Developer Tools · head to head
Notepad++ vs OWASP ZAP
Notepad++
Developer Tools
Free, lightweight source code and text editor for Windows
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
OWASP ZAP
Cybersecurity
Free, open-source web application scanner and intercepting proxy, now governed by the Software Security Project.
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Notepad++ windows-only, with no official native macOS or Linux build.; OWASP ZAP authenticated scanning of modern single-page applications is the hard part and ZAP makes you build it by hand: session handling, token refresh and login scripts are configured per application, and a misconfigured session means the scanner logs itself out and reports a clean result for pages it never reached.
- They diverge on capability: Notepad++ covers Syntax Highlighting, OWASP ZAP covers Intercepting proxy.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Notepad++ and OWASP ZAP actually diverge.
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 Notepad++
- Syntax Highlighting
- Tabbed Editing
- Plugin System
- Regular Expression Search
- Function List
Only in OWASP ZAP
- Intercepting proxy
- Passive scanner
- Active scanner
- AJAX spider
- Automation Framework
- Headless daemon and REST API
- Docker images
- Add-on marketplace
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Notepad++
- Quick editing of code and config files on Windowsnot OWASP ZAP
- Batch find-and-replace across multiple files with regexnot OWASP ZAP
- Lightweight alternative to a full IDE for scriptingnot OWASP ZAP
- Viewing and editing logs or large text filesnot OWASP ZAP
OWASP ZAP
- Adding a baseline security scan to every application's pipeline where per-target commercial licensing would limit coverage to a handfulnot Notepad++
- Manual penetration testing that needs an intercepting proxy, request replay and fuzzing without a paid licence per testernot Notepad++
- Teaching developers what an attack against their own endpoint looks like, using a tool they can install themselvesnot Notepad++
- Pre-release regression scanning of an internal application that would never justify a commercial DAST subscriptionnot Notepad++
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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.
OWASP ZAP
- Authenticated scanning of modern single-page applications is the hard part and ZAP makes you build it by hand: session handling, token refresh and login scripts are configured per application, and a misconfigured session means the scanner logs itself out and reports a clean result for pages it never reached.
- There is no support contract in the product, so when a scan breaks the day before a release the escalation path is a GitHub issue and a community chat, which is not an answer that satisfies a delivery manager or an auditor who wants a named responsible party.
- Active scanning sends genuine attack traffic, so it can create records, trigger emails, exhaust rate limits or destabilise a fragile environment, and pointing it at production without prior agreement produces an incident rather than a test result.
- Output needs triage: passive rules generate large volumes of low-severity informational findings about headers and cookie flags that bury the few results that matter, and a team without someone tuning the rule set stops reading the report within a few sprints.
- As a dynamic scanner it can only test what it can reach, so authorisation flaws between accounts, business logic abuse and anything behind an undiscovered endpoint go unreported, and a passing ZAP scan is evidence of nothing more than the absence of the classes of bug it looks for.
Pricing, plan by plan
Notepad++
Free- FreeFree
- Full editor and plugin ecosystem, no paid tiers
OWASP ZAP
Free- Free & Open SourceFree
- Full functionality
- Active & passive scanning
- Spider
Which should you pick?
Choose Notepad++ if
- You need syntax highlighting.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on windows.
- You also want tabbed editing.
Choose OWASP ZAP if
- You need intercepting proxy.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Desktop, Cli, Api.
- You also want passive scanner.
Questions people ask
- Is Notepad++ or OWASP ZAP better?
- Neither clearly leads. Notepad++ starts at Free and OWASP ZAP at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Notepad++ or OWASP ZAP?
- Notepad++ starts at Free and OWASP ZAP at Free.
- Does Notepad++ or OWASP ZAP run on more platforms?
- Notepad++ runs on windows. OWASP ZAP runs on Desktop, Cli, Api.
- Can I use Notepad++ for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Notepad++ best used for?
- Notepad++ is most often used for quick editing of code and config files on windows, batch find-and-replace across multiple files with regex, lightweight alternative to a full ide for scripting, viewing and editing logs or large text files. Of those, quick editing of code and config files on windows and batch find-and-replace across multiple files with regex are not what OWASP ZAP is typically brought in for.
- What can Notepad++ do that OWASP ZAP cannot?
- Notepad++ covers Syntax Highlighting, Tabbed Editing, Plugin System, Regular Expression Search. OWASP ZAP covers Intercepting proxy, Passive scanner, Active scanner, AJAX spider.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Notepad++: Is Notepad++ free?
Yes, Notepad++ is free and open-source software distributed under the GNU General Public License, with no paid tiers.
SourceOWASP ZAP: Is it still called OWASP ZAP?
The project left OWASP in August 2024 and is now governed by the Software Security Project, with core development sponsored by Checkmarx. The tool is now just ZAP, though most existing documentation, courses and search results still use the OWASP name.
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.
SourceOWASP ZAP: Is it free for commercial use?
Yes. It is Apache 2.0 licensed, with no per-application, per-scan or per-user cost, and it can be used and modified commercially without a licence agreement.
Notepad++: Which operating systems does Notepad++ support?
Notepad++ runs exclusively on Microsoft Windows; there is no official native build for macOS or Linux.
SourceOWASP ZAP: Can it replace a penetration test?
No. It automates checks for known vulnerability classes against endpoints it can reach. It does not reason about business logic, chain findings into an attack, or test authorisation between accounts, which is most of what a tester actually does.
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.
SourceOWASP ZAP: Does it run in CI?
Yes, through the official Docker images and the Automation Framework, which defines scan jobs in YAML so configuration lives in the repository. A baseline passive scan is the usual starting point because it is fast and non-intrusive.
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.
SourceOWASP ZAP: How does it compare to Burp Suite?
Burp Suite Professional is the more polished manual testing tool and has a stronger scanner and extension ecosystem, but it is licensed per tester and Burp Suite Enterprise per target. ZAP is the better fit where cost per target is the binding constraint; many teams use both.
Related pages
Other head to heads
- Notepad++ vs GNU Emacs
- Notepad++ vs Helix
- Notepad++ vs Visual Studio Code
- Notepad++ vs Penpot
- Notepad++ vs Bazel
- Notepad++ vs Eclipse IDE
- Notepad++ vs Pants Build
- Notepad++ vs Swagger UI
- Notepad++ vs Ansible
- Notepad++ vs Atlantis
- Notepad++ vs Jitsu
- Notepad++ vs Steampipe
- Notepad++ vs WarpBuild
- Notepad++ vs Webpack
- Notepad++ vs Avo
- Notepad++ vs Azure DevOps
- Notepad++ vs Backstage
- Notepad++ vs Bitbucket
- Notepad++ vs 1Password
- Notepad++ vs Bitdefender Total Security
- Notepad++ vs Norton 360
- Notepad++ vs LastPass
- Notepad++ vs Bitwarden
- Notepad++ vs Burp Suite
- Notepad++ vs Metasploit
- Notepad++ vs Wireshark
- Notepad++ vs authentik
- Notepad++ vs Authelia
- Notepad++ vs Infisical
- Notepad++ vs Trivy
- Notepad++ vs Feedzai
- Notepad++ vs Frontegg
- Notepad++ vs HashiCorp Boundary
- Notepad++ vs JumpCloud
- Notepad++ vs McAfee Total Protection
- OWASP ZAP vs GNU Emacs
- OWASP ZAP vs Helix
- OWASP ZAP vs Visual Studio Code
- OWASP ZAP vs Penpot
- OWASP ZAP vs Bazel
- OWASP ZAP vs Eclipse IDE
- OWASP ZAP vs Pants Build
- OWASP ZAP vs Swagger UI
- OWASP ZAP vs Ansible
- OWASP ZAP vs Atlantis
- OWASP ZAP vs Jitsu
- OWASP ZAP vs Steampipe
- OWASP ZAP vs WarpBuild
- OWASP ZAP vs Webpack
- OWASP ZAP vs Avo
- OWASP ZAP vs Azure DevOps
- OWASP ZAP vs Backstage
- OWASP ZAP vs Bitbucket
- OWASP ZAP vs 1Password
- OWASP ZAP vs Bitdefender Total Security
- OWASP ZAP vs Norton 360
- OWASP ZAP vs LastPass
- OWASP ZAP vs Bitwarden
- OWASP ZAP vs Burp Suite
- OWASP ZAP vs Metasploit
- OWASP ZAP vs Wireshark
- OWASP ZAP vs authentik
- OWASP ZAP vs Authelia
- OWASP ZAP vs Infisical
- OWASP ZAP vs Trivy
- OWASP ZAP vs Feedzai
- OWASP ZAP vs Frontegg
- OWASP ZAP vs HashiCorp Boundary
- OWASP ZAP vs JumpCloud
- OWASP ZAP vs McAfee Total Protection