Cursor
AI-first code editor built on VS Code. Multi-file editing, intelligent refactoring, and a built-in chat that understands your entire codebase. A favorite among developers for complex projects.
Updated 2026-08-27
Yes, within limits. Cursor runs a free tier with paid plans above it.
Listed pricing: Free Hobby + Individual $20/mo + Teams $40/user/mo + Enterprise Custom.
Overview
Cursor represents the next evolution in AI-assisted development — an AI-first code editor built on VS Code's foundation that treats AI as a core feature rather than a plugin. Its deep codebase awareness means it understands your project's architecture, dependencies, and coding patterns, producing suggestions that are contextually accurate across multiple files.
The Composer feature sets Cursor apart: describe a change in natural language and it will modify multiple files simultaneously, handling imports, type definitions, and cross-file references automatically. For complex refactoring and feature implementation, it's transformative.
Cursor has rapidly become the editor of choice among professional developers, with its Cmd+K inline editing and Tab completion feeling more intuitive than any competing tool. The agent mode can autonomously plan and execute multi-step coding tasks.
Is Cursor free?
Yes, within limits. Cursor runs a free tier with paid plans above it.
What the free tier covers: Limited Agent requests.
Listed pricing: Free Hobby + Individual $20/mo + Teams $40/user/mo + Enterprise Custom.
Pricing verified . That is the date the plans were last re-checked against the vendor's own pages, not today's date. Confirm on the official site before you pay.
What the free tier leaves out
Read straight off the plan list below. Vendors move features between tiers, so check the current split before you pay.
- Individual $20 /mo. Everything in Hobby, plus Extended limits on Agent, Generous limits for Grok, Access to frontier models, Grok Bot access, MCPs, skills, and hooks, Cloud agents, Bugbot on usage-based billing
- Teams $40 /user/mo. Everything on Individual, plus Centralized team billing and administration, Team marketplace for internal rules, skills, and plugins, Cloud agents and automations with shared team context, Grok Bot access, Agentic code reviews with Bugbot, Usage analytics to understand team behavior, Team-wide privacy mode, SAML/OIDC SSO
- Enterprise Custom Everything on Teams, plus Pooled usage, Invoice/PO billing, SCIM seat management, Repository, model, and MCP access controls, Auto-run, browser, and network controls, Audit logs and service accounts, AI code tracking API, Priority support and account management
Cursor pricing
| Plan | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Hobby | Free | No credit card required, Limited Agent requests, Access to Composer |
| Individual | $20 /mo. | Everything in Hobby, plus Extended limits on Agent, Generous limits for Grok, Access to frontier models, Grok Bot access, MCPs, skills, and hooks, Cloud agents, Bugbot on usage-based billing |
| Teams | $40 /user/mo. | Everything on Individual, plus Centralized team billing and administration, Team marketplace for internal rules, skills, and plugins, Cloud agents and automations with shared team context, Grok Bot access, Agentic code reviews with Bugbot, Usage analytics to understand team behavior, Team-wide privacy mode, SAML/OIDC SSO |
| Enterprise | Custom | Everything on Teams, plus Pooled usage, Invoice/PO billing, SCIM seat management, Repository, model, and MCP access controls, Auto-run, browser, and network controls, Audit logs and service accounts, AI code tracking API, Priority support and account management |
No credit card required, Limited Agent requests, Access to Composer
Everything in Hobby, plus Extended limits on Agent, Generous limits for Grok, Access to frontier models, Grok Bot access, MCPs, skills, and hooks, Cloud agents, Bugbot on usage-based billing
Everything on Individual, plus Centralized team billing and administration, Team marketplace for internal rules, skills, and plugins, Cloud agents and automations with shared team context, Grok Bot access, Agentic code reviews with Bugbot, Usage analytics to understand team behavior, Team-wide privacy mode, SAML/OIDC SSO
Everything on Teams, plus Pooled usage, Invoice/PO billing, SCIM seat management, Repository, model, and MCP access controls, Auto-run, browser, and network controls, Audit logs and service accounts, AI code tracking API, Priority support and account management
One plan carries no published number: Enterprise, recorded as “Custom”. Nothing is estimated in its place. The vendor's own pricing page is the only source for those figures.
Pricing verified . That is the date the plans were last re-checked against the vendor's own pages, not today's date. Confirm on the official site before you pay.
Is Cursor worth it?
Worth it for Professional developers handling complex, multi-file refactors who want AI built into a familiar VS Code-based editor.
You can test that on the free tier before paying anything. The recorded trade-offs are listed below, and any one of them can settle the question on its own.
The 9.5/10 AI Score is an editorial read of published capability, price and shipping pace. Nobody here has hands-on hours with Cursor. How we verify.
Worth it if
The strengths recorded against this entry.
- Best multi-file editing capability in any AI tool
- Deep codebase awareness for accurate suggestions
- Familiar VS Code interface with AI superpowers
- Agent mode for autonomous multi-step tasks
Not worth it if
Any one of these blocks your use case.
- Can be resource-heavy on older machines
- Free tier has limited premium model access
- Occasional over-eager suggestions in simple files
- Learning curve for advanced features like Composer
What sets Cursor apart
- Composer edits multiple files at once, handling imports and cross-file references automatically
- Indexes the entire codebase for context-aware suggestions
- Cmd+K inline editing and Tab completion
- Agent mode for autonomous multi-step tasks
Key features
AI Editor
AI-first code editor built on VS Code. Every feature is designed around AI assistance, from inline editing (Cmd+K) to intelligent Tab completion.
Multi-file
Composer makes changes across multiple files simultaneously. Handles imports, types, and cross-file references automatically.
Codebase-aware
Indexes your entire project to understand architecture, patterns, and dependencies. Suggestions fit naturally into your codebase.
How it compares
| Tool | Best for | Pricing | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cursor | Professional developers handling complex, multi-file refactors who want AI built into a familiar VS Code-based editor. | Free Hobby + Individual $20/mo + Teams $40/user/mo + Enterprise Custom | 9.5/10 |
| GPT-5.5 vs GPT-5.5 → | Developers and teams needing a frontier reasoning model for agentic coding workflows and large-codebase context handling. | API: $5/$30 per 1M tokens (in/out). ChatGPT Plus $20/mo, Pro $200/mo | 9.4/10 |
| Claude Code vs Claude Code → | Developers who want an agent that works inside an existing repo and toolchain rather than in a hosted editor, and who already pay for a Claude plan. | Included with Claude Pro $17/mo, Max 5x $100/mo, Max 20x $200/mo, Team and Enterprise plans | 9.3/10 |
| Windsurf vs Windsurf → | Developers who want an AI IDE that autonomously plans, codes, tests, and iterates across a project with minimal input. | Freemium | 9.1/10 |
Learn to use Cursor
Step-by-step, each one stamped with the date it was last checked against the docs.
Compare head-to-head
Related reading
OpenAI Winds Down Cursor Models After the SpaceX Deal
OpenAI notified SpaceX it will stop supplying models to Cursor, with a proposed shutoff of November 12, 2026. What the official post says, what Cursor still lists, and what to do before the date.
Grok 4.6 vs 4.5: Pricing, Evals, Where It Ships
xAI shipped Grok 4.6 on August 12. Official $2/$6 API price, vendor evals vs 4.5, and same-week placement in Build, Cursor, and Copilot.
What Grok Bot Is and Who Can Use It
Grok Bot is xAI's always-on teammate with its own cloud computer. Who can use the Aug 11 beta, what it costs, and how it differs from Grok chat and Grok Build.
Ready to try Cursor?
Head to the official site to start with Cursor — pricing and plans are listed above.
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