AI coding · Ranked 1 of 9 in Best AI coding assistants
What is Cursor?
Short answer
Cursor is a AI coding assistant from Anysphere, best for AI-first code editor. It has a free plan (limited agent and chat requests); paid plans start at $8 / mo.
| Fact | Cursor | AI coding median (6 tools) |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes, limited agent and chat requests | 8 of 9 have one |
| Entry price | $8 / mo | $12.50 / mo |
| Top plan | $200 / mo | $150.00 / mo |
| 1st year | $96 | $150 |
| Paid plans | 4 | 2.5 |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux | — |
What does Cursor do?
Cursor covers these jobs, as listed on Anysphere's pricing and feature pages.
- AI code editor
- Agent and chat requests
- Cloud agents and automations
- AI code reviews
- Third-party models billed by usage
How much does Cursor cost?
Free, then $8 / mo to $200 / mo.
| Plan | Price | Billed monthly | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Free | Limited agent and chat requests |
| Plus | $8 / mo | $8 / mo | Introductory plan; shared AI usage pool |
| Premium | $30 / mo | $30 / mo | 4x more usage than Plus; cloud agents; third-party models at API list price |
| Super | $100 / mo | $100 / mo | 15x more usage than Plus |
| Ultra | $200 / mo | $200 / mo | 50x more usage than Plus |
What are the best Cursor alternatives?
Closest on first-year cost: OpenAI Codex, Aider, Claude Code.
| Alternative | Free plan | From |
|---|---|---|
| OpenAI Codex | Yes | $8 / mo |
| Aider | Yes | Free |
| Claude Code | No | $17 / mo |
Is Cursor better than OpenAI Codex?
Cursor is best for AI-first code editor; OpenAI Codex for coding agent bundled with ChatGPT. First year: $96 vs $96.
Sources
| Vendor page | URL | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Cursor pricing | cursor.com/pricing | 27 Oct 2026 |
Prices in USD as published by each vendor, billed yearly where offered. How we compare