Cursor

The AI-first code editor taking on VS Code with powerful multi-file editing

4.7 / 5Free plan available
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What is Cursor?

Cursor is an AI-first code editor built on VS Code. Unlike Copilot (a plugin), Cursor is the entire editor — which allows it to have deeper AI integration. Its standout features are multi-file editing (Composer), codebase chat (ask questions about your entire repo), and the ability to apply AI edits across multiple files at once.

Pros & Cons

👍 Pros

  • Most powerful multi-file editing
  • Whole-codebase context is game-changing
  • VS Code familiar interface
  • Fast and responsive

👎 Cons

  • $20/mo is steeper than Copilot
  • Full VS Code parity not always there
  • Heavy resource usage
  • Requires getting used to the new paradigm

Key Features

  • Multi-file AI editing (Composer)
  • Codebase-aware chat
  • Tab completion
  • VS Code extension compatibility
  • Privacy mode
  • Multiple AI model support

Cursor Pricing

Cursor has a free plan — no credit card required to start.

Hobby

$0
  • 2,000 completions/month
  • 50 slow premium requests
  • All VS Code extensions
Start Free
Most Popular

Pro

$20/mo/monthly
  • Unlimited completions
  • 500 fast premium requests/month
  • Unlimited slow requests
Get Pro

Business

$40/mo/seat/monthly
  • All Pro
  • Centralized billing
  • Admin dashboard
  • Enforced privacy mode
Get Business

Cursor vs Competitors

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