AI-native VS Code fork: Agent plans multi-file edits, Tab finishes lines. / Why: the cheapest paid tier of the three ($8/mo) — if Grok models are enough.
Free· paid from$8/mo
Plus is Grok-onlyChecked 2026-10-19·cursor.com/pricing
vs ChatGPTWrite code & build agents
488 tools. Most people should start with one of the three below: they cover editor, IDE and terminal, and each has a free way in or a clear first paid tier.
OUR TAKE
Start with Cursor for an AI editor, GitHub Copilot to stay in your current IDE, or Claude Code if you work from the terminal.
Good fit
Developers choosing a first paid coding tool
Poor fit
No-code builders — see Replit Agent
Sort
Start here · Editor picks
Pair programmer inside your IDE and GitHub, with chat and completions. / Why: stays inside the IDE you already use; Pro is $10/mo.
Free· paid from$10/mo
Flex credits are not unlimited AgentChecked 2026-10-19·github.com/features/copilot
vs Cursor
Anthropic's coding agent that works across your repo from the terminal or app. / Why: terminal-first across the whole repo; no editor switch.
Paid only$17/mo yearly
Claude Code is on paid seatsChecked 2026-10-22·anthropic.com/pricing
vs Codex CLIAll 485, in editor's order
Showing 12 of 485 · page 39
Qodo is an AI code-review and test agent: the official findings card (see the cover: Bugs / Rule violations / Cross-repo conflicts) lands…
Paid only$0.012
No lasting $0 planChecked 2026-10-21·qodo.ai/pricing
vs CodeRabbit
Raycast AI is a macOS launcher assistant with a real chat window: the official AI Chat window (see the cover: London Speciality Coffee…
Free· paid from$10
$10 is Pro monthlyChecked 2026-10-21·raycast.com/pricing
vs Cursor
Replit Agent is Replit’s in-browser builder: you describe an app, it writes a task plan, then implements the checklist (see the official…
Free· paid from$20/mo yearly
Free Mode is cappedChecked 2026-10-21·replit.com/pricing
vs Cursor
Tavily is a search / extract / crawl API for agents: the official docs still (see the cover: POST /search, query, Python SDK, JSON…
Free· paid from$0.008
Credits reset monthlyChecked 2026-10-21·tavily.com/pricing
vs Exa
tldraw AI is the Agent starter kit on the tldraw canvas: the official product still (see the cover: yellow star on the infinite canvas,…
Free· open source,MIT
MIT $0 is the starterChecked 2026-10-21·tldraw.dev/pricing
vs Cursor
Zed is a Rust editor with a first-party Agent Panel: the official blog still (see the cover: file community-testimonials.tsx, prompt “When…
Free· paid from$10
$10 is Pro, not PersonalChecked 2026-10-21·zed.dev/pricing
vs Cursor
Aider is a git-native AI pair programmer in the terminal: you run it in a repo, it maps the codebase, edits multiple files, and…
Free· open source,Apache-2.0
$0 is the CLI, not SonnetChecked 2026-10-20·aider.chat
vs Cursor
Bolt (bolt.new, by StackBlitz) is a browser prompt-to-app builder: type what you want, hit Build, and get a running full-stack preview you…
Free· paid from$18/mo yearly
Free is cappedChecked 2026-10-20·bolt.new/pricing
vs Lovable
Devin is Cognition’s autonomous software engineer (Cloud, CLI, Desktop): you give it a repo task, it plans, codes, and opens PRs
Free· paid from$20/mo
Pro/Max cannot be sharedChecked 2026-10-20·docs.devin.ai/admin/billing/self-serve
vs Cursor
Gemini Code Assist is Google Cloud’s IDE coding assistant (completions, chat, agent mode) for VS Code, JetBrains, and Android Studio
Paid onlyNot published by the vendor
You cannot start a new Standard/Enterprise sub todayChecked 2026-10-20·cloud.google.com/gemini/pricing
vs GitHub Copilot
Together AI is a hosted inference (and fine-tune) platform for open models: browse the model catalog, then call a serverless /v1 endpoint…
Paid only$0.00
You are billed per token (or per dedicated GPU), not $20/month chatChecked 2026-10-20·together.ai/pricing
vs Replicate
AutoGen is Microsoft’s multi-agent framework plus AutoGen Studio, a low-code Team Builder (see the cover): teams list, component library,…
Free· open source,MIT
Studio is not “free AI.”Checked 2026-10-19·microsoft.github.io/autogen/stable/user-guide
vs LangflowStill deciding? Put them side by side
Facets: Run it yourself · Free only