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CotEditor alternatives: 4 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave CotEditor: macOS only, recent versions required, and no language server, debugger or AI features. We ranked 4 alternatives by how directly each one replaces CotEditor, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Sublime Text currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1BbBBEditFree plan + paidNomacOS4 of 466.5
2TextMate logoTextMateOpen sourceYesmacOS4 of 462.6
  1. Bb

    1. BBEditTop pick

    Best for: Mac users who process lots of text, logs or HTML and want powerful search tools

    Free plan + paidmacOS

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from CotEditor

    Far more powerful text processing, with a free mode after the trial.

    Pros

    • Free mode keeps working after the trial, without nags
    • Excellent multi-file search, grep and text transforms
    • Native Mac app with deep scripting support

    Cons

    • macOS only
    • Fewer IDE features than Nova or VS Code
    • Interface feels old-fashioned to some
    Visit BBEdit Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is BBEdit a good CotEditor alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Individual licence
    $59.99
    Checked Oct 25, 2026barebones.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free mode
    Yes, after a 30-day evaluation
    Checked Oct 25, 2026barebones.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platform
    macOS only
    Checked Oct 25, 2026barebones.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Evaluation
    30 days, all features
    Checked Oct 25, 2026barebones.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. TextMate logo

    2. TextMate

    Best for: Mac users who like a simple, scriptable editor and don't need modern IDE features

    Open sourcemacOS

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from CotEditor

    Free, open-source Mac editor with more coding features through bundles.

    Pros

    • Free and open source under GPL 3.0
    • Powerful bundles, snippets and macros
    • Lightweight and Mac-like

    Cons

    • Development has slowed for years
    • No built-in language server support
    • macOS only
    Visit TextMate Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is TextMate a good CotEditor alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    GPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Requirements
    macOS 10.12 or later
    Checked Oct 25, 2026macromates.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026macromates.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Multiple carets
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026macromates.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best CotEditor alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Sublime Text logo

Best CotEditor alternative for most people

Sublime Text

Fast cross-platform editor for people who also work on Windows or Linux.

TextMate logo

Best CotEditor alternative for a free option

TextMate

Free, open-source Mac editor with more coding features through bundles.

Bb

Best CotEditor alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

BBEdit

Far more powerful text processing, with a free mode after the trial.

TextMate logo

Best CotEditor alternative for open source

TextMate

Free, open-source Mac editor with more coding features through bundles.

Nova logo

Best CotEditor alternative for Mac

Nova

A paid native Mac editor with full IDE features for web projects.

Sublime Text logo

Best CotEditor alternative for Windows

Sublime Text

Fast cross-platform editor for people who also work on Windows or Linux.

Sublime Text logo

Best CotEditor alternative for Linux

Sublime Text

Fast cross-platform editor for people who also work on Windows or Linux.

CotEditor alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to CotEditor?

Sublime Text ranks first right now. Fast cross-platform editor for people who also work on Windows or Linux. BBEdit and TextMate follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to CotEditor?

Yes. BBEdit (free plan + paid) and TextMate (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to CotEditor?

Yes: TextMate.

Which CotEditor alternatives work on Linux?

Sublime Text runs on Linux.

Why do people switch from CotEditor?

The complaints we hear most: macOS only, recent versions required; no language server, debugger or AI features; not suited to managing large projects.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces CotEditor, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.