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Technology · head to head

Neovim vs Violentmonkey

Neovim logo

Neovim

Technology

hyperextensible Vim-based text editor

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Violentmonkey logo

Violentmonkey

Browser Extensions

Open source userscript manager

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Neovim no official first-party GUI is shipped; Neovim itself is a terminal-based editor and only maintains a curated list of third-party GUI front-ends; Violentmonkey smaller script ecosystem compared to Tampermonkey which has larger user base and more available scripts
  • They diverge on capability: Neovim covers Async job control, Violentmonkey covers Userscript support.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Neovim and Violentmonkey actually diverge.

Attributes where Neovim and Violentmonkey differ
AttributeNeovimViolentmonkey
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxChrome, Firefox, Edge
CategoryTechnologyBrowser Extensions
Founded20142013

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), 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 Neovim

  • Async job control
  • Lua scripting
  • Built-in LSP client
  • Tree-sitter syntax highlighting
  • Extensible UI
  • Terminal emulator
  • Modern plugin architecture
  • Better defaults

Only in Violentmonkey

  • Userscript support
  • Clean interface
  • Cloud sync
  • Script editor
  • Chrome support
  • Firefox support
  • Edge support
  • Opera support

What people use each for

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

Neovim

  • General source-code editingnot Violentmonkey
  • Terminal-based development workflows, including over SSH on remote serversnot Violentmonkey
  • Building custom IDE-like environments via LSP and Lua pluginsnot Violentmonkey
  • Embedding as an editor component in other GUI/IDE front-ends via --embednot Violentmonkey
  • Vim-compatible scripting and automation of text editingnot Violentmonkey

Violentmonkey

  • Run open-source userscripts to customize or automate web pagesnot Neovim
  • Import scripts compatible with Greasemonkey and Tampermonkey formatsnot Neovim
  • Sync scripts and settings across browsers via Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, or WebDAVnot Neovim
  • Batch import/export scripts as zip filesnot Neovim

Where each one falls short

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

Neovim

  • No official first-party GUI is shipped; Neovim itself is a terminal-based editor and only maintains a curated list of third-party GUI front-ends
  • Licensing is not uniform: code contributed after commit b17d96 is Apache 2.0, but code carried over from Vim (tagged vim-patch) remains under Vim's own license
  • Built-in LSP client and Tree-sitter integration are frameworks requiring separate configuration or plugins for language servers/grammars to be useful, not out-of-box language support
  • No official iOS, Android, or web build

Violentmonkey

  • Smaller script ecosystem compared to Tampermonkey which has larger user base and more available scripts
  • Less marketing and visibility results in lower adoption compared to more widely-known alternatives
  • Community maintenance model means slower feature development compared to commercial alternatives

Pricing, plan by plan

Neovim

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Neovim review.

Violentmonkey

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Violentmonkey review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Neovim if

  • You need async job control.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want lua scripting.
Neovim review

Choose Violentmonkey if

  • You need userscript support.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Chrome, Firefox, Edge.
  • You also want clean interface.
Violentmonkey review

Questions people ask

Is Neovim or Violentmonkey better?
Neither clearly leads. Neovim starts at Free and Violentmonkey at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Neovim or Violentmonkey?
Neovim starts at Free and Violentmonkey at Free.
Does Neovim or Violentmonkey run on more platforms?
Neovim runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Violentmonkey runs on Chrome, Firefox, Edge.
Can I use Neovim for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Neovim best used for?
Neovim is most often used for general source-code editing, terminal-based development workflows, including over ssh on remote servers, building custom ide-like environments via lsp and lua plugins, embedding as an editor component in other gui/ide front-ends via --embed. Of those, general source-code editing and terminal-based development workflows, including over ssh on remote servers are not what Violentmonkey is typically brought in for.
What can Neovim do that Violentmonkey cannot?
Neovim covers Async job control, Lua scripting, Built-in LSP client, Tree-sitter syntax highlighting. Violentmonkey covers Userscript support, Clean interface, Cloud sync, Script editor.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Neovim: How much does Neovim cost?

Neovim is free and open-source software. No cost is associated with downloading, using, or distributing Neovim. The project is community-driven with optional sponsorship opportunities for those who wish to support its development.

Source
Violentmonkey: Is Violentmonkey open-source?

Yes. Violentmonkey is fully open-source and available on GitHub, making it free to use and community-maintained unlike Tampermonkey which has a larger proprietary ecosystem.

Source
Neovim: Is Neovim open source?

Yes, Neovim is free, open-source software available to everyone at no cost. Users can download, modify, and distribute it freely for any purpose.

Source
Violentmonkey: What browsers does Violentmonkey support?

Violentmonkey works on browsers with WebExtensions support, including Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and other Chromium-based browsers.

Source
Violentmonkey: How does Violentmonkey compare to Tampermonkey in performance?

Community benchmarks show Violentmonkey uses about 15 to 30 percent less RAM on Chrome compared to Tampermonkey when managing many open tabs.

Source
Violentmonkey: What is the current version of Violentmonkey?

Violentmonkey reached version 2.46.0 as of July 31, 2026, with active ongoing development and regular updates to the open-source project.

Source
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