Cybersecurity · head to head
Diligent vs Notepad++
Diligent
Cybersecurity
Board management and enterprise GRC platform assembled from Galvanize, Steele and Diligent Boards
- From
- On request
- Free plan
- No
Notepad++
Developer Tools
Free, lightweight source code and text editor for Windows
- From
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
The short version
- Only Notepad++ has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Diligent the platform is an assembly of acquisitions, with the analytics engine from ACL, risk from Rsam, ethics and third-party diligence from Steele and the board portal from Diligent itself, so cross-module reporting and consistent user experience should be tested in a proof of concept rather than assumed.; Notepad++ windows-only, with no official native macOS or Linux build.
- They diverge on capability: Diligent covers Diligent Boards, Notepad++ covers Syntax Highlighting.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Diligent and Notepad++ actually diverge.
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).
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 Diligent
- Diligent Boards
- Entity management
- Audit and analytics
- Risk management
- Third-party risk
- Ethics and compliance
- ESG and sustainability
- Market intelligence
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.
Diligent
- A listed company that wants board papers, entity records and the audit committee reporting pack produced from one governance systemnot Notepad++
- An internal audit function moving from sampling to full-population transaction testing using the ACL heritage analytics enginenot Notepad++
- A regulated firm consolidating a whistleblower hotline, third-party due diligence and policy attestation after an enforcement findingnot Notepad++
- A group needing sustainability disclosure data collected with the same audit trail and controls as financial reportingnot Notepad++
Notepad++
- Quick editing of code and config files on Windowsnot Diligent
- Batch find-and-replace across multiple files with regexnot Diligent
- Lightweight alternative to a full IDE for scriptingnot Diligent
- Viewing and editing logs or large text filesnot Diligent
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Diligent
- The platform is an assembly of acquisitions, with the analytics engine from ACL, risk from Rsam, ethics and third-party diligence from Steele and the board portal from Diligent itself, so cross-module reporting and consistent user experience should be tested in a proof of concept rather than assumed.
- Pricing is unpublished and consistently at the top of the market, and organisations that need only one capability, a board portal or an audit analytics tool, generally pay less and get more from a specialist.
- Renewal leverage is weak once the board portal is embedded, because directors are the least willing user group to be migrated and that dependency is well understood by the vendor at renewal time.
- The analytics engine expects real data skills, and audit teams without an analytics-capable member typically use a fraction of what they licensed while paying for all of it.
- Module-by-module implementation means the promised single view of governance and risk usually arrives years after the first purchase, if the later modules are ever funded.
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
Diligent
On request- Diligent One Platform$undefined/year
- Quoted by module and user count
- Board portal seats priced separately from GRC modules
- Annual subscription, commonly multi-year
Notepad++
Free- FreeFree
- Full editor and plugin ecosystem, no paid tiers
Which should you pick?
Choose Diligent if
- You need diligent boards.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android, Windows.
- You also want entity management.
Choose Notepad++ if
- You need syntax highlighting.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on windows.
- You also want tabbed editing.
Questions people ask
- Is Diligent or Notepad++ better?
- Neither clearly leads. Diligent starts at On request and Notepad++ at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Diligent or Notepad++?
- Notepad++ has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Diligent and Free for Notepad++.
- Does Diligent or Notepad++ run on more platforms?
- Diligent runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows. Notepad++ runs on windows.
- Can I use Notepad++ for free?
- Yes. Notepad++ has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Diligent starts at On request.
- What is Diligent best used for?
- Diligent is most often used for a listed company that wants board papers, entity records and the audit committee reporting pack produced from one governance system, an internal audit function moving from sampling to full-population transaction testing using the acl heritage analytics engine, a regulated firm consolidating a whistleblower hotline, third-party due diligence and policy attestation after an enforcement finding, a group needing sustainability disclosure data collected with the same audit trail and controls as financial reporting. Of those, a listed company that wants board papers, entity records and the audit committee reporting pack produced from one governance system and an internal audit function moving from sampling to full-population transaction testing using the acl heritage analytics engine are not what Notepad++ is typically brought in for.
- What can Diligent do that Notepad++ cannot?
- Diligent covers Diligent Boards, Entity management, Audit and analytics, Risk management. Notepad++ covers Syntax Highlighting, Tabbed Editing, Plugin System, Regular Expression Search.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Diligent: Is Diligent One the same product as Galvanize?
It contains it. Diligent bought Galvanize, the ACL and Rsam merger, for around one billion dollars in April 2021, and its audit analytics and risk modules are that heritage rebranded into Diligent One.
Notepad++: Is Notepad++ free?
Yes, Notepad++ is free and open-source software distributed under the GNU General Public License, with no paid tiers.
SourceDiligent: What does Diligent cost?
Not published. It is quoted by module and user, and board portal seats are priced differently from GRC seats. Expect an annual or multi-year enterprise agreement.
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.
SourceDiligent: Can you buy just the board portal?
Yes, Diligent Boards is sold on its own and is the most common entry point. The GRC modules are separate purchases.
Notepad++: Which operating systems does Notepad++ support?
Notepad++ runs exclusively on Microsoft Windows; there is no official native build for macOS or Linux.
SourceDiligent: Does it replace a SOC 2 automation tool?
No. Diligent is aimed at enterprise audit, risk and governance, not at automated evidence collection for security certifications.
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.
SourceNotepad++: 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.
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- Notepad++ vs Unit21
- Notepad++ vs Veracode
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- Notepad++ vs VIVOTEK VAST Security Station
- Notepad++ vs Helix
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- Notepad++ vs Bazel
- Notepad++ vs Eclipse IDE
- Notepad++ vs Pants Build
- Notepad++ vs Ansible
- Notepad++ vs Jitsu
- Notepad++ vs Tilt
- Notepad++ vs Backstage
- Notepad++ vs Soketi
- Notepad++ vs Helm
- Notepad++ vs Prettier
- Notepad++ vs StackBlitz
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