18.6
Calmly Writer is a distraction-free editor for Android, desktop and web with Markdown rendering and writing tools.
Free planAndroidWebLinux
Best Text Editors in 2026
Calmly Writer leads this chart of 82 (8.6/10, free plan). Zed is next (8.3/10, free plan), and Visual Studio Code is the next highest-placed with a free plan (8.2/10). Text editors let you write and change plain text or code, and the choice starts with Android availability and the editing controls you need. Check whether a tool has an Android app, then compare its supported platforms, free plan or paid option, multi-cursor and column editing, macro recording, large-file handling, and extensions. Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, and self-hosted support vary by tool.
28.3
Desktop editor with a free tier, paid options and extension support.
Free planLinuxmacOSWindows
38.2
Visual Studio Code is a free, open-source code editor with AI-assisted development tools for macOS, Linux, Windows and the web.
Free planWebLinuxmacOS
- 4
Neovim
Free Android and desktop editor with recorded macros and column selection.
Free planAndroidAPILinuxmacOS8.1Free plan - 5
Geany
Geany is a free, lightweight integrated development environment for Linux, macOS, and Windows.
Free planOpen sourceLinuxmacOSWindows8.1Free plan - 6
GNU Emacs
Free editor with extensions for Android, GNU/Linux, Windows, macOS and more.
Free planAndroidLinuxmacOSWindows8.0Free plan - 7
Lapce
Lapce is a free, open-source code editor written in Rust for Linux, macOS, and Windows.
Free planOpen sourceExtensionLinuxmacOSWindows8.0Free plan - 8
EmEditor
EmEditor is a Windows text editor for text and code, including very large files.
Free planWindows7.8From $5 a month - 97.7Free plan
- 10
Microsoft Editor
Microsoft Editor offers writing and style suggestions through web and browser extensions, with mobile apps.
WebExtensionmacOSWindows7.6 - 11
FocusWriter
FocusWriter is a free, open-source word processor for Linux and Windows that keeps the writing area clear.
Free planOpen sourceLinuxmacOSWindows7.6Free plan - 12
Sublime Text
Sublime Text is a text editor for code, markup, and prose, available on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
LinuxmacOSWindows7.5 - 13
7.5 - 14
Bluefish
Bluefish is a free, open-source desktop editor for programmers and web developers writing websites, scripts, and code.
Free planLinuxmacOSWindows7.5Free plan - 15
TextMate
Free planmacOS7.4Free plan - 16
Micro
Micro is a free terminal-based text editor for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Free planLinuxmacOSWindows7.4Free plan - 17
Textastic
iOSmacOS7.4 - 18
Lite XL
Lite XL is a free, lightweight text editor written in C and Lua, with a bundle smaller than 5MB.
Free planAndroidWebLinuxmacOS7.4Free plan - 19
Froala Editor
Froala Editor is a paid JavaScript WYSIWYG HTML editor that adds rich-text editing inside applications.
AndroidiOSWebSelf-hosted7.4From $60 a month - 20
7.3Free plan - 21
Vim
Vim is a configurable text editor for creating and changing text, with uses including programming, composing email and editing configuration files.
Free planLinuxmacOSWindows7.3Free plan - 22
Avidemux
Free planOpen sourceWebLinuxmacOSWindows7.3Free plan - 23
SlickEdit
SlickEdit is a cross-platform code editor for working across programming languages, with SlickEdit 2025 listing support for more than 70 languages on…
LinuxmacOSWindows7.2$125 one-time - 24
Textadept
Textadept is a free, open-source text editor for programmers, with graphical and terminal interfaces for Windows, macOS, Linux, and BSD.
Free planLinuxmacOSWindows7.2Free plan - 25
7.1Free plan
Choosing well
Which platforms does it need to run on?
Choose a tool that lists the platforms you use, such as Android, web, Windows, macOS, Linux, or a self-hosted setup.
If you plan to edit on a Xiaomi, Redmi, or POCO device, verify Android support for the specific editor before choosing it.
Does it have a free plan or trial?
Compare the stated free plan, paid-from option, and free trial so the cost model fits your use.
A free plan and a free trial are different terms, so check which one the editor actually offers.
Which editing controls should it include?
Match the editor to the way you work by checking multi-cursor editing, column editing, and macro recording.
These controls can matter when you make repeated changes or work across several lines at once.
Can it handle large files and extensions?
Check the listed large-file handling and extension support before opening sizeable documents or adding extra tools.
If you need to read or change code, check the editor's licence and whether its extension model suits your workflow.
Questions people ask
Which text editors work on Android?
Android support is listed per editor. Check the supported-platforms entry for the tool you want before installing it on a Xiaomi, Redmi, or POCO device.
What should I compare when choosing a text editor?
Compare Android and other platform support, free plan or paid-from details, multi-cursor and column editing, macro recording, large-file handling, and extensions.
Are free text editors available?
The list records whether an editor has a free plan and whether its pricing model is free. Check the individual entry for the exact offer.
Do text editors support large files?
Large-file handling is a comparison field. Review the editor's entry to see whether it matches the file sizes and documents you need to open.
Can I add extensions to a text editor?
Extension support is a comparison field. Check the individual editor entry before relying on plugins or add-ons.