Short answer
Omarchy ships Neovim with LazyVim as its default editor, which is free and open source. If you want something closer to Sublime's feel, install Zed and add Omazed so it follows your Omarchy theme. Helix, Emacs and VS Code are also free and one menu away under Install > Editor.
What Sublime Text costs
Sublime Text is proprietary. You can download and evaluate it for free, but Sublime HQ says a license must be bought for continued use. A personal license is $99 USD, a one-time purchase with 3 years of updates, and one key covers all your computers. It runs fine on Omarchy too: see the Sublime Text page. If you would rather not pay, these are the free options.
The free options, side by side
| Editor | Why pick it | License | On Omarchy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neovim + LazyVim | Already installed, fastest once learned | Open source (LazyVim: Apache-2.0) | Default editor, omarchy-nvim |
| Zed + Omazed | Closest to Sublime's speed and feel | Open source | Install > Editor, then omazed |
| Helix | Modal editing with sane defaults | MPL-2.0 | Install > Editor |
| Emacs + omarchy-emacs | Endless customizing | GPL-3.0 | Install > Editor, then omarchy-emacs |
| VS Code | Huge extension marketplace | Free, proprietary build | visual-studio-code-bin |
1. Neovim with LazyVim: already on your machine
Omarchy uses Neovim as its default editor, set up with LazyVim. The store's omarchy-nvim page explains that Omarchy packages LazyVim with its plugins pre-built, so you are not waiting on downloads the first time you open it. Open a terminal with Super + Return and run:
nvim .
Screenshot from the LazyVim/LazyVim README (Apache-2.0).
2. Zed with Omazed: the Sublime feel
Zed is a fast, open source graphical editor and one of the editors Omarchy lists as ready to install. Add Omazed, a small utility that watches for Omarchy theme changes and regenerates a matching Zed theme, so your editor changes color with your desktop.
omarchy pkg add omazed
Screenshots: the omazed page on this store.
3 to 5. Helix, Emacs and VS Code
Helix is a modal editor licensed MPL-2.0 that works well out of the box. Emacs (GPL-3.0) pairs with omarchy-emacs, which syncs Emacs to your Omarchy theme and font. VS Code is free but Microsoft's build is proprietary; the store page explains the difference from the open source Code - OSS project.
All of these are in the Omarchy menu: press Super + Space, then Install, then Editor.
Video by Visual Studio Code on YouTube. It loads from youtube-nocookie.com only after you press play.
Read next
Frequently asked questions
Is Sublime Text free?
No. You can evaluate it for free, but Sublime HQ says a license is needed for continued use. A personal license is $99 USD, one time, with 3 years of updates.
What is the best free Sublime Text alternative on Linux?
On Omarchy, Neovim with LazyVim is already installed and free. If you want a graphical editor that feels closer to Sublime, try Zed with Omazed for theme sync.
Does Sublime Text run on Omarchy?
Yes. It has a page on this store with install details. It is proprietary and needs a license for continued use.
How do I install Zed on Omarchy?
Open the Omarchy menu with Super+Space and go to Install, then Editor. Then run omarchy pkg add omazed if you want Zed to follow your Omarchy theme.
Is VS Code open source?
The Code - OSS project is open source, but the VS Code binary Microsoft ships is under a proprietary license. It is still free to use.
Sources
- Sublime HQ store (license terms and price)
- omarchy.org (editors ready to install)
- Omarchy manual: Development tools
- LazyVim on GitHub
- Helix on GitHub
- aps6/omazed on GitHub
Facts, prices and requirements checked against the sources above on October 19, 2026. Vendor prices can change. Store screenshots were taken from this site; project screenshots are credited to their repositories. An independent community project, not affiliated with or endorsed by Omacom or David Heinemeier Hansson. Built with David's blessing.