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Nova alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Nova: macOS only, and smaller extension library than VS Code. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Nova, 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
1Zed logoZedOpen sourceYesmacOS, Linux, Windows2 of 373.3
2Visual Studio Code logoVisual Studio CodeFreeYesWindows, macOS, Linux +13 of 368.8
3BbBBEditFree plan + paidNomacOS4 of 462.6
4CotEditor logoCotEditorOpen sourceYesmacOS4 of 455.3
  1. Zed logo

    1. ZedTop pick

    Best for: Developers who want a very fast native editor

    Open sourcemacOS, Linux, Windows

    73.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Nova

    A fast native editor that also runs on Linux and Windows, with AI built in.

    Pros

    • Extremely fast and responsive
    • Open source
    • Built-in multiplayer editing

    Cons

    • Smaller extension ecosystem than VS Code
    • Some language tooling still maturing
    Visit Zed Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.15100
    Freshness ×0.1577
    Votes ×0.150

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

    Is Zed a good Nova alternative?

    Verified facts

    2 of 3 verified
    Open source
    Yes
    Not checked yetgithub.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Written in
    Rust
    Checked Oct 24, 2026zed.dev(opens source in a new tab)
    Collaboration
    Built in, with humans and AI
    Checked Oct 24, 2026zed.dev(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Visual Studio Code logo

    2. Visual Studio Code

    Best for: Developers who want a free, extensible editor for any language

    FreeOpen sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, Web

    68.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Nova

    Free and cross-platform, with a far larger extension library.

    Pros

    • Free with a huge extension marketplace
    • Excellent remote development
    • Fast and lightweight for an IDE

    Cons

    • Microsoft builds include telemetry
    • Heavy extension use can slow it down
    Visit Visual Studio Code Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

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

    Is Visual Studio Code a good Nova alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Price
    Free
    Checked Oct 24, 2026code.visualstudio.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Open source core
    Yes (Code - OSS, MIT)
    Checked Oct 24, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Windows, macOS, Linux, web
    Checked Oct 24, 2026code.visualstudio.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Bb

    3. BBEdit

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

    Free plan + paidmacOS

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Nova

    Another long-standing native Mac editor, strong on text processing and search.

    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 ×0.387
    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 BBEdit a good Nova 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)
  4. CotEditor logo

    4. CotEditor

    Best for: Mac users who want a quick, free, native editor for text and simple code

    Open sourcemacOS

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Nova

    A free, open-source native Mac editor for lighter work.

    Pros

    • Free and open source
    • Truly native Mac app that launches instantly
    • Excellent encoding detection and CJK support

    Cons

    • macOS only, recent versions required
    • No language server, debugger or AI features
    • Not suited to managing large projects
    Visit CotEditor Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    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 CotEditor a good Nova alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Price
    Free
    Checked Oct 25, 2026coteditor.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026coteditor.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Syntax highlighting
    60+ languages
    Checked Oct 25, 2026coteditor.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Distribution
    Mac App Store and direct download
    Checked Oct 25, 2026coteditor.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Nova alternative for…

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

Sublime Text logo

Best Nova alternative for most people

Sublime Text

Fast cross-platform editor with a one-time licence.

Zed logo

Best Nova alternative for a free option

Zed

A fast native editor that also runs on Linux and Windows, with AI built in.

Bb

Best Nova alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

BBEdit

Another long-standing native Mac editor, strong on text processing and search.

Visual Studio Code logo

Best Nova alternative for open source

Visual Studio Code

Free and cross-platform, with a far larger extension library.

CotEditor logo

Best Nova alternative for Mac

CotEditor

A free, open-source native Mac editor for lighter work.

Sublime Text logo

Best Nova alternative for Windows

Sublime Text

Fast cross-platform editor with a one-time licence.

Sublime Text logo

Best Nova alternative for Linux

Sublime Text

Fast cross-platform editor with a one-time licence.

Visual Studio Code logo

Best Nova alternative for working in the browser

Visual Studio Code

Free and cross-platform, with a far larger extension library.

Nova alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Nova?

Sublime Text ranks first right now. Fast cross-platform editor with a one-time licence. Zed and Visual Studio Code follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Nova?

Yes. Zed (open source), Visual Studio Code (free), BBEdit (free plan + paid) and CotEditor (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Nova?

Yes: Zed, Visual Studio Code and CotEditor.

Which Nova alternatives work on Linux?

Sublime Text, Zed and Visual Studio Code run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Nova?

The complaints we hear most: macOS only; smaller extension library than VS Code; few built-in AI features.

How is this list ranked?

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