Cursor alternatives
The alternatives are Aider, Claude Code, Cline, Codex, Devin Desktop, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode.
The order is alphabetical. Scores are published as each hands-on test finishes.
Pricing checked October 15, 2026 and October 17, 2026.
| Tool | What it is | Price |
|---|---|---|
 Aider | Open-source pair programming in the terminal. | No subscription |
 Claude Code | Anthropic’s coding agent for the terminal, desktop, and IDEs. | From $20/mo |
 Cline | Open-source coding agent. Pay for inference, not a seat. | Free to start |
 Codex | OpenAI’s coding agent for the terminal, IDE, desktop, and web. | Included with ChatGPT plans |
 Devin Desktop | Cognition’s desktop coding agent, formerly Windsurf. | Free to start |
 Gemini CLI | Google’s open-source terminal agent for Gemini. | Free to start |
 GitHub Copilot | GitHub’s AI pair programmer in the editor, CLI, and on GitHub. | Free to start |
 OpenCode | Open-source coding agent. Bring any model, or use an optional OpenCode plan. | No seat fee |
Open-source pair programming in the terminal.
No subscription
Anthropic’s coding agent for the terminal, desktop, and IDEs.
From $20/mo
Open-source coding agent. Pay for inference, not a seat.
Free to start
OpenAI’s coding agent for the terminal, IDE, desktop, and web.
Included with ChatGPT plans
Cognition’s desktop coding agent, formerly Windsurf.
Free to start
Google’s open-source terminal agent for Gemini.
Free to start
GitHub’s AI pair programmer in the editor, CLI, and on GitHub.
Free to start
Open-source coding agent. Bring any model, or use an optional OpenCode plan.
No seat fee