Texmaker vs TeXstudio (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Texmaker and TeXstudio 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 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
Pick TeXstudio if
- Fits if you write LaTeX and want regular updates
- Works for people who keep papers in Git
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want one install with LaTeX included, as the distribution comes separately
- Not for you if you use Windows and want collaborative editing, which was listed for macOS and Linux only
- Watch out: macOS needs version 13 or later and Linux builds come as separate packages
- Too light for browser or tablet use, with desktop only
How we grade them
| 2.6GPATexmakerGood | 2.6GPATeXstudioGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree under the GPL, with no account. A program anyone can download and run. | AFree and open source. A program anyone can download and run. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe whole editor is free, with no account and no caps. | AThe whole editor is free, with no account or caps. |
| Features | CEditor, PDF viewer, completion, structure view and wizards. The listing says no collaboration and no cloud storage. | CHighlighting, viewer, assistants and a Git panel. Collaborative editing was described as available on macOS and Linux only, not Windows. |
| Ease of use | 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. | DNeeds a LaTeX distribution installed on its own first. No store rating on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWindows, Mac and Linux only, no web or phone versions. | CWindows, Mac and Linux only. No phone or web version. |
| Best for | a free LaTeX editor with a built-in PDF viewer | a free LaTeX editor that gets frequent updates |
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: Texmaker and TeXstudio. How we grade
Price against what you get
Texmaker has no paid plan and scores 1.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. TeXstudio 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 Texmaker for less, and none scores higher than TeXstudio 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
In commonFree planWindowsmacOSLinuxOpen sourceWorks offlineDocuments
At a glance
| Texmaker | TeXstudio | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | The whole editor is free to download and use under the GPL license, with no account or subscription. | The whole editor is open source and free to download, with no account or subscription. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Pascal Brachet | TeXstudio project |
| Price read from | xm1math.net | texstudio.org |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
TeXstudio
- It is an editor only, so a LaTeX distribution has to be installed separately.
- The download buttons cover Windows (x86_64 and Arm64) and macOS 13 or later; Linux builds are offered through separate packages.
- Collaborative editing was described as available on macOS and Linux only, not Windows.
Key features
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.
TeXstudio
- Syntax highlighting and reference checking
- The editor highlights LaTeX syntax, and the site lists reference checking among its features.
- Integrated viewer
- A built-in PDF viewer sits beside the source; release notes from 2025 added text selection on PDFs.
- Assistants
- The site lists various assistants that help generate LaTeX code, as part of its aim of making LaTeX easier to write.
- Collaborative editing
- Version 4.9.0 added collaborative editing through the teamtype tool. The site says it was available on macOS and Linux at that release.
- Git panel
- Release 4.9.6, from July 2026, added a git panel to the editor.
- Regular releases
- The news list shows a release roughly every one to two months through 2026, with fixes and new builds such as Windows on Arm.
Plans
Texmaker
Free$0
The complete editor for Windows, macOS and Linux. You also install a separate LaTeX distribution.
TeXstudio
Free$0
The complete editor for Windows, macOS and Linux. A LaTeX distribution is installed separately.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Texmaker or TeXstudio?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Texmaker and TeXstudio are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Texmaker or TeXstudio?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Texmaker and TeXstudio 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.