Best AI code editor

Editors and assistants for people who still read the code.

Ranked picks

#1 Cursor
Use

#1: the reference agentic IDE; note that the new $8 Plus tier only includes Grok models.

Use this if you code daily in a VS Code-style editor and want deep agentic edits across your repo.

Free tier. Plus $8/mo (Grok models only); Premium $30/mo; Super $100; Ultra $200. · verified 2026-10-15
#2 GitHub Copilot
Use

#2: the cheapest serious option, with the widest editor support and native issue-to-PR agents.

Use this if your team lives on GitHub and wants AI inside the editors it already uses (VS Code, JetBrains, etc.).

Free tier. Pro $10/mo; Pro+ $39/mo; Business $19/seat. · verified 2026-10-15
#3 Windsurf (now Devin Desktop)
Watch

#3: still capable, but it rebranded to Devin Desktop and lost its price edge over Cursor in 2026.

Use this if you want Cognition's agentic IDE with access to Devin cloud agents.

Free tier. Pro $20/mo; Max $200/mo. · verified 2026-10-15

FAQ

What is the best AI code editor?

Our #1 pick is Cursor. #1: the reference agentic IDE; note that the new $8 Plus tier only includes Grok models.

What's the best alternative?

GitHub Copilot (#2): #2: the cheapest serious option, with the widest editor support and native issue-to-PR agents. Also consider Windsurf (now Devin Desktop) (#3): #3: still capable, but it rebranded to Devin Desktop and lost its price edge over Cursor in 2026.

Is there a free option?

Cursor: Free tier. Plus $8/mo (Grok models only); Premium $30/mo; Super $100; Ultra $200.
GitHub Copilot: Free tier. Pro $10/mo; Pro+ $39/mo; Business $19/seat.
Windsurf (now Devin Desktop): Free tier. Pro $20/mo; Max $200/mo.

How do you rank?

Editorial rankings by capability and reputation, verified 2026-10-15. Paid featured placements never affect rank.