Automate Basics

AI coding assistants

AI coding assistants suggest, write, explain and fix code inside an editor or terminal. Newer ones work as agents: given a task, they read the codebase, make changes across files and run tests, then hand the result back for review.

5 tools · prices checked 27 October 2026 · no rankings are paid for

A code editor at night with an AI assistant suggesting a highlighted block of code

GitHub Copilot

GitHub's AI coding assistant for code completion, chat, agents and review

Free plan · from $10/mo

Cursor

AI code editor with agents that write and change code

Free plan · from $20/mo

Claude Code

Anthropic's agentic coding tool for the terminal, IDEs, desktop and web

From $17/mo

Devin Desktop

AI code editor from Cognition, renamed Devin Desktop in June 2026

Free plan · from $20/moFormerly Windsurf

Open source

OpenAI Codex

OpenAI's coding agent for the terminal, IDEs, desktop app and cloud

Free plan · from $8/mo

Side by side

Tick up to 4 tools to compare them in one table, or filter and sort all 5 by price and platform.

CompareToolFree planStarting priceOpen sourcePlatforms
GitHub Copilot$10/moNoWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux
Cursor$20/moNomacOS, Windows, Linux, Web
Claude Code$17/mo (annual)NomacOS, Windows, Linux, Web
Devin Desktop$20/moNomacOS, Windows, Linux
OpenAI Codex$8/moYesmacOS, Windows, Linux, Web

Entry prices are the cheapest paid plan per month, as published by each vendor. Annual means the monthly rate when billed yearly.

How to choose

  1. 1

    Where do you work: a specific editor, the terminal, or the browser?

  2. 2

    Do you want autocomplete as you type, or an agent you hand whole tasks to?

  3. 3

    How are requests metered on each plan, and what happens when you run out?

  4. 4

    What does the business plan say about your code being used for training?

Also worth a look

Tools listed elsewhere that do this job too.

Mistral Vibe

Mistral AI's assistant for chat, work tasks and coding, now called Vibe

Chat assistantsFree plan · from $14.99/moFormerly Le Chat

Lovable

AI app and website builder that creates apps from chat prompts

App buildersFree plan · from $21/mo

Bolt.new

AI builder that creates websites and web apps from chat prompts

App buildersFree plan · from $18/mo

v0 by Vercel

Vercel's AI builder that generates web apps and UI from prompts

App buildersFree plan · from $30/user/mo

Replit

Online app builder with an AI agent, hosting and databases in one place

App buildersFrom $18/mo

Guides

Questions

What are AI coding assistants?

AI coding assistants suggest, write, explain and fix code inside an editor or terminal. Newer ones work as agents: given a task, they read the codebase, make changes across files and run tests, then hand the result back for review.

Which AI coding assistants have a free plan?

Of the 5 listed here, 4 have a free plan: GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Devin Desktop and OpenAI Codex. Free plans are limited; each tool's page lists the limits.

Which of these AI coding assistants costs least to start?

Of the tools here with a published price, the lowest entry price is OpenAI Codex's ChatGPT Go plan at $8/mo, as published on its pricing page on 27 October 2026. The cheapest plan is not always the best value: check what each plan includes.