Instead of Zed
Zed alternatives
Zed pairs a minimal code editor with a built-in debugger, remote development, language server support, and native Git operations. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows, and supports extensions, multi-cursor and column editing, and macro recording. Teammates can chat, code together, and share screens and projects. The free Personal plan includes 2,000 accepted edit predictions, with unlimited use through API keys or external agents. Pro costs $10 per month and includes unlimited predictions and $5 of tokens.
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Visual Studio Code
Free plan LinuxMacWeb+1Free, open-source editor with AI-agent development — Visual Studio Code is free and presented as an open source AI editor with multi-agent development, while Zed charges $10 per month for Pro.
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Neovim
Free plan AndroidAPILinux+3Vim users who want Lua-based customization — Neovim is a hyperextensible Vim-based editor with Lua plugins and an init.lua configuration, rather than Zed’s minimal editor approach.
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Kate
Free plan LinuxMacWindowsEditing text files with broad syntax highlighting — Kate focuses on text files and offers syntax highlighting for over 400 languages, plus split windows for multiple documents.
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Notepad++
by Notepad++Free plan WindowsWindows users handling large files — Notepad++ is a free Windows-only editor with large-file handling, while Zed also runs on Linux and macOS and includes code-editor capabilities.
Free plan Visit site - 6
BBEdit
by BBEditFree plan MacMac users seeking a free text editor — BBEdit is a macOS-only freemium editor with large-file handling and column editing, while Zed runs on three desktop platforms.
Free plan · 30-day trial Visit site - 7
EmEditor
by EmEditorFree trial WindowsWindows users needing a text editor with macros — EmEditor is Windows-only and starts at $5 per month on an annual basis, unlike Zed’s Linux, macOS, and Windows support.
Free plan · paid from $5/mo (annual) · 7-day trial Visit site - 8
Lapce
Free plan Open source ExtensionLinuxMac+1 - 9
Geany
Free plan Open source LinuxMacWindows - 10
FocusWriter
Free plan Open source LinuxMacWindows - 11
Avidemux
Free plan Open source LinuxMacWeb+1 - 12
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Microsoft Editor
Free plan ExtensionMacWeb+1 - 14
jEdit
Free plan LinuxMacWindows - 15
SciTE
Free plan LinuxMacWindows - 16
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Fresh
Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hosted+1 - 20
CudaText
Free plan LinuxMacWindows - 21
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TeXworks
Free plan LinuxMacWindows - 24
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Lite XL
Free plan AndroidLinuxMac+2 - 27
Calmly Writer
Free plan AndroidLinuxMac+2
An alternative may suit you better if you want a free editor, a tool centered on text files, or a different platform range. Zed’s free prediction allowance and paid Pro plan are worth weighing against the price and editing features of each option. Some alternatives are limited to Windows or macOS, while others run on several operating systems. Zed offers a 14-day Pro trial without a credit card, though the trial ends when its $5 balance is used.