Coding assistants · 5 tools compared
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Prices may changeCheck first if you are a student
GitHub Copilot ◐Free plan
Students and teachers get paid features free by verifying their school account. Clear best free value.
Major multi-file edits
Cursor ◐Free plan
Edits related files together using full project context, keeping human review steps for easy control.
Start with your existing subscription
OpenAI Codex ◐Free plan
If you subscribe to ChatGPT Plus, start using the agent with no extra cost across web and terminal.
When you must control code flow
Zed ◐Free plan
Connect your own API key or local models to control outbound code data. Open-source code enables audits.
Delegate and do other tasks
Claude Code ₩Paid
Delegate multi-file workflows directly in the terminal while you focus on other work. Paid sub required.
| Item | GitHub Copilot | Cursor | Zed | Claude Code | OpenAI Codex |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | ◐Free plan | ◐Free plan | ◐Free plan | ₩Paid | ◐Free plan |
| Free limits | Limit of 2,000 completions and 50 chats per month | Limited monthly requests on the Hobby plan | Personal is free forever, including 2,000 edit predictions. Unlimited AI usage when bringing your own API keys. | No free tier | Available with strict limits on Free and Go plans. |
| Paid price | Pro is $10/month, higher plans offer increased usage limits | Pro is $20/month, higher tiers provide more usage | Pro $10/month (includes $5 worth of tokens) · Business $30/user/month | Included with Claude Pro subscriptions starting at $20/month; usage limits depend on plan | Higher limits start with ChatGPT Plus (₩29,000/month), with the highest limits on Pro. |
| Student / edu discount | Free for students, teachers, and popular open-source maintainers | No | No | No | No |
| Korean | ○KoreanResponds when asked in Korean. You can also write code comments in Korean. | ○KoreanUnderstands instructions given in Korean. Most of the UI and menus are in English. | △PartialThe UI is in English. It generally understands instructions given in Korean. | ○KoreanUnderstands instructions in Korean and provides explanations in Korean. | ○KoreanUnderstands Korean instructions and explains in Korean. |
| Platforms | Web · Windows · macOS · Linux · Browser extension | Windows · macOS · Linux | Windows · macOS · Linux | Windows · macOS · Linux | Web · Windows · macOS · Linux · Browser extension |
| Commercial use | AllowedCommercial use is permitted. Enterprise plans offer dedicated settings to prevent code leaks. | AllowedCommercial use is permitted. Privacy Mode prevents your code from being stored on servers. | AllowedCommercial use is allowed. Using your own API key lets you decide where your code is sent. | AllowedCommercial use is permitted. You can configure permissions for which files it can access. | AllowedCommercial use is allowed. Check admin settings for organization accounts. |
| Form factor | Editor extension | AI editor | AI editor | Terminal | Terminal & web |
| Working style | Line-by-line autocomplete alongside you | Target and edit together in-editor | Unlimited edits with your own API key | Delegate tasks and review the results | Delegate tasks and review the results |
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The top choice to keep your existing editor. Installs as an extension to autocomplete code, and is free for verified students and teachers. The free tier caps at 2,000 completions and 50 chats/month, and multi-file editing is less seamless.
Understands your full codebase while keeping human review steps intact, giving you control over large edits. The VS Code look makes switching easy. Free requests run out fast, and switching editors may trigger corporate security policies.
A blazing-fast editor with AI. Bring your own API key to bypass usage caps, or link Ollama to run local models on your device. It is open source, making audits simple, but its extension ecosystem is smaller than VS Code.
Delegates end-to-end coding directly in the terminal. It handles multi-file tasks while you focus elsewhere and understands Korean prompts well. Requires a paid Claude plan. Commit to Git before running, as it edits files directly.
Great value if you already pay for ChatGPT Plus, with no added fees. Works seamlessly across both web and terminal. The free tier is just a preview, and longer autonomous runs can stray off course without early warning.
Choose by workspace first: keep your editor with Copilot, collaborate inside an AI editor with Cursor or Zed, or delegate via terminal with Claude Code or Codex. Next, leverage existing plans: ChatGPT Plus unlocks Codex, while Claude unlocks Claude Code. If privacy is strict, run Zed with local models. Always audit company code settings and test outputs before use.
| Situation | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 🎒 Check first if you are a student | GitHub Copilot | Students and teachers get paid features free by verifying their school account. Clear best free value. |
| 💼 Major multi-file edits | Cursor | Edits related files together using full project context, keeping human review steps for easy control. |
| 🌱 Start with your existing subscription | OpenAI Codex | If you subscribe to ChatGPT Plus, start using the agent with no extra cost across web and terminal. |
| 🔒 When you must control code flow | Zed | Connect your own API key or local models to control outbound code data. Open-source code enables audits. |
| 👥 Delegate and do other tasks | Claude Code | Delegate multi-file workflows directly in the terminal while you focus on other work. Paid sub required. |
Not a ranking. Different situations, different answers.
Last verified:
Prices may change; confirm on each official site before paying. A comparison's verified date is the oldest of the comparison and its tools.
An AI coding assistant that autocompletes code right inside your editor
An AI-first code editor
An open-source editor with unlimited use via your own API keys
A terminal-based coding agent that handles tasks for you
A coding agent included with ChatGPT plans