BBEdit
BBEdit is a professional-grade text and HTML editor for macOS designed to provide software developers and web designers with high-performance editing, searching, and manipulation of text.
UltraEdit
UltraEdit is a highly versatile text editor designed for developers and data professionals to handle massive files, complex coding tasks, and advanced text manipulation with ease.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | BBEdit | UltraEdit |
|---|---|---|
| Website | barebones.com | ultraedit.com |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Subscription |
| Starting Price | Free | $6.66/month |
| FREE Trial | ✓ 30 days free trial | ✓ 30 days free trial |
| Free Plan | ✓ Has free plan | ✘ No free plan |
| Product Demo | ✘ No product demo | ✘ No product demo |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 1991 | 1994 |
| Headquarters | North Chelmsford, USA | Austin, USA |
Overview
BBEdit
BBEdit is the professional text and HTML editor for macOS that gives you total control over your code and prose. Whether you are a web designer needing to manage complex site structures or a developer writing shell scripts, you get a high-performance tool that handles massive files without slowing down. You can use its legendary search-and-replace capabilities to transform thousands of files in seconds using powerful pattern matching.
The software integrates deeply with the Mac operating system, offering a familiar interface that supports AppleScript and shell filtering. You can start with the free mode for basic editing or upgrade to the full version to unlock advanced features like clippings, code folding, and comprehensive HTML tools. It is a reliable choice for power users who need a stable, no-nonsense environment for heavy-duty text manipulation.
UltraEdit
UltraEdit provides you with a robust environment for editing text, hex, and source code across Windows, Mac, and Linux. You can open and edit massive files exceeding 4GB without crashing your system, making it a go-to tool for database administrators and developers dealing with large logs. The interface is fully customizable, allowing you to arrange your workspace with dockable windows and personalized toolbars that match your specific coding style.
You can manage complex projects using powerful search-and-replace functions, including Perl-compatible regular expressions and multi-caret editing. Whether you are writing in C++, Python, or HTML, the software adapts with smart templates and syntax highlighting for hundreds of languages. It solves the problem of sluggish performance found in standard editors by providing a native, high-performance engine built for heavy-duty data processing.
Overview
BBEdit Features
- Pattern Matching Search Find and replace text across thousands of files instantly using powerful Grep capabilities and multi-file search tools.
- Syntax Coloring Read your code more easily with customizable syntax highlighting for dozens of languages including Python, SQL, and HTML.
- Live HTML Previews View your web changes in real-time as you type to ensure your layouts look exactly right before deployment.
- Project Management Organize related files into projects so you can switch between different work contexts without losing your place.
- Text Transformation Clean up messy data quickly with built-in tools for sorting, converting case, and removing duplicate lines of text.
- FTP and SFTP Support Open and save files directly to remote servers so you can edit your website live without manual uploads.
UltraEdit Features
- Large File Handling. Open and edit files larger than 4GB with ease, ensuring your workflow never stalls when processing massive log files.
- Multi-Caret Editing. Edit multiple locations in a document simultaneously to quickly update variables or reformat lists without repetitive typing.
- Powerful Search. Find and replace text across your entire project using regular expressions, column markers, or filters to save hours of manual work.
- Column Mode. Select and edit text vertically along the Y-axis to quickly manipulate tabular data or fixed-width text files.
- Integrated FTP/SFTP. Access and edit your remote server files directly within the interface using the built-in FTP client and tree view.
- Syntax Highlighting. Read and write code more clearly with automatic color coding for nearly any programming language or data format.
Pricing Comparison
BBEdit Pricing
- Unlimited file size
- Basic text editing
- Search and replace
- Syntax coloring
- Hardcore Mac integration
- Everything in Free, plus:
- Pattern matching (Grep)
- Multi-file search and replace
- HTML markup tools
- Clippings and code folding
- One-time $59.99 purchase
UltraEdit Pricing
- Install on up to 3 machines
- Windows, Mac, and Linux versions
- Standard support and updates
- Unlimited file size handling
- Integrated FTP/SFTP browser
- Everything in UltraEdit, plus:
- UltraCompare Professional included
- UltraFinder for deep file searches
- UltraFTP for advanced transfers
- UltraEdit Suite cloud features
Pros & Cons
BBEdit
Pros
- Handles extremely large text files without crashing
- Legendary search and replace power saves hours
- Clean, native macOS interface feels very responsive
- Free version is highly functional for basic needs
Cons
- Only available for macOS users
- Interface can feel dated to some users
- Steep learning curve for advanced Grep features
UltraEdit
Pros
- Unmatched stability when opening multi-gigabyte files
- Highly customizable interface fits any workflow
- Excellent column mode for data manipulation
- Fast and responsive native performance
- Reliable search and replace across files
Cons
- Interface can feel dated to some
- Steep learning curve for advanced features
- No forever-free version available
- Subscription model replaced older perpetual licenses