Best AI coding assistants (October 2026)
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AI that writes, explains and fixes code inside your editor, compared on price, free tiers and team features.
Only want free? See the best free AI coding assistants, with what each free plan includes.
The ranking
- 1
GitHub Copilot
by GitHubLowest entry priceAI pair programmer in VS Code, JetBrains, Visual Studio, Xcode and more, with agent mode and code review.
Pros
- Free plan
- Agent mode
Cons
- Team admin: check on GitHub Copilot's site
- Business and Enterprise prices not shown on the plans page
- 2
Cursor
by AnysphereBest free starting pointAI code editor with an agent that edits across your codebase, plus Bugbot code review for teams.
Free planAgent modeTeam adminPros
- Free plan
- Agent mode
Cons
- No drawbacks found in our data
- 3
Windsurf
by WindsurfBest free starting pointAI code editor with credit-based plans and team management.
Pros
- Free plan
- Team admin
Cons
- Agent mode: check on Windsurf's site
Compare all in a table
| Rank | Product | Score | Entry price (USD) | Free plan | Agent mode | Team admin | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GitHub Copilot | 90 | 10.00 | Yes | Yes | Not confirmed | Visit site |
| 2 | Cursor | 88 | 20.00 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Visit site |
| 3 | Windsurf | 82 | 15.00 | Yes | Not confirmed | Yes | Visit site |
Entry price is the cheapest paid plan, converted to USD where the vendor prices in another currency. Usage-based prices are not compared.
What to check
Free plan. 3 of 3 confirm it.
Agent mode. 2 of 3 confirm it.
Team admin. 2 of 3 confirm it.
Score: features 30, free plan or trial 20, pricing transparency 25, entry price value 25. Commissions are never part of it. Full method.
Questions
What is the cheapest option?
GitHub Copilot, from USD 10 per user per month.
Is there a free option?
3 of the 3 ranked products have a free plan.