BBEdit vs CotEditor
BBEdit
barebones.comCotEditor
coteditor.comSide by side
| Figure | BBEdit | CotEditor |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $59.99/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 5 | 1 |
| Spec score · Editor Software | 8.7 (#3) | 8.2 (#11) |
| Spec score · Text Editors | 8.6 (#11) | 8.1 (#37) |
| Spec score · Code editors | 8.4 (#13) | 7.7 (#36) |
| Column editing | Yes | Yes |
| Extension support | Yes | Yes |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Large-file handling | Yes | Yes |
| Privacy | Bare Bones says BBEdit worksheet queries and responses go directly to the ChatGPT API over HTTPS and are not received or retained by Bare Bones. | The project says it does not collect, use, save, or access personal data recorded in CotEditor, and app settings are stored only on the device. |
| Support | Technical support is available by email or contact form; the company says it does not offer telephone or on-site support. | Users can consult guides in the app's Help menu, report issues on GitHub, or contact the project by email. |
| Supported platforms | macOS | macOS |
Plans
BBEdit
- Free ModeFree
- BBEdit license$59.99 a month
- Mac App Store subscriptionPrice not published
- BBEdit Free ModeFree
- BBEdit 16 Individual$59.99, paid once
In their own words
BBEdit
BBEdit is a text and HTML editor for writers, web authors, and software developers using macOS. Its tools include grep pattern matching, multi-file search and replace, syntax coloring, function navigation, code folding, and text completion. For web authoring, it provides HTML markup tools, standards-based syntax checking, and live previews of HTML and Markdown documents. A license adds Git and Subversion support, and licensed users can create in-app worksheets to converse with ChatGPT, Claude, and Ollama. Workflow options include AppleScript, macOS Unix scripting, Automator, Xcode as an external editor, and the Language Server Protocol. BBEdit can open and save text files on FTP and SFTP servers. Free Mode continues after the 30-day evaluation period, though some advanced features require a paid license. The listed BBEdit 16 Individual plan costs $59.99 as a one-time purchase. BBEdit 16 requires macOS 14.0 or later and supports Intel and Apple silicon Macs; Bare Bones says there are no Windows or Linux versions.