NMS Save EditorvsNomNom

The two serious save editors for No Man's Sky represent two community generations. NMS Save Editor by goatfungus is the veteran: active since 2018, minimal UI, focused on doing one thing well. NomNom is the modern one: cross-platform, native multi-save handling, auto-backups, and fast release cadence after patches.

Single-save vs multi-save

The most visible difference. Goatfungus edits one save at a time — open the file, make changes, save. If you want to edit another save in the same profile, you have to manually reload.

NomNom shows all your saves in a sidebar and lets you switch between them without reloading. Useful when you play multiple characters in parallel (Permadeath, Survival, Creative) or experiment with builds in test saves.

If you only play one character, goatfungus is enough. If you have three or more, NomNom scales better.

Update cadence and release after patches

NMS patches frequently — major patches every 2-3 months, hotfixes between. Save format changes frequently, requiring editor updates to avoid corruption.

NomNom historically releases fast after major patches — usually within the first week. Goatfungus also updates but with longer lag, sometimes 1-2 weeks.

If you're editing your save right after a patch, NomNom is the safer option.

Backup behavior

NomNom auto-backs up before applying changes. If you break your save by mistake, the backup lives in the same folder — restore is one click.

Goatfungus depends on you: you have to remember to copy the file manually before touching anything. Easy to forget and ruin 300 hours of progress.

For players new to save editing, NomNom reduces risk significantly.

Cross-platform

NomNom is cross-platform: Windows, Mac, Linux with native builds. NMS Save Editor was historically Windows-first; running it on Mac/Linux requires Wine or other workarounds.

If you play on Mac via Steam Play or on Linux with Proton, NomNom is the natural choice.

UI: minimal vs polished

Goatfungus has bare-bones UI: tabs per section (inventory, ships, base, stats), direct forms. Not pretty but functional.

NomNom has a modern UI: save sidebar, structured tabs, in-inventory search, visual validation. More pleasant for prolonged use.

Tradeoff: NomNom has a steeper initial learning curve. Goatfungus is "open and edit" with no surprises.

Decision matrix

Case	Recommended editor
Single save, occasional edits	NMS Save Editor (goatfungus)
Multi-character / multi-save	NomNom
Editing right after a patch	NomNom
Native Mac/Linux	NomNom
Want auto-backup	NomNom
Minimal UI, no distractions	NMS Save Editor (goatfungus)

Recommendation

For most players new to save editing in 2026, NomNom is the default. Cross-platform support, multi-save handling, and auto-backup are concrete advantages for the common case.

If you've been with goatfungus for years and your workflow is already established, there's no reason to switch — the editor remains active and tested. But if you're starting from scratch, NomNom saves you several pain points.