Is there a free alternative to Cursor?

Yes. Gemini Code Assist is free for individuals in VS Code and JetBrains. GitHub Copilot Free includes 2,000 completions and 50 chat requests per month, and verified students get Copilot Student for free.

Which alternative is most similar to Cursor?

None of the tools in this guide is a standalone AI editor like Cursor. Copilot and Gemini Code Assist are extensions for your existing editor, and Claude Code is a terminal agent. Windsurf (now Devin Desktop) is a direct rival, but we have not verified its official pricing yet.

What should JetBrains users use instead of Cursor?

GitHub Copilot or Gemini Code Assist, which both install in IntelliJ, PyCharm, WebStorm and other JetBrains IDEs. Claude Code also has a JetBrains extension. Cursor cannot be added to JetBrains.

What do I lose by moving from Cursor to Copilot?

You save $10 a month and keep your current editor. You lose Cursor's Agent-first interface and its visual multi-file diffs. Copilot still has an agent mode, but the experience is different.

Best Cursor alternatives in 2026, free ones included

Cursor Pro costs $20/month and means switching editors. Here are the best Cursor alternatives – free ones included – and who each one suits.

3 alternatives

#1 · Coding

GitHub Copilot

GitHub's AI coding assistant, installed as an extension in VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains and more. Has a Free plan and a free plan for verified students.

Cheapest paid plan in this group ($10/month), plus a Free plan
Free Copilot Student plan for verified students
Works inside the editor you already use, tightly integrated with GitHub

Free plan ✓$10/month

Visit GitHub Copilot

#2 · Coding

Claude Code

Anthropic's coding agent that works in your terminal and editor, reading the whole project to edit code, run commands and tests. Included in every paid Claude plan.

Agentic workflow: plans, edits many files and runs commands
Shares the Claude Pro subscription with chat, no separate purchase
No need to switch editors

$20/month

Visit Claude Code

#3 · Coding

Gemini Code Assist

Google's AI coding assistant for VS Code and JetBrains. Free for individuals.

Free individual tier
Works in VS Code and JetBrains

Free plan ✓$22.80/month/user

Visit Gemini Code Assist

Cursor is a popular AI code editor, but it is not the right fit for everyone. This guide helps you pick an alternative based on budget, the editor you already use and how you want to work with AI.

Why look for a Cursor alternative?

The three most common reasons:

Price: Cursor Pro is $20/month, with Pro+ and Ultra at$ 60–200.
Switching editors: Cursor is a standalone app; it does not plug into JetBrains IDEs (IntelliJ, PyCharm, WebStorm…) or Visual Studio.
Running out of Agent usage under heavy use.

Quick comparison

	Starting price	Free option	How it works
Cursor	$20/month	Hobby (limited Agent)	Standalone editor
GitHub Copilot	$10/month	Free + Student	Extension for VS Code, JetBrains, Visual Studio
Claude Code	$20/month (Claude Pro)	No	Terminal agent with VS Code and JetBrains extensions
Gemini Code Assist	Free (individuals)	Yes	Extension for VS Code, JetBrains

The alternatives

GitHub Copilot: cheapest, right for most people

Price: Pro is $10/month, half of Cursor Pro. There is a Free plan, and verified students get it free through GitHub Education.
Strengths: works inside the editor you already use and is tightly integrated with GitHub.
Weaknesses: the interface is not built around the Agent like Cursor's; AI Credits accounting gets complex with heavy agent use.
Best for: students, JetBrains or Visual Studio users, anyone on a budget.

Claude Code: delegate whole tasks

Price: included in Claude Pro at $20/month, shared with Claude chat.
Strengths: agentic workflow – describe the goal and it plans, edits many files and runs commands. No need to switch editors.
Weaknesses: no free option; limits reset per 5-hour session, and heavy use means Max ($100–200).
Best for: terminal-first developers and people who already pay for Claude Pro.

Gemini Code Assist: free for individuals

Price: free for individuals; business plans start at $22.80 per user per month.
Strengths: costs nothing and works in VS Code and JetBrains.
Weaknesses: business tiers cost more than Copilot Business.
Best for: anyone who wants AI coding help without paying, or a backup assistant.

Which alternative should you choose?

Cheapest that still does the job: GitHub Copilot – the sensible alternative for most people.
A strong agent from the terminal: Claude Code, great value if you already use Claude chat.
Completely free: Gemini Code Assist.
You like Cursor but it costs too much: keep Hobby for side projects and use Copilot Pro for your main work.

What about Windsurf?

Windsurf used to be Cursor's closest rival. According to tech press coverage, after Cognition (maker of Devin) acquired it, Windsurf was renamed Devin Desktop in June 2026. We have not been able to verify current pricing from an official source yet, so it is not listed here; we will update this page.