Vim and Neovim plugins can be managed with dein.vim, a plugin manager.
The Best nerdtree Alternatives in 2026
Looking for something like nerdtree? Here are 5 alternatives, ranked by how closely they match it on purpose, features and platforms. Of these, 3 are open source.
Vim users can browse project files with NERDTree, a tree-style explorer plugin.
Top picks at a glance
Quick comparison
| # | Alternative | Pricing | Open source | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dein | — | Yes | — |
| 2 | Vim Bootstrap | — | Not stated | Web |
| 3 | Neovim | — | Not stated | Web |
| 4 | The Ultimate vimrc | — | Yes | — |
| 5 | Markdown Preview | — | Yes | — |
All nerdtree alternatives
Vim Bootstrap
vim-bootstrap.comGenerate a Vim or Neovim configuration by selecting languages, frameworks, themes, and plugins.
Neovim
neovim.ioExtend the Vim-based Neovim editor with Lua plugins and a documented API.
Generate a Vim configuration with this community-maintained vimrc setup.
markdown-preview.nvim previews Markdown documents from within Vim and Neovim.
Alternatives to similar tools
What is the best alternative to nerdtree?
Are there open-source alternatives to nerdtree?
Alternatives are suggested from the purpose and features described in our listings. Different pages for the same product appear once. Read each description to check whether it fits your task. How we choose alternatives · Suggest an alternative





