Developer Tools · head to head
Notepad++ vs Semgrep

Notepad++
Developer Tools
Free, lightweight source code and text editor for Windows
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -

Semgrep
Cybersecurity
Open-source static analysis tool for finding security bugs and enforcing code standards.
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Notepad++ windows-only, with no official native macOS or Linux build.; Semgrep free tier caps out at 10 contributors and 10 repositories.
- They diverge on capability: Notepad++ covers Syntax Highlighting, Semgrep covers Static code scanning.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Notepad++ and Semgrep 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 Semgrep
- Static code scanning
- Supply chain scanning
- Secrets detection
- Cross-file analysis
- AI-powered triage and remediation
- CI/CD integration
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 Semgrep
- Batch find-and-replace across multiple files with regexnot Semgrep
- Lightweight alternative to a full IDE for scriptingnot Semgrep
- Viewing and editing logs or large text filesnot Semgrep
Semgrep
- Scanning code for security vulnerabilities in CI/CDnot Notepad++
- Detecting vulnerable open-source dependenciesnot Notepad++
- Finding hardcoded secrets before code shipsnot Notepad++
- Enforcing custom code standards with rule setsnot Notepad++
- Prioritizing findings with AI-assisted triagenot 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.
Semgrep
- Free tier caps out at 10 contributors and 10 repositories.
- Secrets scanning is priced as a separate module ($15/contributor) from Code and Supply Chain.
- Self-managed repositories and custom CI/CD require the Enterprise tier.
- AI credits are limited per tier and additional usage requires upgrading.
Pricing, plan by plan
Notepad++
Free- FreeFree
- Full editor and plugin ecosystem, no paid tiers
Semgrep
Free- FreeFree
- Up to 10 contributors
- Code and Supply Chain scanning
- 60 AI credits total
- Teams$30/month
- Code, Supply Chain, or Secrets scanning per contributor
- Pro rules
- AI-powered triage and remediation
- Enterprise$undefined/month
- On-prem support
- Custom CI/CD
- 50 AI credits per developer/month
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 Semgrep if
- You need static code scanning.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on web, api, linux, mac, windows.
- You also want supply chain scanning.
Questions people ask
- Is Notepad++ or Semgrep better?
- Neither clearly leads. Notepad++ starts at Free and Semgrep at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Notepad++ or Semgrep?
- Notepad++ starts at Free and Semgrep at Free.
- Does Notepad++ or Semgrep run on more platforms?
- Notepad++ runs on windows. Semgrep runs on web, api, linux, mac, 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 Semgrep is typically brought in for.
- What can Notepad++ do that Semgrep cannot?
- Notepad++ covers Syntax Highlighting, Tabbed Editing, Plugin System, Regular Expression Search. Semgrep covers Static code scanning, Supply chain scanning, Secrets detection, Cross-file analysis.
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.
SourceSemgrep: What does Semgrep cost?
The Free edition covers up to 10 contributors; Teams starts at $30/contributor/month for Code scanning (Supply Chain also $30, Secrets $15); Enterprise is custom-priced.
SourceNotepad++: 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.
SourceSemgrep: Is there a free plan, and what are its limits?
Yes, the Free edition supports up to 10 contributors and 10 repositories with Code and Supply Chain scanning plus 60 AI credits total.
SourceNotepad++: Which operating systems does Notepad++ support?
Notepad++ runs exclusively on Microsoft Windows; there is no official native build for macOS or Linux.
SourceSemgrep: How is usage metered?
Pricing is per contributor, defined as someone who made at least one commit to a scanned private repository in the past 90 days.
SourceNotepad++: 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.
SourceSemgrep: Is there special pricing for startups?
Yes, Semgrep offers special startup pricing upon request for early-stage companies.
SourceNotepad++: 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.
SourceRelated pages
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- Semgrep vs GNU Emacs
- Semgrep vs Helix
- Semgrep vs Visual Studio Code
- Semgrep vs Penpot
- Semgrep vs Bazel
- Semgrep vs Eclipse IDE
- Semgrep vs Pants Build
- Semgrep vs Swagger UI
- Semgrep vs Ansible
- Semgrep vs Atlantis
- Semgrep vs Jitsu
- Semgrep vs Steampipe
- Semgrep vs WarpBuild
- Semgrep vs Webpack
- Semgrep vs Avo
- Semgrep vs Azure DevOps
- Semgrep vs Backstage
- Semgrep vs Bitbucket
- Semgrep vs Veracode
- Semgrep vs Arnica
- Semgrep vs Trivy
- Semgrep vs Grype
- Semgrep vs Snyk
- Semgrep vs Bitwarden
- Semgrep vs Infisical
- Semgrep vs Chainguard
- Semgrep vs Authelia
- Semgrep vs HashiCorp Vault
- Semgrep vs Ory Kratos
- Semgrep vs authentik
- Semgrep vs SentinelOne Singularity
- Semgrep vs Shufti Pro
- Semgrep vs Signicat
- Semgrep vs Silent Eight
- Semgrep vs Socket
- Semgrep vs Socure
