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Cybersecurity · head to head

Mimecast vs Notepad++

Mimecast logo

Mimecast

Cybersecurity

Email and collaboration security

From
$4/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Notepad++ logo

Notepad++

Developer Tools

Free, lightweight source code and text editor for Windows

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Notepad++ has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Mimecast no pricing is published for any product or plan, and every route ends at a quote or demo request; Notepad++ windows-only, with no official native macOS or Linux build.
  • They diverge on capability: Mimecast covers Advanced threat detection, Notepad++ covers Syntax Highlighting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Mimecast and Notepad++ differ
AttributeMimecastNotepad++
Starting price$4/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsEmail, Cloud, Collaborationwindows
CategoryCybersecurityDeveloper Tools

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), founded (2003).

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 Mimecast

  • Advanced threat detection
  • Secure sharing
  • Email encryption
  • Message tracking
  • Email archiving
  • Legal hold
  • eDiscovery
  • Backup and recovery

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.

Mimecast

  • Email security filtering against phishing and targeted attacksnot Notepad++
  • Email archiving, continuity and compliance for organisationsnot Notepad++

Notepad++

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

Where each one falls short

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

Mimecast

  • No pricing is published for any product or plan, and every route ends at a quote or demo request
  • The platform is split into separately sold products for email security, awareness training, data protection and governance
  • Collaboration threat protection, DMARC analysis, incident response and email archiving are all further add ons on top of those

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

Mimecast

$4/month
  • Defender$4/month
    • Per user
    • Threat protection
    • Impersonation prevention
  • Archive$3/month
    • Email archiving
    • Legal hold
    • Search & recall
  • Unified$6/month
    • All Defender features
    • All Archive features
    • Backup

Notepad++

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Mimecast if

  • You need advanced threat detection.
  • You work on Email, Cloud, Collaboration.
  • You also want secure sharing.
Mimecast 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 Mimecast or Notepad++ better?
Neither clearly leads. Mimecast starts at $4/month and Notepad++ at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mimecast or Notepad++?
Notepad++ has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $4/month for Mimecast and Free for Notepad++.
Does Mimecast or Notepad++ run on more platforms?
Mimecast runs on Email, Cloud, Collaboration. Notepad++ runs on windows.
Can I use Notepad++ for free?
Yes. Notepad++ has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Mimecast starts at $4/month.
What is Mimecast best used for?
Mimecast is most often used for email security filtering against phishing and targeted attacks, email archiving, continuity and compliance for organisations. Of those, email security filtering against phishing and targeted attacks and email archiving, continuity and compliance for organisations are not what Notepad++ is typically brought in for.
What can Mimecast do that Notepad++ cannot?
Mimecast covers Advanced threat detection, Secure sharing, Email encryption, Message tracking. Notepad++ covers Syntax Highlighting, Tabbed Editing, Plugin System, Regular Expression Search.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Mimecast: How much does Mimecast cost?

Mimecast does not publish pricing on its website. Customers must request a custom quote by contacting the sales team at +1 617 393 7000 or using the Get a Quote button.

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
Mimecast: Is there a free trial of Mimecast?

Mimecast's trial and pricing options are not specified on the public website. Contact sales at +1 617 393 7000 or through their support portal at mimecastsupport.zendesk.com for trial availability.

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
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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