you start showing hidden characters in Notepad++.
How Actively Is Each Editor Maintained, and Are the Updates Safe?
Both editors are actively maintained as of October 30, 2026. The Notepad++ downloads page lists version 8.9.8.1 as current, and Helios released TextPad 9.9.8 and 8.23.8 on August 16, 2026.
The official Notepad++ list shows 13 releases from v8.9 (December 27, 2025) to 8.9.8.1. TextPad shipped 6 paired 9.9.x and 8.23.x builds between December 1, 2025 and August 16, 2026.
Third-party pages lag. Wikipedia’s comparison of text editors still lists TextPad 9.3.0, released August 1, 2023, and Notepad++ 8.9.6.4.
The Notepad++ update incident
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| June to September 2, 2025 | Shared hosting server compromised (the project dates the start to June; the hosting provider says access ended September 2) |
| September 2 to December 2, 2025 | Attackers keep internal credentials and can redirect update traffic |
| December 9, 2025 | Version 8.8.9 verifies the installer’s certificate and signature |
| February 2, 2026 | Project publishes its investigation and attributes the attack to a likely state-sponsored group (the 8.8.9 announcement had already flagged the issue) |
| February 16, 2026 | Version 8.9.2 enforces signed update XML verification |
The Notepad++ project says the compromise happened at the hosting provider level, not through its code. Older versions lacked enough update verification, and the attackers targeted the Notepad++ domain.
Sources disagree on the end date. The security expert’s analysis says the attack ceased on November 10, 2025, while the hosting provider says attacker access ran to December 2, 2025.
The project’s incident-response team found no concrete indicators of compromise in roughly 400 GB of logs from the former host, though Rapid7, Kaspersky and the former hosting provider later published indicators. The project recommended installing v8.9.1 manually, and installs from 8.9.2 onward enforce the signature checks.
The official downloads page itself asks users to report malicious ads, so check the address before you click.
TextPad’s security record
The sources reviewed show no comparable TextPad incident. That isn’t proof of safety.
The release notes record one security-related fix. In 8.8.0 (June 1, 2021), security policies for opening and saving files could be bypassed through the macro editor, and Helios added a policy setting to disallow macro editing.
Notepad++ vs TextPad FAQ
Does Notepad++ run on Mac or Linux?
No. Notepad++ is a Windows application, and TextPad is Windows-only as well, so neither editor has a native macOS or Linux build.
Linux users can read a guide to installing Notepad++ on Linux.
Can one TextPad license cover more than one PC?
Yes, when you are the sole user. A Helios forum reply says a single license may be installed on any number of PCs for one person, while shared use needs a site license priced by user count.
Version 9.8.0 (May 1, 2025) added commands to back up and restore the license key, which helps when you move to a new PC.
Do Notepad++ and TextPad have a dark theme?
Yes, both do. Notepad++ has a Dark Mode page under Settings, then Preferences, since version 8.0, while TextPad added an optional dark theme in 9.0.0 (January 16, 2023).
The TextPad 8 release notes list no dark theme. A separate guide covers turning on dark mode in Notepad++.
Can I move macros between TextPad and Notepad++?
Not directly, because the formats differ. Notepad++ stores macros in shortcuts.xml as Scintilla and Notepad++ commands, while TextPad keeps keystroke macros in its own .tpm files.
Plan to re-record each macro in the new editor.
How do I back up settings and macros in each editor?
TextPad 9.8.0 and later have Configure menu commands that back up and restore the license key, settings, macros and clip libraries. In Notepad++, copy the per-user folder at %AppData%\Notepad++, or the program folder itself for a portable install.
After hand-editing shortcuts.xml in Notepad++ 8.9.7 or later, check the entries and choose Run, then Validate shortcuts.xml to clear the change warning. The Run-menu warning began in 8.9.6.2, and 8.9.7 extended it to macros.
How to Test Both Editors on Your Own Files
A Notepad++ vs TextPad decision holds up only after a test on files you actually edit. The TextPad trial and the Notepad++ portable archive make that test free.
Start with your largest file, opened and scrolled. Then run your real regex patterns, including one multi-file replace. Save the macro or plugin task you repeat weekly for last.
Size and regex failures come first because no plugin or macro repairs them, while a weak macro can be rebuilt.
Choosing Notepad++ accepts regex limits on multi-gigabyte files in return for a free license and plugins.
Verified on October 30, 2026 against Notepad++ 8.9.8.1 and TextPad 9.9.8, this advice needs a retest when either editor’s release notes change file handling or regex.
Anyone who picks Notepad++ can shorten the first week with a Notepad++ cheat sheet.
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