GitHub CopilotBest overall for most developers
Works in VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains, Xcode and Eclipse, has a free plan with agent mode, and costs $10 for Pro; individual plans now train on your data unless you opt out.
AI coding tools
An AI coding tool is software that writes, edits and reviews code from natural-language instructions. These AI coding tools reviews compare nine of them, from GitHub Copilot at $10 a month to app builders such as Lovable, on models, agent features, editors, usage limits and what happens to your code.
OpenAI CodexBest-value coding agent
Included in every ChatGPT plan from Free to Enterprise, with published 5-hour limits, an open-source CLI and network-off sandbox defaults; OpenAI models only.
Claude CodeBest for complex agent work
Runs Claude Opus 5.5, 1st on LMArena WebDev, with subagents, hooks and cloud routines; needs at least Claude Pro and states limits as multiples.
CursorBest AI code editor
Models from seven makers plus Composer 2.5, Tab, parallel and cloud agents and Bugbot, with SOC 2 and ISO 27001; included usage is not published.
JetBrains AIBest for JetBrains IDE users
AI Assistant and the Junie agent with BYOK and local models, opt-in data sharing on paid licences, and AI Pro included in the All Products Pack.
Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)Best for local-to-cloud agent handoff
Windsurf, renamed Devin Desktop in June 2026, hands tasks from the editor to Devin's cloud agent; its current docs publish no training or retention terms.
LovableBest app builder for non-developers
Chat-to-app building with Lovable Cloud, security scans on every publish, and SSO plus default training exclusion on Business; credit use per message varies.
ReplitBest for full-stack apps with a team
Replit Agent builds inside a full coding workspace with hosting, 15 collaborators and 28-day database rollback on Pro; effort-based billing is hard to predict.
Bolt.newBest free allowance for prototypes
1 million free tokens a month and $25 Pro with 10 million tokens, running entirely in the browser; models and training policy are not disclosed.
Compare side by side
Every score and price in one table. Select a column to sort. Prices are US list prices; hover a price for the full terms.
| GitHub Copilot | 8.8 | 8.9 | 9.0 | 9.6 | 8.2 | 8.3 | $10/mo | Yes | – |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAI Codex | 8.7 | 9.1 | 9.2 | 8.7 | 8.3 | 8.1 | $8/mo with ChatGPT Go | Yes | – |
| Claude Code | 8.7 | 9.3 | 9.4 | 8.8 | 7.5 | 8.3 | $17/mo | – | – |
| Cursor | 8.6 | 9.3 | 9.2 | 8.8 | 7.3 | 8.2 | $20/mo | Yes | – |
| JetBrains AI | 8.1 | 8.3 | 8.2 | 7.8 | 7.8 | 8.5 | $8.33/mo | Yes | – |
| Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) | 7.9 | 8.7 | 8.8 | 7.8 | 7.2 | 6.6 | $20/mo | Yes | – |
| Lovable | 7.8 | 7.8 | 8.4 | 8.0 | 7.6 | 7.2 | $21/mo | Yes | – |
| Replit | 7.6 | 7.8 | 8.6 | 8.2 | 7.0 | 6.6 | $18/mo | Yes | – |
| Bolt.new | 7.4 | 7.4 | 7.8 | 7.8 | 7.8 | 6.4 | $18/mo | Yes | None |
What kinds of AI coding tools are there?
There are two kinds, built for two different people. Assistants for developers, such as GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Claude Code and OpenAI Codex, work inside your editor or terminal. They complete code as you type, answer questions about the repository and run agents that edit many files, run tests and open pull requests. App builders for non-developers, such as Lovable, Replit and Bolt.new, turn a chat description into a hosted web app with a database.
The line keeps blurring. Every developer tool now ships an agent, and every builder lets you see the code. What still differs is the model, the usage you get for the money, and who can read your code.
Which AI coding tool fits you?
The default for working developers is GitHub Copilot. It runs in VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains, Xcode and Eclipse, has a free plan with agent mode, and Pro costs $10 a month. Switch when one of these is true:
- If you’ve already paid for ChatGPT, start with Codex. It comes with every ChatGPT plan from Free to Enterprise, and its open-source CLI runs with the network off by default.
- If your work is long, multi-file agent tasks, choose Claude Code. It runs Claude Opus 5.5, ranked 1st on the LMArena WebDev board, but needs at least Claude Pro at $20 a month or $200 a year.
- If you want an AI-first editor with many models, choose Cursor, at $20 a month for Pro. It doesn’t publish how much usage Pro includes.
- If you work in IntelliJ or PyCharm, JetBrains AI Pro costs $100 a year and keeps data sharing opt-in on paid licences.
- If you can’t code but need a working app, choose Lovable. Pro costs $25 a month or $250 a year, and it scans for security issues on every publish.
| Tool | Cheapest paid plan | Where it runs | Training on your code |
|---|---|---|---|
| GitHub Copilot | Pro $10/mo | VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains, Xcode, Eclipse, CLI | On by default for individuals since April 24, 2026 |
| OpenAI Codex | ChatGPT Go $8/mo | CLI, VS Code and JetBrains extensions, ChatGPT app | Consumer plans train by default |
| Claude Code | Claude Pro $20/mo ($17 billed yearly) | CLI, VS Code, JetBrains, desktop, web | Consumer setting; never on Team or API |
| Cursor | Pro $20/mo | Cursor editor, CLI, JetBrains plugin | None with Privacy Mode on |
| Lovable | Pro $25/mo ($250/yr) | Browser | Opt-out on Free and Pro; excluded on Business |
When should you not pay for an AI coding tool?
Skip the upgrade if you code a few hours a week. Copilot Free includes agent mode, and Codex already sits inside ChatGPT Free. Don’t use an app builder for a product that will handle payments or personal data unless a developer reviews the code. Builders produce working apps quickly. Nobody guarantees they are secure.
What do most developers miss?
Most people miss the billing change. Three shifts matter.
- Defaults changed in 2026. GitHub Copilot’s individual plans have trained on your data by default since April 24, 2026. Switch it off in your Copilot settings if the code is not yours to share.
- Usage is metered now. Copilot moved to AI Credits at $0.01 each on June 1, 2026, Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) switched to daily and weekly quotas, and Cursor bills usage beyond its pools at API rates. Your bill can grow while the plan price stays fixed. When you compare plans, ask what one long agent session costs.
- Agents can do damage. In July 2025 Replit’s agent deleted a production database. Don’t trust an agent with production credentials. Give it a sandbox, keep backups, and read every command before you approve it. Replit now offers database rollback of up to 28 days on Pro.
How should you read our AI coding tools reviews?
Every score is a research score. We use official pricing and docs, independent leaderboards and security advisories, and we label vendor benchmarks as vendor claims. We don’t present a vendor’s numbers as our own findings.
Three tools sit within 0.1 of each other: OpenAI Codex and Claude Code at 8.7, Cursor at 8.6. In practice, the per-criterion lines decide between them. Claude Code scores 9.3 for models but 7.5 for price and limits, because Anthropic states limits as multiples rather than numbers. Codex has a full home in our ChatGPT review. For chat-first help, see AI assistants, part of our AI tools section. Anthropic documents what Claude Code keeps in its data usage policy.
How we score AI coding tools
Every product here is scored 0 to 10 on the same criteria, using published evidence. The overall score is the weighted average.
Models & code qualityWhich models each plan unlocks and from how many makers; placement on the independent LMArena WebDev leaderboard (October 8, 2026); vendor-reported benchmarks such as SWE-bench, SWE-Rebench and Terminal-Bench, labelled with source and date; whether the models behind app builders are disclosed.weight25%
Agent & workflow featuresAgent mode, cloud or background agents, parallel agents, pull request creation and AI code review, MCP and tool connections, hooks, skills and scheduling; for app builders, backend, database, authentication, hosting, rollback and security scanning.weight20%
Editors & platformsSupported IDEs and editors (VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains, Xcode, Eclipse), CLI, desktop, web and mobile apps, GitHub and CI integrations; for app builders, browser workspace, hosting and custom domains.weight15%
Price & usage limitsFree plan, cheapest paid plan, team price per seat, how clearly included usage is stated (requests, credits, tokens or quotas), overage pricing, recent price or limit changes and refund terms.weight20%
Privacy, security & adminWhether code and prompts train models by default on each plan and how to opt out, retention and zero-retention options, certifications, IP indemnity, sandboxing defaults, published vulnerabilities and incidents, and SSO, SCIM, audit logs and data residency.weight20%
Questions people ask
What is the best AI coding assistant for most developers?
GitHub Copilot, on our evidence. It scores 8.8, works in five major editor families plus the command line, includes agent mode on its free plan and costs $10 a month for Pro. If you've already paid for ChatGPT, try Codex first, since it is included with every ChatGPT plan.
Is there a free AI coding tool?
Yes, several. GitHub Copilot Free includes agent mode, Codex works on ChatGPT Free, and JetBrains has an AI Free tier. Bolt.new gives 1 million free tokens a month for browser prototypes. Free plans cap usage. When you run long agent sessions, expect to hit those caps.
Do AI coding tools train on my code?
Some do unless you opt out. GitHub Copilot's individual plans have trained on your data by default since April 24, 2026. Claude Code follows your consumer privacy setting but never trains on Team, Enterprise or API use, and Cursor trains on nothing with Privacy Mode on. Business plans usually exclude your code by default.
Can non-developers build apps with AI coding tools?
Yes, with app builders such as Lovable, Replit and Bolt.new, which turn a chat description into a hosted web app. They work well for prototypes and internal tools. For anything that takes payments or stores personal data, have a developer review the code and security settings before launch.