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Developer Tools · head to head

Blacksmith vs Notepad++

Blacksmith logo

Blacksmith

Developer Tools

2x faster GitHub Actions with 60% cost savings

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Notepad++ logo

Notepad++

Developer Tools

Free, lightweight source code and text editor for Windows

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Blacksmith per-minute pricing model requires estimating usage to predict costs; Notepad++ windows-only, with no official native macOS or Linux build.
  • They diverge on capability: Blacksmith covers Bare metal runners, Notepad++ covers Syntax Highlighting.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Blacksmith and Notepad++ actually diverge.

Attributes where Blacksmith and Notepad++ differ
AttributeBlacksmithNotepad++
Pricing modelUnknownopen-source
PlatformsGitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOSwindows
FoundedUnknown2003

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Developer Tools).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Blacksmith

  • Bare metal runners
  • Multiple OS support
  • ARM support
  • Docker layer caching
  • Sticky disks
  • GitHub Actions observability
  • Free tier
  • Static IPs

Only in Notepad++

  • Syntax Highlighting
  • Tabbed Editing
  • Plugin System
  • Regular Expression Search
  • Function List

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Blacksmith

  • Replacing GitHub Actions runners with faster, cheaper infrastructurenot Notepad++
  • Accelerating CI build times for organizations with heavy CI loadnot Notepad++
  • Reducing cloud spend on GitHub Actions by 60% or morenot Notepad++
  • Supporting ARM architecture builds without GitHub runnersnot Notepad++

Notepad++

  • Quick editing of code and config files on Windowsnot Blacksmith
  • Batch find-and-replace across multiple files with regexnot Blacksmith
  • Lightweight alternative to a full IDE for scriptingnot Blacksmith
  • Viewing and editing logs or large text filesnot Blacksmith

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Blacksmith

  • Per-minute pricing model requires estimating usage to predict costs
  • macOS M4 pricing ($0.08/min) is significantly higher than GitHub Actions
  • Docker layer caching and sticky disks are paid add-ons at $0.50/GB/mo
  • Static IP add-on costs $100/IP/mo

Notepad++

  • Windows-only, with no official native macOS or Linux build.
  • Lacks built-in debugging or project/build management found in full IDEs.
  • Plugin quality and maintenance varies since they are community-contributed.
  • No built-in version control integration beyond what plugins provide.

Pricing, plan by plan

Blacksmith

Free
  • Ubuntu x64$0.004/minute
    • 3,000 free minutes per month
    • 2x faster hardware
    • 4x faster cache downloads
  • Ubuntu ARM$0.0025/minute
    • 3,000 free minutes per month
    • 2x faster hardware
    • 4x faster cache downloads
  • Windows x64$0.008/minute
    • 3,000 free minutes per month
    • 2x faster hardware
    • 4x faster cache downloads
  • macOS M4$0.08/minute
    • 3,000 free minutes per month
    • 2x faster hardware
    • 4x faster cache downloads

Notepad++

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full editor and plugin ecosystem, no paid tiers

Which should you pick?

Choose Blacksmith if

  • You need bare metal runners.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on GitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want multiple os support.
Blacksmith review

Choose Notepad++ if

  • You need syntax highlighting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on windows.
  • You also want tabbed editing.
Notepad++ review

Questions people ask

Is Blacksmith or Notepad++ better?
Neither clearly leads. Blacksmith starts at Free and Notepad++ at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Blacksmith or Notepad++?
Blacksmith starts at Free and Notepad++ at Free.
Does Blacksmith or Notepad++ run on more platforms?
Blacksmith runs on GitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOS. Notepad++ runs on windows.
Can I use Blacksmith for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Blacksmith best used for?
Blacksmith is most often used for replacing github actions runners with faster, cheaper infrastructure, accelerating ci build times for organizations with heavy ci load, reducing cloud spend on github actions by 60% or more, supporting arm architecture builds without github runners. Of those, replacing github actions runners with faster, cheaper infrastructure and accelerating ci build times for organizations with heavy ci load are not what Notepad++ is typically brought in for.
What can Blacksmith do that Notepad++ cannot?
Blacksmith covers Bare metal runners, Multiple OS support, ARM support, Docker layer caching. Notepad++ covers Syntax Highlighting, Tabbed Editing, Plugin System, Regular Expression Search.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Blacksmith: How much do Blacksmith runners cost compared to GitHub Actions?

Blacksmith offers 60-75% cost savings depending on OS. Ubuntu x64 costs $0.004/min vs GitHub at $0.012/min. All plans include 3,000 free minutes monthly.

Source
Notepad++: Is Notepad++ free?

Yes, Notepad++ is free and open-source software distributed under the GNU General Public License, with no paid tiers.

Source
Blacksmith: Can I use Docker layer caching with Blacksmith?

Yes, Docker layer caching is available as an add-on at $0.50/GB/mo. Managed Docker layer persistence is included with the base service.

Source
Notepad++: What license does Notepad++ use?

Notepad++ is licensed under the GNU General Public License v2.0 (GPLv2), meaning its source code is freely available and modifiable under GPL terms.

Source
Blacksmith: What is the SLA for Enterprise plans?

Enterprise Blacksmith plans include a 99.9% SLA guarantee along with 24/7 priority support, dedicated Slack channels, white-glove onboarding, and CI optimization support.

Source
Notepad++: Which operating systems does Notepad++ support?

Notepad++ runs exclusively on Microsoft Windows; there is no official native build for macOS or Linux.

Source
Notepad++: How do I install plugins in Notepad++?

Plugins are installed and managed through the built-in Plugins Admin (plugin manager), which lists community plugins available for download and update.

Source
Notepad++: Where can I get help or documentation for Notepad++?

Official documentation is at the User Manual site, and community support is available through the Notepad++ community forum and GitHub issue tracker.

Source
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