Compare free plans, usage limits and model costs.
See which editors include AI usage and which need your own API key or local model. Each plan links to its official source.
5 of 5 editors
| Editor | What is free | Usage limits | Model costs |
|---|---|---|---|
 CursorHobby | Free editor access, a limited Agent allowance and access to Composer. | Agent usage is capped. The public pricing page does not give a fixed request count; paid plans raise the limits. | Included Hobby usage is free. A paid plan or separately billed provider access can add costs. |
 Kiro IdeKiro Free | 50 credits per month for supported AI models in the free individual plan. | Tasks consume different amounts of credits. Monthly credits do not roll over. Enterprise and GovCloud require paid plans. | Usage within the free allowance costs $0. Higher capacity and add-on credits require a paid plan. |
 Theia IDEOpen-source IDE | Open-source desktop IDE with AI features connected to your own model provider or local model. | Model access is configured separately. The online demo lasts 30 minutes per session; it is not an unlimited hosted workspace. | Hosted providers charge for their services. Self-hosted or local models need your own compute. |
 Visual Studio CodeEditor + Copilot Free | Free editor with optional Copilot Free: 2,000 completions per month and an allowance of AI credits. | Copilot Free is for eligible individuals, with limited agents and automatic model selection. Separate AI services have separate limits. | Copilot’s free allowance costs $0. Paid subscriptions and models connected with your own credentials are billed separately. |
 Zed AIPersonal | Free editor, 2,000 accepted edit predictions, and connections to your own API keys or external agents. | Hosted-model credits are part of Pro or its limited trial. Your model provider or external agent sets its own usage limits. | Your provider bills API usage separately. Local models run on your own hardware. |
Credits, requests and completions measure different things. Their counts are not directly comparable. Free editor software can still require paid AI usage.
Trying an AI editor with an included agent allowance.
Start here: Download Cursor, sign in and start on Hobby. Check your account’s remaining usage before a large task.
Trying spec-based coding tasks with a stated monthly credit allowance.
Start here: Install Kiro and use a social login or AWS Builder ID. Track remaining credits in the subscription dashboard.
An open-source IDE with control over model connections.
Start here: Download the desktop IDE, enable its AI features and connect a provider account or local model. Use the online demo only for evaluation.
Adding limited AI assistance to a familiar VS Code workspace.
Start here: Install VS Code, select Use AI Features and sign in with an eligible GitHub account to activate Copilot Free.
Using your existing model account or a local model inside a desktop editor.
Start here: Install Zed, then configure a supported provider, external agent, Ollama or LM Studio. Check that provider’s billing before starting.
2 options
Keep your existing editor and add a coding assistant. These are extensions, with their own model access and usage limits.
Running an agent in VS Code with a chosen provider or local model.
Free access: Free extension for individual developers, with provider and local-model connections.
Limits: AI inference is separate. Local performance depends on the model and hardware. JetBrains support is listed under Enterprise.
Model costs: Hosted inference is billed by usage. A local model avoids hosted API fees but uses your hardware.
Start here: Install Cline in VS Code, then select a provider. For local use, start Ollama, LM Studio or another supported runtime and select a model.
Adding AI assistance to an existing supported editor.
Free access: 2,000 completions per month and an AI credit allowance.
Limits: Eligible individual accounts only; limited agents and automatic model selection. This is the same allowance used by the VS Code setup above.
Model costs: Free within the included allowance. Paid plans provide more usage.
Start here: Enable Copilot in a supported editor and sign in with GitHub. Check the account’s free-plan eligibility.
It depends on the plan. Some editors include a limited allowance of AI requests or completions. Others provide free editor software but require a separately billed model account or a local model. Compare the allowance and model costs together.
Choose a plan labelled AI usage included. You sign in to the provider and use its included allowance. Bringing your own API key is a separate setup and may create separate charges.
A local model avoids hosted API charges, but needs suitable hardware, storage and electricity. Model licenses and performance vary. Check the editor’s local-model documentation before downloading a model.
No. Code completion, chat and agents can have separate allowances. A plan may include completion while limiting agent requests. Check the specific feature you intend to use.
Some providers offer browser workspaces or demos. A browser demo may expire, and a free workspace does not necessarily include AI usage. Theia’s official online demo currently allows 30 minutes per session; its desktop editor uses your own model access. Theia’s official demo details
AI IDE List editors review the official pricing pages and setup documentation linked under each tool. The checked date belongs to that plan. These are source-based comparisons; they are not performance benchmarks. Confirm the provider’s current terms before signing up.
