LyX vs Texmaker (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, LyX and Texmaker share a 2.6 GPA, both are free, so the choice depends on which features you need.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on all five counts.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Which one is for you
Pick LyX if
- Fits if you write papers with lots of equations
- Works for people who already use LaTeX and want a friendlier editor
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you don't want to install a TeX system before it works
- Skip it if you want people editing live, because it has no collaboration
- Watch out: recent Macs don't ship Python, which the download page says LyX needs
- Watch out: Gatekeeper may block the first launch on a Mac
Pick Texmaker if
- Fits if you write LaTeX papers or theses on your own computer
- Works for people who want an editor that has been around since 2003
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to write with others live, as no collaboration is listed
- Not for you if installing TeX Live or MiKTeX sounds like a chore, because it comes separately
- Watch out: Intel Macs are offered only the older 5.1.4 package
- Too light for tablets and browsers, with only desktop builds
How we grade them
| 2.6GPALyXGood | 2.6GPATexmakerGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree and open source. Writing tools charge $5.83 to $12.50 a month. | AFree under the GPL, with no account. A program anyone can download and run. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe whole program is free, and the Donate page is optional. | AThe whole editor is free, with no account and no caps. |
| Features | CAn equation editor, structured documents, document classes, tables, languages and revision tracking. No web version or real-time collaboration. | CEditor, PDF viewer, completion, structure view and wizards. The listing says no collaboration and no cloud storage. |
| Ease of use | DOn Windows and macOS you install a TeX system first, such as MiKTeX or MacTeX, and recent Macs need Python too. That's setup work. | DNeeds a separate LaTeX distribution, and Mac users who see a damaged-app warning are told to run a terminal command. No store rating on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWindows, Mac and Linux, which is computers only, with links to BibTeX, Maple, Maxima, Octave and Mathematica. | CWindows, Mac and Linux only, no web or phone versions. |
| Best for | documents with math and structure, on LaTeX | a free LaTeX editor with a built-in PDF viewer |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: LyX and Texmaker. How we grade
Price against what you get
LyX has no paid plan and scores 1.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Texmaker has no paid plan and scores 1.7.
On this chart the two sit in the same place: the same score for the same starting price. Of the other writing tools on the chart, none scores higher than LyX for less, and none scores higher than Texmaker for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- LyX also covers citations.
In commonFree planWindowsmacOSLinuxOpen sourceWorks offlineDocuments
At a glance
| LyX | Texmaker | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | LyX is free software under a free and open source license. The site has a Donate page but nothing is required to use it. | The whole editor is free to download and use under the GPL license, with no account or subscription. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | The LyX Team | Pascal Brachet |
| Price read from | lyx.org | xm1math.net |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
LyX
- A TeX system such as MiKTeX or MacTeX must be installed before LyX works for output on Windows and macOS.
- Recent macOS releases do not ship Python, which the download page says LyX needs.
- Mac Gatekeeper may block the first launch, and the download page explains the workaround.
- The site lists no web version and no real-time collaboration.
Texmaker
- It is only an editor: a LaTeX distribution (TeX Live or MiKTeX on Windows, TeX Live on Linux, MacTeX on Mac) has to be installed separately.
- The macOS build is for Apple silicon on macOS 11 or later; Intel Macs are offered only an older 5.1.4 package.
- The download page tells Mac users who see a damaged-app warning to run a terminal command to clear the quarantine flag.
- The site lists no real-time collaboration or cloud storage.
Key features
LyX
- Equation editor
- Formulas are entered by point-and-click or LaTeX commands and show rendered on screen as you type.
- Structured documents
- Labels, cross-references, index and bibliography are built in, including BibTeX support, along with an outliner for moving whole chapters.
- Document classes
- Text classes cover letters, articles, books, slides and movie scripts, plus classes for AMS, APS and IEEE and some journals.
- Graphics and tables
- Many image formats are supported, with cropping, rotation and scaling, floating figures and interactive tables.
- Languages
- Right-to-left scripts and CJK are supported, and a document can mix several languages through Unicode.
- Revision tracking and spellchecking
- It offers track changes, a thesaurus and spellchecking through aspell or hunspell.
Texmaker
- Integrated PDF viewer
- A built-in viewer with continuous scrolling and SyncTeX support jumps between the source and the compiled page.
- One-click compilation
- Predefined Quick build commands compile the document, and errors and warnings from the log file link back to the matching lines.
- Code completion and folding
- Common LaTeX commands are inserted while typing, and parts, chapters, sections and environments can be collapsed.
- Structure view and master mode
- The structure view updates as you type, and master mode lets a document split across several files be built from one.
- Symbols, wizards and snippets
- 370 mathematical symbols insert in one click, wizards generate quick documents, Beamer presentations and tables, and snippets can use keyboard triggers.
- Search tools
- Regular-expression search and replace, and a find-in-folders search across all LaTeX files in a directory and its subfolders.
Plans
LyX
Free$0
The full document processor for Windows, macOS and Linux. A TeX distribution is installed separately.
Texmaker
Free$0
The complete editor for Windows, macOS and Linux. You also install a separate LaTeX distribution.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, LyX or Texmaker?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both LyX and Texmaker are free to use.
Which has a free plan, LyX or Texmaker?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both LyX and Texmaker have a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.