The best text editor for a Mac depends on the job you've got. As of Oct 2026, the nine below split three ways: plain-text editors for notes and quick edits, Mac-native editors for writing code, and cross-platform or terminal editors for developers who work across machines. Decide which kind you want first, then pick from that group.
Search for a text editor on a Mac and you'll get everything from a tiny app for jotting notes to a full development environment. They're all called text editors, but they're built for different people, and the wrong one either buries a shopping list under coding tools or leaves a developer short of what they need.
The nine editors below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order. Each description comes from the editor's own website. The guide underneath groups them by the job they do on a Mac, so you can go straight to the kind you want.
Mac text editors at a glance
| Tool | Type | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| BBEdit | Mac text and code editor | Prose, source code and text data on a Mac |
| CotEditor | Plain-text editor for macOS | Notes and quick plain-text edits |
| GNU Emacs | Extensible free/libre editor | Shaping the editor itself with Emacs Lisp |
| MacVim | Vim packaged for macOS | Vim users who want a Mac app |
| Nova | Mac-native code editor and IDE | Editing, Git and debugging in one Mac workspace |
| Sublime Text | Cross-platform code and text editor | Split panes, Goto Anything and multiple selections |
| TextMate | Open source Mac text editor | Snippets, macros and bundles for many languages |
| Visual Studio Code | Open source code editor with AI agents | Writing, debugging and testing code alongside agents |
| Zed | Minimal code editor for teams and AI | Coding together with teammates and AI agents |
Nine text editors that run on macOS
BBEdit
Best for: Writers, web authors and developers editing prose, code and text data; the page describes a free mode that keeps working after the evaluation period.
CotEditor
Best for: Mac users who want a light plain-text editor that looks and behaves like a macOS app; the page says it's free and open source.
GNU Emacs
Best for: People who'd like to customise and extend their editor in Emacs Lisp, with content-aware editing modes for many file types.
MacVim
Best for: Vim users who'd like the editor they already know as a macOS app, maintained by the macvim-dev project.
Nova
Best for: Developers wanting a Mac-native editor with a terminal, Git, debugging and file transfers in one workspace; the page names a free trial.
Sublime Text
Best for: Coders who live in split panes and multiple selections, with Goto Definition and side-by-side views, on Mac, Windows or Linux.
TextMate
Best for: Mac coders who like snippets, macros, multiple carets and bundles for a long list of languages, in an editor developed as open source.
Visual Studio Code
Best for: Developers who want to write, debug and test code in one editor and work with AI agents; the page says it's open source.
Zed
Best for: Programmers wanting a minimal code editor for collaborating with teammates and AI agents, available for macOS, Linux and Windows.
Plain text, Mac-native code or cross-platform: which kind do you want?
This is the split that matters. If you want notes and quick edits, start with the plain-text editors. CotEditor calls itself the plain-text editor for macOS, made exactly for the Mac, and BBEdit's page carries the detail most people miss: it offers an evaluation period with every feature switched on, and when that ends, you can still use the app in a free mode, with no nag screens or unsolicited interruptions.
If you write code and want an app that feels at home on a Mac, look at the Mac-native group. Nova describes itself as the next-generation Mac-native editor, with a terminal, Git and debugging in a single workspace, and TextMate is a customisable editor developed as open source, with bundles for a long list of programming languages. MacVim brings Vim to macOS for anyone whose fingers already know it.
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If you work across Mac, Windows and Linux, the cross-platform editors keep your setup the same everywhere. Sublime Text promises text editing, done right, with split panes and multiple selections. Visual Studio Code says you can write, debug, test and refactor without breaking your flow, and it now works with AI agents too. Zed calls itself a minimal code editor crafted for speed and collaboration with humans and AI. GNU Emacs sits on its own: an extensible, customisable, free/libre editor for people who want to shape the editor itself.
Five checks before you install a Mac editor
- What will you open most? Notes, drafts and config files need a plain-text editor; projects with many files need a code editor with a sidebar and project search.
- Should it feel like a Mac app? Mac-native editors follow macOS conventions, while cross-platform editors look the same on every system you use.
- Do you need the extras? Debugging, Git, a built-in terminal and AI agents help developers and clutter the screen for everyone else.
- How will you extend it? Some editors grow through extensions or bundles, and some let you reshape almost everything with their own language.
- What's the free route? Several pages here name a free or open source option, and one keeps working in a free mode after its evaluation period, so check the editor's own site before you buy.
Writing more than editing? A dedicated notes app may suit you better, and my list of note-taking apps covers that. If the files you edit are mostly PDFs, my guide to PDF editors is the better starting point.
Do you make a text or code editor for the Mac? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on picking a Mac text editor
Decide the job before you download anything. For notes, quick edits and the odd config file, a plain-text editor that behaves like a Mac app is all you need, and you'll never miss the coding extras. For code, choose between a Mac-native editor that feels at home on macOS and a cross-platform one that follows you to other machines. If you're a Vim or Emacs person already, you know where you're going.
Don't pay for features you won't use: several of these have a free or open source route that's more than enough for most people. Install one, give it a week of real work, and only switch if it gets in your way.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a text editor and a code editor?
A text editor works with plain text, with no fonts or formatting saved into the file. A code editor is a text editor with extras for programmers, such as syntax colouring, project search, debugging and Git.
Do I need a code editor just to write notes?
No. A plain-text editor is lighter and simpler for notes, lists and quick edits. A code editor's extras only help if you're working on software projects.
Are there free text editors for Mac?
Yes. Several editors on this list name a free, open source or free/libre option on their own pages, and one offers a free mode after its evaluation period ends. Check each editor's site for what's included.
What does Mac-native mean for an editor?
It means the app is built with Apple's own frameworks and follows macOS conventions, so menus, shortcuts and windows behave the way other Mac apps do.
Can I use Vim or Emacs on a Mac?
Yes. Emacs has a macOS download on its own site, and one option on this list packages Vim as a macOS app.
Which Mac editors work with AI coding agents?
A few of the cross-platform code editors here describe working alongside AI agents on their own pages. If that matters to you, check each editor's site for which assistants and models it supports.
