“Four different text editing applications? What’s with all these options? I just want to type!”

While your conundrum is very understandable, I’m here to set the record straight. These four programs have two very different intended uses: writing and coding. Wordpad and Microsoft Word are for writing, and Notepad and Notepad++ work better for coding.

I’m not going to pitch a writing program against a coding application here. They’re on two entirely different spectrums, so I won’t waste anybody’s time trying to compare them. However, the Word and Note programs are easily comparable to each other — and here, I’m going to show you which one is best.

The Notepad++ Logo

Note programs (Notepad vs. Notepad++)

While both programs are free, one comes bundled with the operating system and the other is downloadable freeware. Notepad++’s additional features and interface make it the clear winner, though the user interface can be hard to navigate for unaccustomed users.

Winner: Notepad++

The Microsoft Word Logo

Word programs (Wordpad vs. Microsoft Word)

For students and professionals, Word is always the clear choice between these two. For people that don’t need to show their work to others or simply require basic formatting options, Wordpad is the obvious choice. If, however, one falls into the previous category and can’t afford Microsoft Word, LibreOffice and Google Docs are wonderful alternatives.

Winner: Microsoft Word