GNU Emacs vs KWrite
GNU Emacs
gnu.org
KWrite
apps.kde.orgSide by side
| Figure | GNU Emacs | KWrite |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Text Editors | 9.0 (#4) | 8.4 (#20) |
| Column editing | Yes | Yes |
| Extension support | Yes | Yes |
| Founded | 1990 | 1996 |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| License | GNU Emacs is free software distributed under conditions of the GNU General Public License. | The page lists KWrite under the LGPL-2.1+ license. |
| Multi-cursor editing | Yes | Yes |
| Supported platforms | GNU/Linux, BSDs, Haiku, Windows, macOS, and Android. | Linux,Windows,macOS |
Plans
In their own words
KWrite
KWrite is a free text editor from KDE, built on Kate’s editor component. It runs on Linux, Windows, and macOS. The editor highlights syntax according to file type and includes word completion, automatic indentation, plugin support, and Vi input mode. Multi-cursor editing, column editing, and extension support are listed. Linux users can install it through Discover or another AppStream store, a distribution package manager, or Flathub. Nightly installers include a Linux AppImage and Windows and macOS builds for ARM and Intel. The project lists KWrite under the LGPL-2.1+ license. The latest listed release is version 26.08.2, dated 2026-10-08. Nightly builds come from the latest development branch and are intended for testing. KDE provides a handbook, forum, and #kate channel on Libera.Chat, plus bug-reporting and source links. Its privacy policy generally limits transfers from end-user devices to explicit user actions, though distributors may modify the software.