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Developer Tools · head to head

Helix vs Microsoft Edge

Helix logo

Helix

Developer Tools

Post-modern modal text editor for the terminal, written in Rust

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Edge logo

Microsoft Edge

Technology

Microsoft's Chromium-based browser, distinguished by IE mode for legacy applications and by its integration with Microsoft 365 management.

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Helix no official GUI application yet, so it requires comfort with terminal workflows.; Microsoft Edge outside the European Economic Area, Edge cannot be uninstalled from Windows, and Windows components such as Widgets, help links and taskbar search results open in it whatever the default browser is set to, so an organisation standardising on Chrome still has to manage and patch Edge.
  • They diverge on capability: Helix covers Multiple Selections, Microsoft Edge covers Internet Explorer mode.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Helix and Microsoft Edge actually diverge.

Attributes where Helix and Microsoft Edge differ
AttributeHelixMicrosoft Edge
Pricing modelopen-sourcefree
Platformslinux, mac, windowsWeb
CategoryDeveloper ToolsTechnology

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Helix

  • Multiple Selections
  • Tree-sitter Syntax Trees
  • Built-in LSP Support
  • Fuzzy File Finder
  • Project-wide Search

Only in Microsoft Edge

  • Internet Explorer mode
  • Enterprise Mode Site List
  • Entra ID integration
  • Purview DLP for browsing
  • Intune and Group Policy
  • Vertical tabs and Workspaces
  • Sleeping tabs
  • Chrome extension compatibility

What people use each for

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

Helix

  • Editing code over SSH or in tmux sessionsnot Microsoft Edge
  • Working with syntax-aware selection and navigationnot Microsoft Edge
  • Getting IDE-like completion and diagnostics without plugin setupnot Microsoft Edge
  • Lightweight, low-resource code editing on laptopsnot Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge

  • A Windows estate with intranet applications that still require Internet Explorer, where IE mode buys years before a rewritenot Helix
  • Microsoft 365 organisations that want browser sessions covered by Purview DLP and conditional access without a separate secure browser productnot Helix
  • Fleets managed through Intune that need one browser configured by the same console as the rest of the desktopnot Helix
  • Users who work with many tabs at once and want vertical tabs and automatic tab suspension without installing extensionsnot Helix

Where each one falls short

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

Helix

  • No official GUI application yet, so it requires comfort with terminal workflows.
  • Plugin ecosystem is far smaller than Vim's or Neovim's, limiting customization.
  • Keybindings differ from both Vim and Kakoune, adding a learning curve for users of either.
  • Configuration is more limited than Neovim's Lua-based extensibility.

Microsoft Edge

  • Outside the European Economic Area, Edge cannot be uninstalled from Windows, and Windows components such as Widgets, help links and taskbar search results open in it whatever the default browser is set to, so an organisation standardising on Chrome still has to manage and patch Edge.
  • It is Chromium downstream, so Manifest V3 applies exactly as it does in Chrome; full-strength blocking extensions cannot run, and Microsoft's add-ons store adds a second review process rather than a workaround.
  • Almost all of its advantage is conditional on Microsoft 365 and Entra ID; a Google Workspace or AWS-centred organisation gets Chromium plus Microsoft's promotional surfaces and none of the Purview, Intune or conditional access value.
  • Consumer-facing features including Copilot, the Discover pane, shopping notifications and sidebar apps default to on and reappear after feature updates, so suppressing them requires a maintained policy set rather than a one-off configuration.
  • IE mode is a bridge with a maintenance owner attached: the Enterprise Mode Site List must be curated by somebody, and MSHTML receives security fixes but no new capability, so an application parked there gains nothing and its eventual rewrite is only deferred.
  • By default browsing data feeds Microsoft services for Copilot, Discover and shopping features, which in a regulated environment turns the deployment into a policy exercise before it can be approved.

Pricing, plan by plan

Helix

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full editor, no paid tiers

Microsoft Edge

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Microsoft Edge review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Helix if

  • You need multiple selections.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on linux, mac, windows.
  • You also want tree-sitter syntax trees.
Helix review

Choose Microsoft Edge if

  • You need internet explorer mode.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want enterprise mode site list.
Microsoft Edge review

Questions people ask

Is Helix or Microsoft Edge better?
Neither clearly leads. Helix starts at Free and Microsoft Edge at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Helix or Microsoft Edge?
Helix starts at Free and Microsoft Edge at Free.
Does Helix or Microsoft Edge run on more platforms?
Helix runs on linux, mac, windows. Microsoft Edge runs on Web.
Can I use Helix for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Helix best used for?
Helix is most often used for editing code over ssh or in tmux sessions, working with syntax-aware selection and navigation, getting ide-like completion and diagnostics without plugin setup, lightweight, low-resource code editing on laptops. Of those, editing code over ssh or in tmux sessions and working with syntax-aware selection and navigation are not what Microsoft Edge is typically brought in for.
What can Helix do that Microsoft Edge cannot?
Helix covers Multiple Selections, Tree-sitter Syntax Trees, Built-in LSP Support, Fuzzy File Finder. Microsoft Edge covers Internet Explorer mode, Enterprise Mode Site List, Entra ID integration, Purview DLP for browsing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Helix: Is Helix free to use?

Yes, Helix is free and open source, licensed under the Mozilla Public License 2.0 (MPL-2.0), with no paid tiers or subscriptions.

Source
Microsoft Edge: Can I uninstall Edge from Windows?

In the European Economic Area, yes, because the Digital Markets Act requires it. Elsewhere you cannot, and several Windows components will continue to open it regardless of your default browser.

Helix: How do I install Helix?

Install via your operating system's package manager, or download pre-built binaries from GitHub Releases; the nightly version requires building from source.

Source
Microsoft Edge: How long will Internet Explorer mode be supported?

Microsoft has committed to supporting IE mode in Edge through at least 2029. It is a migration window rather than a permanent home, since the underlying MSHTML engine gets security fixes but no new capability.

Helix: Does Helix support plugins?

Not yet. Helix currently has no plugin system, though the project intends to add one eventually; it instead ships with built-in LSP and tree-sitter support out of the box.

Source
Microsoft Edge: Do Chrome extensions work?

Yes. Edge installs extensions from the Chrome Web Store as well as its own store. Manifest V3 restrictions apply identically, so extensions that Chrome no longer supports do not work here either.

Helix: How do I configure Helix?

Helix ships with sane modern defaults requiring much less config-file fiddling than Vim, though settings can still be customized in a config.toml file.

Source
Microsoft Edge: Is it worth deploying if we are not a Microsoft 365 organisation?

Usually not for the management features, which depend on Entra ID, Intune and Purview. Without that stack it is Chromium with a different interface and additional Microsoft promotion.

Helix: Where can I get help or support?

Support is community-driven via GitHub for code and issues, the Matrix chat for discussion, and OpenCollective for funding ongoing development.

Source
Microsoft Edge: Does it run on Linux?

Yes, there are official Linux builds. Some Windows-specific features, including IE mode, are not available there.

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