A Mac app
A native-feeling Mac editor that opens files from Finder and from the terminal.
BBEdit alternative
The free, open-source BBEdit alternative for Mac.
BBEdit is the veteran Mac text editor with tools for everything. kayet does far less on purpose: a quiet window for writing Markdown and editing text, free and open source.
kayet vs BBEdit at a glance
| kayet | BBEdit | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, no paid tiers | Free mode, paid license for all features |
| Source code | Open source (Apache 2.0) | Closed source |
| Where your text lives | Plain files in any folder you pick | Plain files |
| Platforms | macOS on Apple Silicon | Mac |
| Focus | Writing and Markdown | Text, code and data processing |
| Markdown preview | Live split pane with scroll sync | Preview window |
| Text tools | Find and replace with regular expressions | Extensive grep, text factories, clippings |
What will feel familiar
Regular expressions
Find and replace supports match case, whole words and regular expressions.
Projects as folders
Open a folder as a workspace and browse it in a file tree.
Where kayet is different
Minimal interfaceNo toolbars or panels on screen while you write. Everything is in the ⌘K palette.
Writing toolsZen mode, spell check, smart Markdown editing, slides and HTML / PDF export.
Modern themesEight built-in color themes for light and dark, plus your own.
Open sourceApache License 2.0.
When BBEdit is the better choice
kayet does less on purpose. Stay with BBEdit if:
- You do heavy text processing, multi-file grep or work with very large files.
- You need text factories, clippings, shell worksheets or extensive scripting.
Questions
Is kayet a simpler alternative to BBEdit?
Yes. kayet focuses on distraction-free writing and light editing, and leaves out the advanced text-processing tools BBEdit is known for.
Is kayet free?
Yes, completely. There is no free mode and paid mode, every feature is included.
Start writing.
Free and open source. Requires macOS on Apple Silicon.
Download for Mac
Signed and notarized. Release notes & previous versions.
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BBEdit is a trademark of its respective owner. kayet is an independent project, not affiliated with or endorsed by the makers of BBEdit. The comparison reflects publicly available information as of October 2026 and may change.