Cursor
Cursor is the AI-native IDE on a VS Code base with GPT-4 and Claude integrated — faster and deeper than Copilot.
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TL;DR
Cursor is currently the most aggressive AI editor on the market. If you want to integrate AI deeply into your daily workflow, at least try the Pro version for a month.
Pricing & licensing posture 2026
As of May 2026: free tier with limited premium-model access and capped tab completions. Pro $20/month: unlimited completions, full Composer mode, multi-file editing, model choice (Claude Sonnet 3.5, GPT-4o, proprietary tab models). Business $40/seat/month: admin console, no training use, Privacy Mode on by default, team workflows. Commercial use from Pro. Privacy Mode guarantees code is not used for training. Cursor is a VS Code fork — existing marketplace plugins generally work.
Core features
- Cmd+K: select code and rewrite via AI
- Composer (Cmd+I): agentically execute multi-file changes
- Codebase chat: ask questions about the entire repo
- Native Claude and GPT-4 access without your own API key
✓ Strengths
- Significantly faster autocomplete than Copilot
- Agent mode for complex refactorings
- VS Code-compatible — all extensions run
⚠ Limitations
- Pro plan needed for serious use ($20/month)
- JetBrains variant missing
- Enterprise policies still in development
Typical use cases
- Greenfield projects with AI-first workflow
- Large refactorings with agent mode
- Exploratory prototypes
Integrations
- VS Code extensions
- GitHub
- GitLab
Frequently asked questions
Can I import my VS Code settings?
Yes — Cursor is built on VS Code and offers a migration assistant at first launch. All extensions, keybindings and settings are carried over.
Is Cursor worth it vs. Copilot + VS Code?
For developers who frequently do larger refactorings or multi-file changes, yes. Cursor's Composer mode and fast tab autocomplete are clearly stronger.
Ready for Cursor?
Try it now on the official site.
Open Cursor →