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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. Visual Studio Code currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Visual Studio Code logoVisual Studio CodeFreeYesWindows, macOS, Linux +13 of 378.2
2Zed logoZedOpen sourceYesmacOS, Linux, Windows2 of 373.3
3Sublime Text logoSublime TextPaidNoWindows, macOS, Linux3 of 368.9
  1. Visual Studio Code logo

    1. Visual Studio CodeTop pick

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

    FreeOpen sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, Web

    78.2

    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) ×0.1563
    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)
  2. Zed logo

    2. Zed

    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)
  3. Sublime Text logo

    3. Sublime Text

    Best for: Developers who want a fast editor without a subscription

    PaidWindows, macOS, Linux

    68.9

    score / 100

    Why switch from Nova

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

    Pros

    • Very fast, even with huge files
    • Excellent multi-cursor editing
    • One-time license

    Cons

    • Fewer built-in IDE features
    • Smaller modern AI integration
    Visit Sublime Text Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.1563
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

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

    Is Sublime Text a good Nova alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Pricing model
    Paid license, free evaluation
    Checked Oct 24, 2026sublimehq.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Windows, macOS, Linux
    Checked Oct 24, 2026sublimetext.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Multiple cursors
    Yes
    Checked Oct 24, 2026sublimetext.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Nova alternative for…

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

Visual Studio Code logo

Best Nova alternative for most people

Visual Studio Code

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

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.

CotEditor logo

Best Nova alternative for open source

CotEditor

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

Sublime Text logo

Best Nova alternative for Mac

Sublime Text

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

Visual Studio Code logo

Best Nova alternative for Windows

Visual Studio Code

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

Visual Studio Code logo

Best Nova alternative for Linux

Visual Studio Code

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

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?

Visual Studio Code ranks first right now. Free and cross-platform, with a far larger extension library. Zed and Sublime Text follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Nova?

Yes. Visual Studio Code (free), Zed (open source), 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: Visual Studio Code, Zed and CotEditor.

Which Nova alternatives work on Linux?

Visual Studio Code, Zed and Sublime Text 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.