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Developer Tools · head to head

Notepad++ vs Redis

Notepad++ logo

Notepad++

Developer Tools

Free, lightweight source code and text editor for Windows

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Redis logo

Redis

Technology

The real-time data platform

From
Free
Free plan
Yes

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Notepad++ windows-only, with no official native macOS or Linux build.; Redis licensing changed from BSD to AGPL in 2025, impacting open-source usage
  • They diverge on capability: Notepad++ covers Syntax Highlighting, Redis covers In-memory data store.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Notepad++ and Redis differ
AttributeNotepad++Redis
Pricing modelopen-sourceUnknown
PlatformswindowsLinux, macOS, Windows
CategoryDeveloper ToolsTechnology
Founded20032009

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 Redis

  • In-memory data store
  • Data structures
  • Pub/Sub messaging
  • Lua scripting
  • Transactions
  • Persistence options
  • Replication
  • Clustering

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 Redis
  • Batch find-and-replace across multiple files with regexnot Redis
  • Lightweight alternative to a full IDE for scriptingnot Redis
  • Viewing and editing logs or large text filesnot Redis

Redis

  • Cachingnot Notepad++
  • Session managementnot Notepad++
  • Real-time analyticsnot Notepad++
  • Message queuingnot Notepad++
  • Leaderboardsnot 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.

Redis

  • Licensing changed from BSD to AGPL in 2025, impacting open-source usage
  • All data must fit in memory, limiting scalability to available RAM
  • No built-in support for multi-tenancy
  • Limited transaction support compared to traditional databases

Pricing, plan by plan

Notepad++

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

Redis

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Redis review.

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 Redis if

  • You need in-memory data store.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want data structures.

Questions people ask

Is Notepad++ or Redis better?
Neither clearly leads. Notepad++ starts at Free and Redis at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Notepad++ or Redis?
Notepad++ starts at Free and Redis at Free.
Does Notepad++ or Redis run on more platforms?
Notepad++ runs on windows. Redis runs on Linux, macOS, Windows.
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 Redis is typically brought in for.
What can Notepad++ do that Redis cannot?
Notepad++ covers Syntax Highlighting, Tabbed Editing, Plugin System, Regular Expression Search. Redis covers In-memory data store, Data structures, Pub/Sub messaging, Lua scripting.

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.

Source
Redis: Is Redis open source?

Redis was open source under the BSD license since its inception in 2009 and has remained open source. However, in 2024-2025, Redis Labs changed licensing to source-available and AGPL, prompting the creation of Valkey, a BSD-licensed open-source fork.

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
Redis: What is Redis used for?

Redis is an in-memory data structure store used primarily as a cache, database, and message broker. It provides high-speed data access for real-time applications, sessions, leaderboards, real-time analytics, and other use cases requiring fast data retrieval.

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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