Side by side
Neovim vs Zed
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 AndroidAPILinux+3
Neovim pairs Vim-style editing with a documented API, plugin options, and built-in language-server features. Windows users need version 8 or newer, and parts of the codebase have Vim-licensed exceptions.
Visit Neovim
Free plan LinuxMacWindows
Zed combines code editing with Git tools, debugging, remote development, extensions, and team collaboration. Check the Personal prediction limit and Pro token overage billing against your needs.
Visit ZedThe facts
| Neovim | Zed | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Android, API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Windows | Linux, Mac, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Pro: $10 a month |
| Plans published | 1 | 4 |
| Maker | Not published | Zed |
| Website | neovim.io | zed.dev |
| On text editors | #6 of 82 | #10 of 82 |
Neovim: what it does well
- Lua plugins and `init.lua` configuration
- Built-in language-server support for inspection and refactoring
- Tree-sitter supports syntax highlighting and text objects
- Includes multicursor, macro, and column editing
- Free under Apache 2.0 with Vim-licensed exceptions
What to know first
- Windows 8 or newer required
- Windows 7 and older are unsupported
- Some portions use the Vim license
Zed: what it does well
- Free Personal plan with 2,000 accepted edit predictions
- Supports Linux, macOS, and Windows
- Built-in debugger and remote development
- Git tools include staging, commits, and diffs
- Team chat, coding, and screen sharing
What to know first
- Personal plan limits accepted edit predictions to 2,000
- Pro usage beyond $5 is billed separately
- SSO, SAML, and SCIM are not currently available