Notepad++ vs Visual Studio Code:Which is searched more?
In September 2026, Visual Studio Code had more branded searches than Notepad++ among code editors worldwide. Visual Studio Code had about 4 million branded searches, while Notepad++ had 673,000. Visual Studio Code made up 74% of all code editor searches we track, and Notepad++ accounted for 12.6%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
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Is Notepad++ or Visual Studio Code more popular in search?
Compare the code editors and IDEs developers use. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of searches by month for Visual Studio Code, Notepad++. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Visual Studio Code | Notepad++ | JetBrains | Sublime Text | Cursor | Neovim | Zed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 69.6% | 14.5% | 5.3% | 4.3% | 2.9% | 2.4% | 1.1% |
| Nov 2025 | 69.7% | 15.3% | 4.6% | 4.6% | 3% | 2% | 0.75% |
| Dec 2025 | 67.4% | 17.1% | 5.1% | 4.2% | 3% | 2.3% | 0.84% |
| Jan 2026 | 70.2% | 14.6% | 4.4% | 4.4% | 3.2% | 2.4% | 0.88% |
| Feb 2026 | 64.5% | 21% | 4.2% | 4.2% | 3.2% | 1.9% | 0.85% |
| Mar 2026 | 69.1% | 14.4% | 5.3% | 4.3% | 3.7% | 2.4% | 0.86% |
| Apr 2026 | 72.8% | 12.4% | 4.5% | 3.7% | 3.5% | 2% | 1.1% |
| May 2026 | 72.6% | 12.3% | 4.5% | 3.7% | 3.5% | 2% | 1.4% |
| Jun 2026 | 74.2% | 12.6% | 3.8% | 3.1% | 3.5% | 1.7% | 1.1% |
| Jul 2026 | 73.7% | 13.3% | 4% | 3.2% | 3.3% | 1.8% | 0.8% |
| Aug 2026 | 73.8% | 13.3% | 4% | 3.3% | 3.1% | 1.8% | 0.8% |
| Sep 2026 | 74% | 12.6% | 4.6% | 3.8% | 2.7% | 1.7% | 0.76% |
How has the Notepad++ and Visual Studio Code comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Visual Studio Code was ahead of Notepad++ in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Notepad++’s share of searches among code editors worldwide moved from 14.5% to 12.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 823K to 673K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Visual Studio Code’s share of searches among code editors worldwide moved from 69.6% to 74%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 4M.
How did search popularity change for code editors worldwide in September 2026?
1 change
In September 2026, Notepad++ lost share of searches among code editors worldwide, from 13.3% to 12.6%.
How are branded searches counted?
4 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Notepad++’s and Visual Studio Code’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Notepad++
1 branded search term
- notepad++
Visual Studio Code
3 branded search terms
- visual studio code
- vs code
- vscode
Other head-to-heads among code editors
Visual Studio Code vs JetBrains: compare search popularity
Visual Studio Code vs Sublime Text: compare search popularity
Visual Studio Code vs Cursor: compare search popularity- Notepad++ vs JetBrains: compare search popularity
- Notepad++ vs Sublime Text: compare search popularity
- Notepad++ vs Cursor: compare search popularity
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