Free Cursor Alternatives for AI Coding
Last checked: . Prices and limits change often, so each listing links to the page we checked.
How we pick: free plan or license checked on the vendor's own page. Paid placement can't change the order. How we check
Quick comparison
| Alternative | Free tier | Best for | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cline | Open-source coding agents | Open-source agent inside VS Code | VS Code extension, CLI, desktop app; JetBrains is listed under Enterprise |
| Kilo Code | Open-source coding agents | Not listed | VS Code, JetBrains, CLI; desktop app for macOS, Windows, Linux |
| OpenCode | Open-source coding agents | Free models with no account | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| Zed | Free code editors | Free editor with your own API keys | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| VS Code + Copilot Free | Free code editors | Not listed | Not listed |
| Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) | Hosted AI editor with a free plan | Not listed | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| Aider | Terminal pair programmer | Not listed | Terminal (installs with pip) |
Short answer
- Best for open-source agent inside VS Code Cline
- Best for free models with no account OpenCode
- Best for free editor with your own API keys Zed
Cursor (the AI code editor) has a $0 Free plan, but its agent and chat use are limited, and Claude, GPT and Gemini aren't available on it. If you want free AI coding help without those limits:
- Open-source coding agents: Cline, Kilo Code and OpenCode. Kilo Code and OpenCode also offer free models; Cline needs your own key or a local model.
- Free editors: Zed (open source, free with your own keys) and VS Code with GitHub Copilot Free (2,000 completions a month).
- Hosted AI editor with a free plan: Devin Desktop, formerly Windsurf.
- Terminal: Aider, open source, but updated less often.
The open-source tools are free software. The AI model is free only if you use a free model or run one on your own computer. Otherwise you pay your model provider.
Free swaps for Cursor
7 options. Every card shows the same facts in the same order; "Not stated" means the vendor's page doesn't say.
Cline
Coding agent: editor extension, CLI, desktop app- Cost/license
- Free, open source (Apache-2.0)
- Runs on
- VS Code extension, CLI, desktop app; JetBrains is listed under Enterprise
- Commercial use
- Not stated
- Free limit
- Free for individual developers; you pay for AI use or bring your own key
- Last release
- v4.1.26 · 2026-10-26 (GitHub)
Skip it if: you want free AI with nothing to set up; you pay for inference or bring a key or local model.
Kilo Code
Coding agent: editor extension, CLI, desktop app- Cost/license
- Free, open source (MIT)
- Runs on
- VS Code, JetBrains, CLI; desktop app for macOS, Windows, Linux
- Commercial use
- Not stated
- Free limit
- Free plan; "Auto Free" routes to free models, or bring your own key or a local model
- Last release
- v7.8.18 · 2026-10-26 (GitHub)
Skip it if: your free AI has to avoid a vendor gateway; Auto Free routes through Kilo Gateway, so use your own key or a local model.
OpenCode
Coding agent: terminal, desktop app, IDE extension- Cost/license
- Free, open source (MIT)
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux
- Commercial use
- Not stated
- Free limit
- "100% free to use", with a set of free models you can use without an account
- Last release
- v1.19.5 · 2026-10-28 (GitHub)
Skip it if: you don't want your data stored; OpenCode says it stores data when you use its free models.
Zed
Code editor- Cost/license
- Free, open source (GPL-3.0-or-later, with Apache-2.0 parts)
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux
- Commercial use
- Not stated
- Free limit
- Personal: $0 forever, unlimited use with your own API keys or external agents
- Last release
- v1.25.3 · 2026-10-23 (GitHub)
Skip it if: you want hosted AI included; on Personal you bring your own keys or agents.
VS Code + Copilot Free
Code editor + hosted AI- Cost/license
- Editor source is MIT (Code - OSS); Copilot is a hosted service
- Runs on
- Not stated on the plans page
- Commercial use
- Not stated
- Free limit
- Copilot Free: 2,000 completions a month, limited chat and agent use
- Last release
- Not stated
Skip it if: you need more than 2,000 completions a month or want to pick the model.
Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)
AI code editor (hosted AI)- Cost/license
- Free plan; not open source
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux
- Commercial use
- Not stated
- Free limit
- Free: "Light quota to code with agents", limited models, unlimited Tab completions and inline edits
- Last release
- Not stated
Skip it if: you want open source; it's a hosted product with a light free agent quota.
Aider
Terminal pair programmer- Cost/license
- Free, open source (Apache-2.0)
- Runs on
- Terminal (installs with pip)
- Commercial use
- Not stated
- Free limit
- Free software; you pay your model provider or run a local model
- Last release
- v0.86.0 · 2025-08-09 (GitHub)
Skip it if: you want a tool that's updated often; its last release was 2025-08-09.
Is Cursor free?
Yes, Cursor has a Free plan. Per the Cursor pricing page (checked 2026-10-28), Free costs $0 a month and includes:
- Agent, with "Limited agent requests"
- "Limited Chat requests"
- AI usage marked "Limited", with no number given
Per Cursor's models and pricing docs, Free has "Agent and Chat with limited usage", and third-party models such as Claude, GPT and Gemini are "Not available" on it. Cloud agents, automations and Bugbot code reviews start at Premium.
Cursor is now sold as part of The X Subscription, which bundles Grok, Cursor and X. Paid plans are Plus ($8 a month, Grok and Cursor's own models only), Premium ($30), Super ($100) and Ultra ($200). On Premium and above, third-party models cost extra at API list price. Cursor's student page says "Anyone can get started with Cursor for free" and lists no fixed student discount.
Comparison table
| Tool | Open source? (license) | Type | Free plan limit | Models (per vendor) | Platforms (per vendor) | Source (checked 2026-10-28) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cline | Yes (Apache-2.0) | Coding agent: editor extension, CLI, desktop app | Free for individual developers; you pay for AI use or bring your own key | Claude, GPT, Gemini, local Ollama / LM Studio, any OpenAI-compatible endpoint | VS Code extension, CLI, desktop app; JetBrains is listed under Enterprise | Cline pricing |
| Kilo Code | Yes (MIT) | Coding agent: editor extension, CLI, desktop app | Free plan; "Auto Free" routes to free models, or bring your own key or a local model | 500+ models, your own keys, Ollama or LM Studio | VS Code, JetBrains, CLI; desktop app for macOS, Windows, Linux | Kilo pricing |
| OpenCode | Yes (MIT) | Coding agent: terminal, desktop app, IDE extension | "100% free to use", with a set of free models you can use without an account | 75+ providers, including local models | macOS, Windows, Linux | opencode.ai |
| Zed | Yes (GPL-3.0-or-later, with Apache-2.0 parts) | Code editor | Personal: $0 forever, unlimited use with your own API keys or external agents | Your keys, existing subscriptions, local models; hosted models need Pro | macOS, Windows, Linux | Zed pricing |
| VS Code + Copilot Free | Editor source is MIT (Code - OSS); Copilot is a hosted service | Code editor + hosted AI | Copilot Free: 2,000 completions a month, limited chat and agent use | Auto model selection only on Free | Not stated on the plans page | Copilot plans |
| Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) | No | AI code editor (hosted AI) | Free: "Light quota to code with agents", limited models, unlimited Tab completions and inline edits | Limited model availability on Free | macOS, Windows, Linux | Windsurf pricing |
| Aider | Yes (Apache-2.0) | Terminal pair programmer | Free software; you pay your model provider or run a local model | "Almost any LLM, including local models" | Terminal (installs with pip) | aider.chat |
Open-source coding agents
These are agents like Cursor's: they read your project, edit files and run commands. The software is free. You choose the model.
Cline
Cline's pricing page says "Cline is free for individual developers. Pay only for AI inference on a usage basis - no subscriptions." You can bring your own API keys or use the Cline provider.
More details
- Models: "Claude, GPT, Gemini, local Ollama / LM Studio, or any OpenAI-compatible endpoint."
- Where: VS Code extension, CLI and a new desktop app. Cline's site also has install links for Cursor, Windsurf and JetBrains, but its pricing page lists the JetBrains extension under Enterprise.
- How it works: Plan mode to agree on an approach, then Act mode to make changes. You approve each step or turn on auto-approve.
Source: Cline pricing, cline.bot and Cline on GitHub (license: Apache-2.0 per GitHub) · checked 2026-10-28
Kilo Code
Kilo Code's pricing page lists a Free plan for individuals: open-source VS Code, JetBrains and CLI extensions, with AI usage billed separately. For $0 AI, it offers "Auto Free", which "routes to free models through Kilo Gateway where available", plus your own provider keys or local models with Ollama or LM Studio.
More details
- Paid options: Kilo Gateway is pay-as-you-go at provider rates. Kilo Pass is $19 a month for credits. Teams is $15 a user a month.
- Where: VS Code (also Cursor, Windsurf and other Open VSX editors, per its site), JetBrains, CLI and a desktop app for macOS, Windows and Linux.
- Note: Kilo's docs say Kilo has been acquired by Anaconda.
Source: Kilo pricing, Kilo homepage and Kilo Code on GitHub (license: MIT per GitHub) · checked 2026-10-28
OpenCode
OpenCode's FAQ says "OpenCode is 100% free to use. It also comes with a set of free models", which "you can use without creating an account." Other providers may cost extra.
More details
- Models: "75+ LLM providers through Models.dev, including local models." You can also log in with a GitHub Copilot or ChatGPT Plus/Pro account.
- Where: terminal, desktop app (beta) and IDE extension. Desktop downloads are listed for macOS, Windows and Linux.
- Privacy note: the FAQ says "Your data and information is only stored when you use our free models."
Source: opencode.ai and OpenCode on GitHub (license: MIT per GitHub) · checked 2026-10-28
Free code editors
These replace Cursor the editor. Bring your own AI, or use a small free allowance.
Zed
Zed's Personal plan is "$0 forever" with "Unlimited use with your API keys or external agents like Claude Agent, Codex CLI, and more." Zed-hosted models and unlimited edit predictions need Pro ($10 a month, with a 14-day free trial and no card needed).
More details
- Models: your own API keys, an existing ChatGPT, Claude or Copilot subscription, a gateway such as OpenRouter, or a local model.
- Platforms: macOS, Windows and Linux.
- License: Zed's README says it's "licensed primarily under GPL-3.0-or-later, with Apache-2.0 components where marked."
Source: Zed pricing, Zed LLM providers and Zed on GitHub · checked 2026-10-28
VS Code + Copilot Free
VS Code's setup docs say that if you don't have a Copilot subscription, "you'll be signed up for the Copilot Free plan." Per GitHub's plan docs, Copilot Free has:
More details
- Completions: "Limited to 2000 completions per month."
- Chat and agents: an allowance of GitHub AI Credits, with "Limited" agent use. The plans page says "Free plan supports CLI and agent mode."
- Models: "auto model selection only."
You need a GitHub account. Copilot Pro is $10 a month. Verified students can get Copilot Student free. The VS Code source (Code - OSS) is MIT; Microsoft's VS Code download is released under a Microsoft product license.
Source: Copilot plans docs, Copilot plans page, VS Code Copilot setup and VS Code on GitHub · checked 2026-10-28
Hosted AI editor with a free plan
Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)
Cognition renamed Windsurf to Devin Desktop; windsurf.com now shows Devin Desktop. Its Free plan is $0 with:
More details
- "Light quota to code with agents"
- "Limited model availability"
- "Unlimited inline edits" and "Unlimited Tab completions"
Pro is $20 a month. The docs list downloads for Mac, Windows and Linux.
Source: Windsurf pricing, Devin Desktop docs and Windsurf is now Devin Desktop · checked 2026-10-28
Terminal pair programmer
Aider
Aider is an open-source AI pair programmer for your terminal. It "can connect to almost any LLM, including local models", maps your codebase and commits each change to Git with a message.
More details
- Install: `python -m pip install aider-install`, then `aider-install`.
- Note: its latest GitHub release is v0.86.0 from 2025-08-09, and the repository hasn't been updated since May 2026. Expect slower updates than the other tools here.
Source: aider.chat and Aider on GitHub (license: Apache-2.0 per GitHub) · checked 2026-10-28
What changed
Some tools you'll see on older lists are gone or changed:
- Roo Code: its README says "The Roo Code Extension was shut down on May 15th." The repository is archived.
- Void: its README says "Void is deprecated and no longer accepting contributions." The repository is archived.
- Continue: continue.dev says "Continue was acquired by Cursor." Its open-source code is still on GitHub.
- Gemini CLI: geminicli.com says that for unpaid-tier users it "was replaced by Antigravity CLI on June 18th, 2026."
- Windsurf is now Devin Desktop (see above).
FAQs
Is Cursor free?
Yes. Cursor's Free plan costs $0 a month. It includes Agent and Chat with limited usage, but Cursor doesn't publish the limits, and third-party models such as Claude, GPT and Gemini aren't available on it. Paid plans start at $8 a month for Plus, which uses Grok and Cursor's own models only (checked 2026-10-28).
What are Cursor's free plan limits?
Cursor lists "Limited agent requests" and "Limited Chat requests" on Free, with usage marked "Limited" and no number given. Third-party models, cloud agents, automations, Bugbot code reviews and Origin code hosting are not included. Usage on paid plans refreshes weekly.
Is there an open-source alternative to Cursor?
Yes. Cline (Apache-2.0), Kilo Code (MIT) and OpenCode (MIT) are open-source coding agents. Zed is an open-source editor (GPL-3.0-or-later). Aider (Apache-2.0) works in the terminal. Licenses are from each project's GitHub repository.
Is there a completely free Cursor alternative?
Yes, if you use a free model. OpenCode includes free models you can use without an account, and Kilo Code's "Auto Free" routes to free models. Cline, Zed, Kilo Code, OpenCode and Aider can also run local models, for example through Ollama.
Can I use a free Cursor alternative in VS Code?
Yes. Cline and Kilo Code install as VS Code extensions. GitHub Copilot Free also works in VS Code, with 2,000 completions a month and limited chat and agent use.
Is Cursor free for students?
Cursor's student page says anyone can start with Cursor for free and points students to promotions at campus and online events. We didn't see a fixed student discount. GitHub offers Copilot Student free to verified students (checked 2026-10-28).
Cursor vs Windsurf: which is free?
Both have $0 plans. Windsurf is now Devin Desktop; its Free plan includes a light agent quota, limited models and unlimited Tab completions and inline edits. Cursor Free has limited agent and chat requests and no third-party models.
How we picked and checked
- How we picked: we kept tools that do what people use Cursor for (an AI agent or AI editor) and that are open source or have a $0 plan we could confirm on the vendor's own pricing page, website or GitHub repository. We left out tools that were shut down, archived or acquired (see "What changed").
- How we checked: we read each pricing page, website and README on 2026-10-28. Licenses come from GitHub's license data and each project's README. Every listing links to the page we used.
- What we tried: we ran one quick test. On a Mac, we installed OpenCode 2.2.0 from npm, with no account, and asked one of its free models to fix a one-line bug in a small Python file. It found the bug, fixed it and ran the file to confirm. That's one small task, not a review, so we don't rank these tools by code quality.
- Affiliate links: some links may earn us a commission. The open-source tools don't pay us.
Sources
All checked 2026-10-28.
- Cursor pricing: https://
cursor.com/ pricing - Cursor models and pricing docs: https://
cursor.com/ docs/ models-and-pricing - Cursor students: https://
cursor.com/ students - Cline: https://
cline.bot/ , https://pricing cline.bot/ and https://github.com/ cline/ cline - Kilo Code: https://
kilo.ai/ , https://pricing kilo.ai/ and https://github.com/ Kilo-Org/ kilocode - OpenCode: https://
opencode.ai/ and https://github.com/ anomalyco/ opencode - Zed: https://
zed.dev/ , https://pricing zed.dev/ and https://docs/ ai/ llm-providers github.com/ zed-industries/ zed - GitHub Copilot: https://
docs.github.com/ and https://en/ copilot/ get-started/ plans github.com/ features/ copilot/ plans - VS Code: https://
code.visualstudio.com/ and https://docs/ copilot/ setup github.com/ microsoft/ vscode - Devin Desktop (Windsurf): https://
windsurf.com/ , https://pricing docs.windsurf.com/ and https://devin.ai/ blog/ windsurf-is-now-devin-desktop - Aider: https://
aider.chat/ and https://github.com/ Aider-AI/ aider - Roo Code: https://
github.com/ RooCodeInc/ Roo-Code - Void: https://
github.com/ voideditor/ void - Continue: https://
www.continue.dev/ - Gemini CLI: https://
geminicli.com/