EmEditor vs Visual Studio Code
EmEditor
emeditor.comVisual Studio Code
code.visualstudio.comSide by side
| Figure | EmEditor | Visual Studio Code |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $5/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 6 | 1 |
| Spec score · Text Editors | 9.0 (#5) | 9.0 (#3) |
| Spec score · Code editors | 8.8 (#6) | 9.0 (#2) |
| Column editing | Yes | Yes |
| Extension support | Yes | Yes |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Large-file handling | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-cursor editing | Yes | Yes |
| Supported platforms | Windows 10,Windows 11,Windows Server 2019 or later; legacy support includes Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 | web,windows,macos,linux |
Plans
EmEditor
- Professional Monthly Subscription$6 a month
- Professional Annual Subscription$60 a year
- Annual Subscription$5 a month
- Monthly Subscription$6 a month
- EmEditor FreeFree
- Professional TrialFree
In their own words
EmEditor
EmEditor is a Windows text editor for text and code, including files up to 16 TB or 1,099 billion lines. It supports multi-cursor and column editing, macro recording, Unicode and UTF-8, plus plug-ins and connections to external tools such as compilers, browsers, and HTMLTidy. CSV features include sorting, pivot tables, joins, and frozen headers. A free edition is available, and the 7-day Professional trial becomes Free automatically without charging automatically. The listed Professional subscriptions cost $6 a month or $5 a month billed annually, with the annual plan billed at 60 USD first year. Professional purchases include a 90-day full refund guarantee. Current supported platforms listed are Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server 2019 or later; legacy support includes Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2. Home or school personal users may install it on up to five computers, while organizations need a license for each computer where it is installed or accessible.
Visual Studio Code
Visual Studio Code is an open-source code editor with AI-assisted development features for macOS, Linux, Windows, and the web. It offers inline AI suggestions and intelligent completions, and its agent workflows can plan tasks, change code, run commands, and iterate. Users can switch between agent work and direct coding in the same editor. Agent workflows work with Copilot and third-party providers, and users can supply their own model key. The editor includes JavaScript, TypeScript, CSS, and HTML support; extensions add support for other languages. Its Marketplace lists more than 80,000 extensions. Built-in tools include Git source control, an integrated terminal, code running and debugging, build tasks, and local history. It connects to GitHub Codespaces and remote development environments, while Settings Sync and profiles help carry and organize customizations. The browser version has a limited execution environment. VS Code is free for private or commercial use at free. A GitHub account is required to start building with AI agents.