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Business Intelligence · head to head

DashThis vs Notepad++

DashThis logo

DashThis

Business Intelligence

Fixed-price marketing dashboards for agencies billed by dashboard, not by seat

From
$44/month
Free plan
No
Visit DashThisFull review
Notepad++ logo

Notepad++

Developer Tools

Free, lightweight source code and text editor for Windows

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit Notepad++Full review

The short version

  • Notepad++ is a free, open-source text and source code editor for Windows.
  • Notepad++ is free; DashThis starts at $44/mo.
  • Only DashThis lists unlimited users; only Notepad++ lists syntax Highlighting.
  • Where DashThis falls short: there is no free tier at all, and the fourteen day trial is short for an agency wanting to rebuild forty client reports before committing.
  • Where Notepad++ falls short: windows-only, with no official native macOS or Linux build.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where DashThis and Notepad++ differ
AttributeDashThisNotepad++
Starting price$44/monthFree
Pricing modelPer month by dashboard countOpen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWindows
CategoryBusiness IntelligenceDeveloper Tools

Not yet recorded: founded for DashThis.

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 DashThis

  • Unlimited users
  • Preset templates
  • Multi-source widgets
  • Calculated widgets
  • White labelling
  • Scheduled delivery
  • Data source library
  • Comment annotations

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.

DashThis

  • A twenty-person agency that wants every account manager and every client to have a login without per-seat billingnot Notepad++
  • A PPC team producing the same monthly report for forty accounts and wanting it emailed automaticallynot Notepad++
  • An in-house marketing lead who needs one cross-channel view for the board without involving a data teamnot Notepad++
  • An SEO consultancy white labelling client reports under its own domain and sending addressnot Notepad++

Notepad++

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

Where each one falls short

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

DashThis

  • Dashboards are the billing unit, so an agency that gives each client a summary and a channel detail view consumes its allowance at twice the expected rate and upgrades jump by roughly a hundred dollars a step
  • There is no data warehouse, SQL layer or real data modelling, so anything requiring joins beyond simple multi-source widgets has to be done in another tool first
  • Historical data depends on what each connected API will return, so switching to DashThis does not retroactively give you years of comparable history
  • There is no free tier at all, and the fourteen day trial is short for an agency wanting to rebuild forty client reports before committing
  • Visualisation options are limited to a fixed widget set, so clients who want a specific chart type or layout often cannot get it

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

DashThis

$44/month
  • Individual$44/mo
    • 3 dashboards
    • 15 data sources
    • Unlimited users
  • Professional$139/mo
    • 10 dashboards
    • 40 data sources
    • Unlimited users
  • Business$279/mo
    • 25 dashboards
    • 100 data sources
    • Unlimited users
  • Standard$429/mo
    • 50 dashboards
    • 200 data sources
    • Unlimited users

Notepad++

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

Which should you pick?

Choose DashThis if

  • You need unlimited users.
  • You also want preset templates.
DashThis 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 DashThis or Notepad++ better?
Neither clearly leads. DashThis starts at $44/month and Notepad++ at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DashThis or Notepad++?
Notepad++ has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $44/month for DashThis and Free for Notepad++.
Does DashThis or Notepad++ run on more platforms?
DashThis runs on Web. Notepad++ runs on Windows.
Can I use Notepad++ for free?
Yes. Notepad++ has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. DashThis starts at $44/month.
What is DashThis best used for?
DashThis is most often used for a twenty-person agency that wants every account manager and every client to have a login without per-seat billing, a ppc team producing the same monthly report for forty accounts and wanting it emailed automatically, an in-house marketing lead who needs one cross-channel view for the board without involving a data team, an seo consultancy white labelling client reports under its own domain and sending address. Of those, a twenty-person agency that wants every account manager and every client to have a login without per-seat billing and a ppc team producing the same monthly report for forty accounts and wanting it emailed automatically are not what Notepad++ is typically brought in for.
What can DashThis do that Notepad++ cannot?
DashThis covers Unlimited users, Preset templates, Multi-source widgets, Calculated widgets. Notepad++ covers Syntax Highlighting, Tabbed Editing, Plugin System, Regular Expression Search.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

DashThis: Does DashThis charge per user?

No. Every plan includes unlimited users and client viewers; you pay for dashboards and data sources.

Notepad++: Is Notepad++ free?

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

Source
DashThis: Is there a free plan?

No. Pricing starts at 44 US dollars a month for three dashboards, after a short trial.

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
DashThis: Can I blend data from several ad accounts?

Yes, through multi-source widgets and calculated widgets, but there is no general purpose join or SQL layer.

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

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

Source
DashThis: Does it white label fully?

Yes, including logo, colours, sending email address and a custom domain on the higher plans.

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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