For most developers, the best Cursor alternative is GitHub Copilot, which adds an AI agent to the editor you already use from $10 a month. Devin Desktop (the former Windsurf) is the closest standalone editor, Claude Code is the strongest terminal agent, and Google Antigravity is the best free option.
- GitHub Copilot: best for staying in VS Code or JetBrains
- Devin Desktop: best Cursor-style editor
- Claude Code: best for Claude models without API bills
- OpenAI Codex: best if you already pay for ChatGPT
- Google Antigravity: best free agent editor
- Kiro: best for planned, spec-first work
- Zed: best fast, lightweight editor
- Cline: best open-source option with any model
What is Cursor? Cursor is an AI code editor built on VS Code that can write, edit and explain code across your whole project, with inline suggestions and an agent that makes changes for you.
How we compared them: This is a research comparison based on pricing pages, documentation and features, not a hands-on test, so our picks are “best fit” calls rather than benchmark results. On November 3, 2026, we checked Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Devin, Claude, Kiro, Zed, Cline and OpenAI’s Codex help article at the source. Antigravity’s prices and the $100 ChatGPT Pro plan come from dated independent sources, which we name. SmartWorkflowLab has no sponsorship or affiliate deal with any tool in this list.
What Changed With Cursor Pricing in 2026
On October 12, 2026, Cursor announced The X Subscription, “which brings together Grok, Grok Bot, Cursor, and X Premium in one plan,” in its official forum announcement. Cursor’s plans documentation lists the new plans:
| Plan | Monthly | Yearly | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | Limited Agent and Chat |
| Plus | $8 | $80 | Base usage |
| Premium | $30 | $300 | 4x Plus |
| Super | $100 | $1,000 | 15x Plus |
| Ultra | $200 | $2,000 | 50x Plus |
Teams seats cost $30, $100 or $200 per user a month. According to the announcement, three things changed:
- Third-party models cost extra. “On Premium and above you can keep using third-party models in Cursor,” billed separately at API list prices through top-ups, with spending caps you can set. Plus can’t use them.
- One shared, weekly pool. Paid plans include Grok model usage shared across Grok and Cursor, and the allowance refreshes weekly instead of monthly.
- Old plans keep their deal for now. “If you’re on a current Cursor plan, your included third-party usage continues until you switch.”
Cursor’s data use page, updated September 3, 2026, now links to SpaceXAI’s retention documentation for some models, which is one reason privacy-minded teams are rechecking their setup.
What Claude or GPT Now Costs in Cursor: A Worked Example
If you mainly used Cursor for Claude or GPT models, the new math is simple: Premium’s $30 a month plus whatever those models cost at API prices. Flat plans elsewhere include those models within usage limits:
| Your monthly Claude or GPT usage at API prices | Cursor Premium total | Claude Pro (Claude Code) | Copilot Pro+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 | $30 | $20 | $39 |
| $10 | $40 | $20 | $39 |
| $50 | $80 | $20 | $39 |
| $100 | $130 | $20, or $100 on Max | $39 |
The flat plans aren’t unlimited: Claude Pro covers Claude models only and has five-hour and weekly limits, while Copilot Pro+ covers several providers within 7,000 AI credits a month. But once your outside-model use passes about $10 a month at API prices, a $20 Claude Pro plan is cheaper than Cursor Premium, and that gap grows with every heavy week.
Cursor Alternatives at a Glance
| Tool | Best for | Autocomplete or agent | Free plan | Entry paid plan | Models |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GitHub Copilot | Staying in your editor | Both | 2,000 completions a month | Pro: $10 a month | Several providers, by plan |
| Devin Desktop (ex-Windsurf) | A Cursor-style editor | Both | Limited Devin use | Pro: $20 a month | Cognition SWE models, Claude, GPT, Gemini |
| Claude Code | Claude without API bills | Agent | No | Claude Pro: $20 ($17 yearly) | Claude |
| OpenAI Codex | ChatGPT subscribers | Agent | Yes, limited | ChatGPT Plus: $20 a month | OpenAI |
| Google Antigravity | A free agent editor | Both | Yes, weekly agent quota | Google AI Pro: $19.99 a month | Gemini and others |
| Kiro | Planned, spec-first work | Agent, spec-first | 50 credits a month | Pro: $20 a month | Claude Sonnet 4.5, open-weight and others |
| Zed | Speed and low cost | Both | Yes, with your own keys | Pro: $10 + usage | Hosted models, your own keys, local |
| Cline | Any model, open source | Agent | Free, you pay the AI provider | Pay as you go | Any provider or local model |
GitHub Copilot is the cheapest flat plan at $10 a month, Antigravity and Cline cost nothing to start, and Claude Code, Codex, Devin Desktop and Kiro sit at about $20.
First, Decide How You Want to Work
Cursor mixes two styles: an editor that suggests code as you type, and an agent you hand tasks to. The alternatives lean one way or the other:
- “I want AI inside the editor I already use.” GitHub Copilot or Cline. If you’re looking for a Cursor alternative for VS Code, these two need no new editor.
- “I want a Cursor-style editor, just not Cursor.” Devin Desktop, Google Antigravity, Kiro or Zed.
- “I’d rather give an agent a task and review the result.” Claude Code or OpenAI Codex, which work in the terminal, in your editor or in the cloud.
1. GitHub Copilot: Best for Staying in Your Editor
What is GitHub Copilot? GitHub Copilot is GitHub’s AI coding assistant, which adds code completion, chat and a coding agent to VS Code, JetBrains editors and GitHub itself.
Copilot is the lowest-friction switch from Cursor. Since Cursor is built on VS Code, most Cursor users can move back to VS Code, keep their extensions and add Copilot. On paid plans, Copilot’s coding agent can take an issue, work on it in the cloud and open a pull request for you to review.
Pricing: Copilot measures usage in GitHub AI Credits. Free costs $0 and gives 2,000 completions a month, without the coding agent. Pro costs $10 a month with 1,500 credits, Pro+ costs $39 with 7,000 credits and Max costs $100 with 20,000 credits. Business costs $19 per seat a month and Enterprise $39, with pooled credits and admin controls. Verified students get Copilot free. Source: GitHub Copilot plans documentation, checked November 3, 2026.
Pros
- Works in VS Code, JetBrains editors and on GitHub.
- At $10 a month, it’s cheaper than Cursor’s Premium plan by $20.
- The coding agent turns GitHub issues into pull requests.
Cons
- The Free plan has no coding agent and no chat skills in the IDE.
- Credit costs vary by model, so heavy agent use can push you to Pro+ or Max.
- Less deeply built around AI than a dedicated editor like Cursor.
Verdict: Pick Copilot if you want most of what Cursor does for a third of Premium’s price, without leaving VS Code or JetBrains. Its Business plan is also the simplest choice for teams that already use GitHub. For a head-to-head, read our Cursor vs GitHub Copilot comparison.
2. Devin Desktop (Formerly Windsurf): Best Cursor-Style Editor
What is Devin Desktop? Devin Desktop is the AI code editor previously called Windsurf, now owned by Cognition, the company behind the Devin coding agent.
Windsurf was Cursor’s closest rival, and it’s still the most similar experience: a VS Code-based editor with an agent, Tab suggestions and multi-file edits. Cognition renamed it Devin Desktop on June 2, 2026, and existing installs updated on their own, according to Carly’s report on the rebrand. It can use Cognition’s own SWE models as well as Claude, GPT and Gemini models, according to Devin’s model list.
Pricing: Devin’s Pro plan costs $20 a month and includes Devin Desktop within a daily and weekly quota. Max costs $200 a month with a much larger weekly quota. Teams starts at $80 a month, with full seats at $40 each that include Desktop access; flex seats don’t include it. Source: Devin billing documentation, checked November 3, 2026.
Pros
- The closest feel to Cursor, so the switch is quick.
- Claude and GPT models alongside Cognition’s own.
- One plan covers both the desktop editor and Cognition’s cloud agent.
Cons
- The rename and ownership change mean features are still shifting.
- Quotas are daily and weekly, so a heavy day can hit the cap.
- Teams flex seats don’t include Desktop access.
Verdict: Devin Desktop is the natural move for developers who liked Cursor’s editor but want Claude and GPT models in a $20 plan.
3. Claude Code: Best for Claude Models Without API Bills
What is Claude Code? Claude Code is Anthropic’s coding agent, which reads your project, makes changes across files and runs commands from your terminal, with extensions for VS Code and JetBrains.
Claude Code works differently from Cursor. Instead of suggesting code as you type, you describe a task, it plans and makes the changes, and you review them. It supports MCP (Model Context Protocol), so it can connect to tools such as databases, issue trackers and documentation. If Claude models were the main reason you used Cursor, this is the most direct way to keep them without Cursor’s new API charges.
Pricing: Claude Code is included with every paid Claude plan, not the Free plan. Pro costs $20 a month, or $17 a month billed yearly. Max costs $100 a month, and the top individual tier costs $200. Team seats cost $25 a month ($20 yearly) for Standard or $125 ($100 yearly) for Premium. Source: Claude pricing, checked November 3, 2026. Usage limits reset every five hours and weekly, and they’re shared between Claude and Claude Code, according to Anthropic’s support article. See our Claude directory page for more on the plans.
Pros
- Strong at large, multi-file changes that you review as one task.
- One subscription covers both the Claude chat app and Claude Code.
- Works in the terminal and inside VS Code and JetBrains.
Cons
- No Free plan for Claude Code.
- Five-hour and weekly limits, shared with your Claude chat use.
- Less helpful for small, inline edits as you type.
Verdict: For developers who mainly used Cursor to reach Claude models, Claude Code is the cleanest replacement, from $20 a month with no per-call API bill.
4. OpenAI Codex: Best if You Already Pay for ChatGPT
What is OpenAI Codex? Codex is OpenAI’s coding agent, which works in the cloud, in a command-line tool and in your editor, and comes with ChatGPT plans.
If you already pay for ChatGPT, Codex may cost you nothing extra. Like Claude Code, it’s built for handing over tasks, such as fixing a bug or adding a feature, and reviewing the result. It reads an AGENTS.md file in your project for instructions, much like Cursor rules.
Pricing: Codex is included in ChatGPT’s Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Edu and Enterprise plans, and its use counts toward each plan’s agentic usage limit, according to OpenAI’s Codex help article, checked November 3, 2026. OpenAI doesn’t publish fixed message counts there, because use depends on task size. Plus costs $20 a month, and OpenAI added a $100 Pro plan in April 2026 with five times Plus usage, alongside the $200 Pro plan with twenty times Plus usage, according to 9to5Mac.
Pros
- Included in every ChatGPT plan, even Free.
- Cloud tasks can run while you do something else.
- Works in the terminal, the editor and the browser.
Cons
- OpenAI models only.
- Limits aren’t published as fixed numbers, so heavy use is hard to plan.
- Not an editor, so you still need one.
Verdict: If you already pay for ChatGPT Plus, try Codex before you pay for any other agent, since it’s part of a plan you already have.
5. Google Antigravity: Best Free Agent Editor
What is Google Antigravity? Google Antigravity is Google’s agent-first code editor, where you can run several AI agents on tasks and check their work in one place.
Antigravity is free for individuals, which makes it the easiest way to try a Cursor-style editor without paying. It’s also where Google points users of its closing Firebase Studio editor.
Pricing: The Individual plan is free, with unlimited Tab completions and command requests plus a basic weekly agent quota. Higher limits come with Google’s AI plans: Google AI Pro at $19.99 a month, and Ultra at $99.99 (5x Pro) or $199.99 (20x Pro). Google doesn’t publish exact quotas. Source: CloudZero’s Antigravity pricing guide, September 18, 2026 (independent source).
Pros
- Free to start, with unlimited Tab completions.
- Runs several agents at once on separate tasks.
- Higher limits come with a Google AI Pro plan you may already have.
Cons
- Google has cut the free agent quota several times since launch.
- Quotas aren’t published as numbers.
- Newer than the other editors here, so it changes often.
Verdict: Antigravity is the best free way to try an agent-style editor, as long as you accept a weekly agent cap that Google can change.
6. Kiro: Best for Planned, Spec-First Work
What is Kiro? Kiro is an AI code editor from AWS that turns a request into a written spec, a design and a task list before it writes code.
Kiro suits developers who found Cursor’s agent too eager. Its spec-first approach slows the start but keeps larger features organized and easier to review. It also supports MCP servers for connecting outside tools.
Pricing: Free gives 50 credits a month with open-weight models and Claude Sonnet 4.5. Pro costs $20 per user a month for 1,000 credits, Pro+ $40 for 2,000, Pro Max $100 for 5,000 and Power $200 for 10,000. Extra credits cost $0.04 each, and unused credits don’t roll over. Source: Kiro pricing, checked November 3, 2026.
Pros
- Specs and task lists make big features easier to plan and review.
- Claude Sonnet 4.5 is available even on the Free plan.
- Sign-in and enterprise billing through AWS.
Cons
- The spec step feels slow for small fixes.
- 50 free credits a month is only enough to try it.
- Unused credits expire each month.
Verdict: Choose Kiro if your problem with Cursor was messy, unplanned agent changes; its specs trade speed for structure.
7. Zed: Best Fast, Lightweight Editor
What is Zed? Zed is a fast, open-source code editor built from scratch rather than on VS Code, with built-in AI agents and edit predictions.
Zed appeals to developers who found Cursor heavy. It’s free with your own API keys, known as BYOK (bring your own key), and can also run local models through Ollama. It supports MCP for connecting outside tools.
Pricing: Zed Free costs nothing and works with your own API keys, or with other edit-prediction providers such as GitHub Copilot. Zed Pro costs $10 a month and adds all hosted models, unlimited Edit Predictions and $5 of monthly token credit. Usage beyond that is billed at the provider’s list price plus 10%, with a default extra spend limit of $10 a month. Verified university students get a free year. Source: Zed plans and pricing, checked November 3, 2026.
Pros
- Very fast, even on large projects.
- Free with your own keys or local models.
- Open source.
Cons
- Not a VS Code fork, so your extensions don’t carry over.
- Smaller extension ecosystem than VS Code.
- The $5 of included credit runs out fast with heavy agent use.
Verdict: For developers who want a fast editor and are happy to pay for AI as they use it, Zed starts at $10 a month plus usage, or nothing with your own keys.
8. Cline: Best Open-Source Option
What is Cline? Cline is a free, open-source AI coding agent that runs as an extension in VS Code and works with the AI provider of your choice.
Cline gives you Cursor-style agent features without a subscription. You connect your own API key from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google or another provider, or a local model through Ollama, and pay that provider only for what you use. It also supports MCP servers.
Pricing: The extension is free for individual developers, and you pay your AI provider directly. Enterprise plans with SSO and support are priced on request. Source: Cline pricing, checked November 3, 2026.
Pros
- Use any model, including new ones the day they launch.
- Local models keep your code on your own machine.
- Runs in the VS Code you already have.
Cons
- API bills can climb quickly on large tasks, with no flat monthly cap.
- You manage your own keys and spending.
- It’s an agent, not an autocomplete tool, so pair it with Copilot Free if you want inline suggestions.
Verdict: Cline suits developers who want full control over models and costs and are comfortable watching an API bill instead of paying a flat fee.
What Each Option Costs at the $10 to $20 Level
| Tool | Plan | Monthly | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cursor (new) | Plus | $8 | Cursor and Grok models only |
| GitHub Copilot | Pro | $10 | 1,500 AI credits |
| Zed | Pro | $10 + usage | $5 of token credit, then pay as you go |
| Google Antigravity | Google AI Pro | $19.99 | Paid agent quota, plus Google’s AI apps |
| Devin Desktop | Devin Pro | $20 | Daily and weekly quota |
| Claude Code | Claude Pro | $20 ($17 yearly) | Limits shared with Claude chat |
| OpenAI Codex | ChatGPT Plus | $20 | Part of ChatGPT |
| Kiro | Pro | $20 | 1,000 credits |
| Cursor (new) | Premium | $30 | Needed for Claude or GPT, plus API charges |
| Cline | None | Pay as you go | Your AI provider’s rates |
If you want something cheaper than Cursor that still includes outside models in a flat fee, Copilot Pro at $10 is the lowest. At about $20, Antigravity, Claude Code, Codex, Devin Desktop and Kiro all cost less than Cursor’s $30 Premium for anyone who needs Claude or GPT.
Privacy and Data: What to Check Before You Switch
If data use is your reason for leaving, check four things in any tool:
- Training opt-out. Cursor’s Privacy Mode stops your data being used for training, and with it off Cursor may use prompts and code to train its models, according to its data use page. Look for the same setting, and its default, in any replacement.
- Certifications. Cursor lists SOC 2, ISO 27001 and ISO 42001 on that page. Ask any alternative for its own reports before a team rollout.
- Local models. Cline, Continue, Zed and Aider can run models on your own machine through tools such as Ollama, so your code never leaves it.
- Self-hosting. Tabnine offers private deployment for companies that need the whole system inside their own network.
Other Cursor Alternatives Worth Knowing
- Continue: an open-source extension for VS Code and JetBrains with chat, autocomplete and agents, popular with teams that run local models.
- Aider: an open-source pair programmer in the terminal that edits files in your Git repository and commits its changes.
- JetBrains AI and Junie: JetBrains’ built-in assistant and coding agent, the natural pick if you work in IntelliJ, PyCharm or WebStorm.
- Tabnine: a privacy-focused assistant with self-hosted and private deployment options for enterprises.
- Augment Code: an agent built for large codebases, with deep indexing so it can find context across big repositories.
- Trae: a free AI editor from ByteDance. Check its data terms before using it on work code.
- Roo Code and Kilo Code: open-source agents based on Cline, with extra modes and settings.
- Gemini CLI: Google’s open-source terminal agent for Gemini models, a free-to-start alternative to Claude Code.
Free and Open-Source Cursor Alternatives
- Google Antigravity: a free agent editor with unlimited Tab completions and a weekly agent quota.
- Cline and Continue: free and open source; you pay only your AI provider, or nothing with a local model.
- GitHub Copilot Free: 2,000 completions a month in VS Code or JetBrains.
- Zed Free: a fast, open-source editor that works with your own API keys.
- Aider and Gemini CLI: open-source agents for the terminal.
- Kiro Free: 50 credits a month to try spec-first coding.
How to Switch From Cursor
- Export your extensions and settings. Cursor is built on VS Code, so VS Code, Devin Desktop and Antigravity can import most of them.
- Move your rules. Copy your Cursor rules into the new tool’s instruction file, such as CLAUDE.md for Claude Code or AGENTS.md for Codex.
- Check your billing. If you’re on a legacy Cursor plan, your included third-party usage continues until you switch, so keep it while you test.
- Try one task in two tools. Run the same real task in Cursor and the alternative before you cancel anything.
Should You Stay on Cursor?
Stay if you’re happy on a legacy plan, or if Cursor’s own and Grok models do the job: at $8 a month, the new Plus plan is the cheapest paid AI editor in this list. Leave if you depend on Claude or GPT models and don’t want API charges on top of $30 a month, or if you prefer to stay in VS Code or JetBrains. If you also build apps without code, see our guide to Replit alternatives, and for a general method, read how to choose the right AI tool.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best alternative to Cursor?
For most developers, GitHub Copilot is the closest fit, because it adds an AI agent and code completion to the editor you already use from $10 a month. Devin Desktop, the former Windsurf, is the most similar standalone editor, and Claude Code is the strongest pick if you prefer an agent that works in the terminal.
Is there a free alternative to Cursor?
Yes. Google Antigravity is free for individuals with unlimited Tab completions and a weekly agent quota. Cline and Continue are free, open-source extensions where you pay only for the AI model you connect, GitHub Copilot Free gives 2,000 completions a month, and Zed is a free editor that works with your own API keys or local models.
What changed with Cursor’s pricing in 2026?
On October 12, 2026, Cursor announced The X Subscription, one plan that bundles Grok, Grok Bot, Cursor and X Premium. Its plans run from Plus at $8 to Ultra at $200 a month. Third-party models such as Claude or GPT now work only on Premium ($30) and above, billed separately at API list prices. Existing Cursor plans keep their included third-party usage until you switch.
Is GitHub Copilot better than Cursor?
Copilot is better if you want to stay in VS Code or a JetBrains editor and pay less, with Pro at $10 a month. Cursor is better if you want an editor built around AI from the ground up and you’re happy with its own and Grok models, since outside models now cost extra on its new plans.
Is Windsurf still available?
Yes, under a new name. Cognition, the company behind the Devin coding agent, owns Windsurf and renamed it Devin Desktop in June 2026. It’s included in Devin’s Pro plan at $20 a month and its Max plan at $200, and it can use Cognition’s own SWE models as well as Claude, GPT and Gemini.
Should I use Claude Code or Cursor?
Use Claude Code if you like giving an agent a task in the terminal and reviewing its changes, and you already pay for Claude Pro or Max. Use Cursor if you prefer a visual editor where you see suggestions inline as you type. Many developers use both, because Claude Code also runs inside VS Code and JetBrains editors.
Which Cursor alternatives can run local models?
Cline, Continue and Zed can all connect to models running on your own computer through tools such as Ollama, so your code never leaves your machine. Aider, a terminal tool, can do the same. For companies that need a self-hosted setup with support, Tabnine offers private deployment options.
Sources
- Cursor: The X Subscription announcement, October 12, 2026; plans documentation and data use page, checked November 3, 2026
- GitHub Copilot: plans documentation, checked November 3, 2026
- Devin Desktop: billing documentation and model list, checked November 3, 2026; Carly on the Windsurf rebrand, July 1, 2026 (independent source)
- Claude Code: Claude pricing and Anthropic support article, checked November 3, 2026
- OpenAI Codex: OpenAI help article, checked November 3, 2026; 9to5Mac on the $100 Pro plan, April 9, 2026
- Google Antigravity: CloudZero pricing guide, September 18, 2026 (independent source)
- Kiro: pricing, checked November 3, 2026
- Zed: plans and pricing, checked November 3, 2026
- Cline: pricing, checked November 3, 2026
