CODING & AI DEV
Cursor
Paid links. We earn a commission if you buy through links on this page. It never changes our ranking — see how we rank.
Pricing
We do not reprint prices. They change too often for that to be honest, and a number on our page with no date is worse than sending you to the source.
How we rated it
What it is
A code editor built on VS Code with an AI layer in it: inline completion, a chat that can see your whole project, and an agent mode that edits across files. Your existing VS Code extensions and keybindings carry over.
Who it is for
Developers who want AI help without leaving the editor. The gentlest step up from plain VS Code, because everything else stays where it was.
Where it is strongest
Working inside a codebase you already know. The completions are fast and aware of what is around them, which is where most of the day-to-day time goes.
Where it falls short
Speed and quality drop on very large repositories. The free tier is thin enough that you will hit it in a week of real use. And it is easy to accept suggestions without reading them, which is how bugs quietly land.
Our verdict
The best default for most developers, mainly because the switching cost is close to zero. If you want an agent that works without you watching, Claude Code goes further.
Editorial assessment. We earn a commission on some links; it does not change the ranking.