Notepad++ vs VS Code: Light Editor or Full Coding Tool?

Pick Notepad++ if you are on Windows and want a small, fast editor for opening logs, config files and quick scripts. Pick VS Code if you write code for real projects and want debugging, Git, code completion and extensions, or if you work on macOS, Linux or in a browser.

Both are free, and plenty of developers keep both installed. Notepad++ replaces Windows Notepad with something far more capable while staying light. VS Code is a full coding environment that can grow, through extensions, into most of what an IDE does.

Notepad++ vs VS Code at a glance

Which is cheaper, Notepad++ or VS Code?

Neither costs anything. Notepad++ calls itself free "as in free speech and also as in free beer," and is released under the GNU General Public License.

VS Code is also free. Microsoft's FAQ says it is "free for private or commercial use." There is one licensing detail worth knowing: the source code in the vscode GitHub repository is under the MIT license, while the VS Code you download from Microsoft is a build of that code with Microsoft-specific changes, released under a Microsoft product license.

Which is lighter and faster?

Notepad++, clearly. It is written in C++ on the Win32 API and built on the Scintilla editing component, which its author says "ensures a higher execution speed and smaller program size."

VS Code uses Electron, combining web technologies such as JavaScript and Node.js with a native app. That makes it cross-platform and very extensible, but bigger. Microsoft recommends a 1.6 GHz or faster processor and 1 GB of RAM.

What we checked ourselves

On 6 November 2026, we compared the actual installer files. The Notepad++ 8.9.8.1 64-bit installer on GitHub was 6,963,432 bytes, about 7 MB. The VS Code 1.145.2 Windows user installer served by Microsoft's download link the same day was 256,452,536 bytes, about 256 MB. That is roughly 37 times larger, and also larger than the "small download (< 200 MB)" that VS Code's own requirements page describes. If you are on a slow connection or a locked-down work PC, that difference is real.

Which is better for programming?

VS Code, for anything bigger than a single file. It includes an interactive debugger, built-in Git so you can manage source control without leaving the editor, and IntelliSense code completion with code navigation and refactoring. Language extensions add IntelliSense, linting and debugging for languages like Python, Java and C++, and the Visual Studio Marketplace has thousands of extensions. It also supports remote development over SSH, in containers and in WSL.

Notepad++ is a source code editor that supports several programming languages, and you can extend it with plugins through its Plugins Admin tool, which installs, updates and removes plugins from a list. It suits quick jobs on single files better than whole projects.

Notepad++ is also easy to carry around. Each release on GitHub includes portable zip and 7z versions that run without installing, plus a minimalist portable build of about 4 MB for 64-bit Windows, and builds for Arm-based Windows PCs. That makes it handy on a USB stick or on a work PC where you cannot install software.

Looking at other editors as well? Our guide to Visual Studio Code alternatives covers more options.

Which works on Mac and Linux?

Only VS Code. Notepad++ runs in the Windows environment only. VS Code runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, and you can open it in a browser at vscode.dev without installing anything.

Microsoft lists Ubuntu Desktop 20.04, Debian 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 and Fedora 36 as the minimum Linux versions. On macOS, VS Code supports the versions Apple still gives security updates to, which is usually the latest release and the two before it. On Windows, it needs a supported 64-bit version of Windows.

Which should you choose?

• You want a quick Notepad replacement on Windows: Notepad++.
• You open large logs or config files and want speed: Notepad++.
• You have an older or low-spec Windows PC: Notepad++.
• You build software, websites or apps: VS Code.
• You need a debugger, Git or code completion: VS Code.
• You use macOS or Linux: VS Code.
• You want AI coding help in your editor: VS Code, which supports models from several providers.

FAQ

Is VS Code free for work?

Yes. Microsoft's FAQ says VS Code is free for private or commercial use.

Is there Notepad++ for Mac?

No. Notepad++ is a Windows program. On a Mac, VS Code is a free option that runs natively.

Can I turn off VS Code telemetry?

Yes. Set the telemetry.telemetryLevel setting to off. Microsoft notes that extensions may collect their own data, which this setting does not control.

Is Notepad++ open source?

Yes. Notepad++ is free software released under the GNU General Public License, and its source code is published on GitHub.