Side by side
GNU nano vs Textadept
Both stand on text editors. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan LinuxMacWindows
Choose GNU nano for a free editor with Pico compatibility, multi-file buffers, configurable settings, and regular-expression search. Its Unicode text handling depends on a UTF-8 terminal encoding and locale, and restricted mode disables several actions.
Visit GNU nano Free plan LinuxMacWindows
Textadept combines broad editing features with Lua-based customization and command-line tools. Check its platform requirements first, particularly for Linux and macOS.
Visit TextadeptThe facts
| GNU nano | Textadept | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Linux, Mac, Windows | Linux, Mac, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | GNU nano | Textadept |
| Website | nano-editor.org | orbitalquark.github.io |
| On text editors | #16 of 82 | #20 of 82 |
GNU nano: what it does well
- Free plan costs nothing.
- Runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows.
- Search and replace supports regular expressions and backward searches.
- Separate buffers allow multiple files to remain open.
- Settings can be adjusted through nanorc files.
What to know first
- Unicode support depends on UTF-8 terminal encoding and locale.
- Restricted mode disables shell commands, spell checking, suspending, and backup creation.
Textadept: what it does well
- Supports more than 100 programming languages
- Graphical and terminal interfaces
- Lua customization and extension support
- Self-contained binaries require no installation
What to know first
- macOS binaries are for Apple Silicon only
- Linux binaries may require manual compilation
- Linux GUI requires Qt 5 or GTK 3
Alternatives to GNU nano Alternatives to Textadept The whole list