Link copied to clipboard # Brackets vs Visual Studio Code Comparison - What are their main differences? Share [ Export ](/compare/brackets/visual-studio-code/export.csv) BracketsVisual Studio Code[+ Add Product](#) Reviews **Brackets** [ 4.4/5(262) ](https://www.g2.com/products/brackets/reviews#reviews) **Visual Studio Code** [ 4.7/5(2,735) ](https://www.g2.com/products/visual-studio-code/reviews#reviews) Pricing **Brackets** No pricing available **Visual Studio Code** No pricing available **Pricing Insights** from reviews Time to Implement **Brackets** Not enough reviews yet **Visual Studio Code** 2 months Based on 64 responses Return on Investment **Brackets** Not enough reviews yet **Visual Studio Code** 13 months Based on 48 responses Perceived Cost **Brackets** $$$$$ **Visual Studio Code** $$$$$ Average Discount **Brackets** Not enough reviews yet **Visual Studio Code** 19% Pros & Cons **Brackets** [ Ease of Use (3) ](https://www.g2.com/products/brackets/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2267743&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[ Live Preview (3) ](https://www.g2.com/products/brackets/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2267709&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[ Plugin Issues (2) ](https://www.g2.com/products/brackets/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2353108&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[ Crashes (1) ](https://www.g2.com/products/brackets/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2308380&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) **Visual Studio Code** [ Ease of Use (112) ](https://www.g2.com/products/visual-studio-code/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1430770&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[ Extensions (88) ](https://www.g2.com/products/visual-studio-code/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1430742&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[ Extension Issues (62) ](https://www.g2.com/products/visual-studio-code/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1429876&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[ Slow Performance (37) ](https://www.g2.com/products/visual-studio-code/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1428647&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) Integrations **Brackets** [ ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_3f596abc7b076efa0a4a7890400ebae5/apple-safari.png "Product Avatar Image") Safari ](https://www.g2.com/products/apple-safari/reviews)[ ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_875175039c275eab2eed735a56ad8cee/chrome-os.jpeg "Product Avatar Image") Chrome OS ](https://www.g2.com/products/chrome-os/reviews)[ ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_c65522c8f7bacfdc0684fc8d26bba00d/mozilla-firefox.png "Product Avatar Image") Firefox ](https://www.g2.com/products/mozilla-firefox/reviews)[ View all ](https://www.g2.com/products/brackets/integrations) **Visual Studio Code** [ ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_0ef656e3330e2a5b8e59939185859257/1password.png "Product Avatar Image") 1Password ](https://www.g2.com/products/1password/reviews)[ ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_500f006999599d70e6215663a9c124c4/amazon-q-developer.jpg "Product Avatar Image") Amazon Q Developer ](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-q-developer/reviews)[ ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_92678e42a1cad1b80e7d257e3636e25e/android-studio.jpg "Product Avatar Image") Android Studio ](https://www.g2.com/products/android-studio/reviews)[ ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_98d4e0320aa8550aeeda473f45903fd3/angular.jpg "Product Avatar Image") Angular ](https://www.g2.com/products/angular/reviews)[ View all ](https://www.g2.com/products/visual-studio-code/integrations) Screenshots **Brackets** No screenshot available **Visual Studio Code** ![Visual Studio Code screenshot](https://images.g2crowd.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=600,height=600,fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,/https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/attachment/file/44889/expirable-direct-uploads_2F646c36c5-06e5-4c48-9429-e56d7a29c718_2FVisual_Studio_Code_Screen_Shot_1.png) Ratings Meets Requirements **Brackets** 8.8 8.8243 **Visual Studio Code** 9.3 9.32,219 Ease of Use **Brackets** 9.0 9.0243 **Visual Studio Code** 9.2 9.22,241 Ease of Setup **Brackets** 9.4 9.435 **Visual Studio Code** 9.3 9.3641 Ease of Admin **Brackets** 8.5 8.522 **Visual Studio Code** 9.0 9.0232 Quality of Support **Brackets** 8.2 8.2157 **Visual Studio Code** 8.7 8.71,833 Has the product been a good partner in doing business? **Brackets** 8.6 8.620 **Visual Studio Code** 9.2 9.2203 Product Direction (% positive) **Brackets** 7.9 7.9233 **Visual Studio Code** 9.6 9.62,144 Features Text Editor[Hide 12 FeaturesShow 12 Features](javascript:void(0);) 8.4 140 9.1 1,875 Coding Syntax highlighting 9.2 121 9.5(won by 0.3) 1651 Autocompletion 8.5 124 9.0(won by 0.5) 1655 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors) Find and replace 8.7 122 9.3(won by 0.6) 1615 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors) Code folding 8.6 114 9.1(won by 0.5) 1538 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors) Editing Collaborative editing 7.2 76 8.6(won by 1.4) 1261 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors) Language Support 8.2 105 9.3(won by 1.1) 1592 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors) Selection Methods 8.3 107 9.0(won by 0.7) 1477 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors) Functionality Extensibility 8.2 106 9.3(won by 1.1) 1611 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors) Cross-platform support 8.7 93 9.2(won by 0.5) 1493 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors) Plugins and integrations 8.3 107 9.3(won by 1.0) 1677 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors) Security 8.4 74 8.9(won by 0.5) 1243 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors) Agentic AI - Landing Page Builders Cross-system Integration Not enough data 9.1(won by default) 163 User Insights Reviewers' Company Size [![Brackets](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_89f9b71139b003b6eafc8bfd35e08665/brackets.jpg "Brackets")](https://www.g2.com/products/brackets/reviews) Brackets Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.) 62.3% Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.) 20.2% Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.) 17.5% [![Visual Studio Code](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_13aba37ae908d9cf29a2452925257ccc/visual-studio-code.jpeg "Visual Studio Code")](https://www.g2.com/products/visual-studio-code/reviews) Visual Studio Code Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.) 44.8% Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.) 29.8% Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.) 25.5% Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 62.3% 44.8% Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) 20.2% 29.8% Enterprise (\> 1000 emp.) 17.5% 25.5% Reviewers' Industry [![Brackets](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_89f9b71139b003b6eafc8bfd35e08665/brackets.jpg "Brackets")](https://www.g2.com/products/brackets/reviews) Brackets Computer Software 25.3% Information Technology and Services 19.5% Internet 5.8% Design 5.1% Marketing and Advertising 5.1% Other 39.3% [![Visual Studio Code](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_13aba37ae908d9cf29a2452925257ccc/visual-studio-code.jpeg "Visual Studio Code")](https://www.g2.com/products/visual-studio-code/reviews) Visual Studio Code Computer Software 34.6% Information Technology and Services 24.9% Program Development 3.3% Financial Services 2.6% Computer & Network Security 2.3% Other 32.3% FAQs ## Brackets vs Visual Studio Code FAQs Generated using AI Last updated: August 14, 2026 ### What is the difference between Visual Studio Code vs Brackets? Visual Studio Code stands out for its higher G2 rating, broader language support, and stronger reviewer-cited strengths, while Brackets is favored for its Live Preview and ease of use in front-end development. | [Visual Studio Code](https://www.g2.com/products/visual-studio-code/reviews) | [Brackets](https://www.g2.com/products/brackets/reviews) | | --- | --- | | 4.7/5 (2731 reviews) | 4.4/5 (262 reviews) | | Small-Business | Small-Business | | 9.3 | 9.4 | | 8.7 | 8.2 | | Highly customizable with a vast extension ecosystem and multi-language support | Live Preview and ease of use for front-end development | ### How do the pricing models of Visual Studio Code and Brackets compare? Visual Studio Code is considered the stronger value by reviewers, with higher satisfaction on price and cost-related dimensions. - **Visual Studio Code:** Reviewers consistently highlight that Visual Studio Code is free, offers excellent value, and provides a robust feature set without licensing costs. - **Brackets:** Brackets is also free and open source, with reviewers appreciating its cost-effectiveness for front-end work. - **Switching reasons:** Several reviewers mention moving from Brackets to Visual Studio Code for broader language support and a more active extension ecosystem. ### What are the best alternatives to Visual Studio Code and Brackets? The top 3 alternatives to Visual Studio Code and Brackets are Notepad++, Sublime Text, and UltraEdit. | Product | G2 Rating (reviews) | Largest Segment | Pricing Insight | Top Reviewer-Cited Strength | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Visual Studio Code](https://www.g2.com/products/visual-studio-code/reviews) | 4.7/5 (2731) | Small-Business | Free, excellent value | Highly customizable, vast extension ecosystem | | [Brackets](https://www.g2.com/products/brackets/reviews) | 4.4/5 (262) | Small-Business | Free, open source | Live Preview, ease of use for front-end | | [Notepad++](https://www.g2.com/products/notepad/reviews) | 4.6/5 (2475) | Enterprise | — | Lightweight, fast, and supports many file types | | [Sublime Text](https://www.g2.com/products/sublime-text/reviews) | 4.5/5 (1783) | Small-Business | — | Speed and powerful multi-editing features | | [UltraEdit](https://www.g2.com/products/ultraedit/reviews) | 4.7/5 (1124) | Small-Business | — | Handles large files and advanced search capabilities | ### Which Text Editor features should I prioritize when comparing Visual Studio Code and Brackets? Buyers should prioritize extension ecosystem, language support, live preview capabilities, ease of setup, and integration options when comparing Visual Studio Code and Brackets. - **Extension ecosystem:** Visual Studio Code is frequently cited for its vast extension marketplace and customization, while Brackets has fewer extension mentions (1 all-time mention for Extensions, 1 for Extensions Support). - **Language support:** Visual Studio Code is praised for multi-language support; Brackets is noted as best for HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, with limited backend language support. - **Live Preview:** Brackets has 3 all-time mentions for Live Preview, making it a standout feature for front-end development; Visual Studio Code does not have this as a core feature. - **Ease of setup:** Both products score highly (Visual Studio Code 9.3, Brackets 9.4), but Brackets is often described as quick and easy to install for beginners. - **Integration options:** Visual Studio Code is cited for integrations with Git, GitHub, and Visual Studio (876, 254, and 1277 all-time mentions, respectively); Brackets is mentioned for easy integrations (2 all-time mentions). ### What are the pros and cons of Visual Studio Code vs Brackets? Visual Studio Code's headline strength is its highly customizable extension ecosystem, while Brackets is most praised for its Live Preview and ease of use for front-end work. - **Visual Studio Code strengths:** Highly customizable with a vast extension ecosystem, multi-language support, integrated terminal, built-in Git integration, AI-assisted coding, and strong productivity features. - **Visual Studio Code trade-offs:** Performance can degrade with many extensions, initial setup and configuration can be complex for beginners, and some advanced features require additional extensions. - **Brackets strengths:** Live Preview (3 all-time mentions), ease of use (3), productivity improvement (2), user interface (2), lightweight performance (1), and strong for HTML/CSS/JavaScript front-end development. - **Brackets trade-offs:** Limited language support beyond front-end, project discontinued by Adobe, performance issues with large files, plugin issues (2 all-time mentions), and fewer advanced IDE features. ### Is Visual Studio Code or Brackets better for small businesses? Visual Studio Code is the better fit for small businesses, supported by its dominant small-business segment and strong reviewer sentiment on value and extensibility. - **Visual Studio Code:** Largest segment is Small-Business; reviewers highlight its free pricing, robust extension ecosystem, and productivity benefits for small teams. - **Brackets:** Largest segment is Small-Business; reviewers appreciate its ease of use and Live Preview for small-scale front-end projects, but note its limited scope and discontinued status. ### Which Text Editor platform has better integrations? Visual Studio Code is favored by reviewers for integrations, with significantly higher mention counts for key development tools. - **Visual Studio Code:** Integrates with Visual Studio (1,277 all-time mentions), Git (876), and GitHub (254), making it a top choice for workflows involving version control and collaboration. - **Brackets:** Reviewers mention easy integrations in recent reviews, but with only 2 all-time mentions, indicating a smaller ecosystem and less frequent integration use. ### How do Visual Studio Code and Brackets compare on customer support? Visual Studio Code and Brackets are near parity on Quality of Support, with Visual Studio Code at 8.7 and Brackets at 8.2, a difference below the 0.2-point materiality threshold. - **Visual Studio Code:** Reviewers describe support as good, with helpful documentation and a large community, though some note the lack of official support desk. - **Brackets:** Reviewers cite adequate support, with some noting the discontinuation of official updates but positive experiences with community-driven help and documentation. ### Which is easier to implement, Visual Studio Code or Brackets? Visual Studio Code and Brackets are at parity on Ease of Setup, with scores of 9.3 and 9.4, respectively, a difference below the materiality threshold. - **Visual Studio Code:** Reviewers consistently report straightforward installation and setup, with extensive documentation and community resources aiding onboarding. - **Brackets:** Reviewers highlight its quick and easy installation, minimal learning curve, and suitability for beginners and small projects. 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