Best AI Coding Assistants Ranked by Developer Survey (2025)
Best AI Coding Assistants Ranked in 2025
Based on developer surveys, community feedback, and real-world testing, here is how the top AI coding assistants rank across key categories.
TL;DR: #1 Cursor (best all-around IDE). #2 GitHub Copilot (best autocomplete). #3 Claude Code (best for complex tasks). #4 Windsurf (best free option). #5 Amazon CodeWhisperer (best for AWS). Most developers use 2 tools: an editor + an agent.
Overall Rankings
| Rank | Tool | Type | Price | Strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cursor | AI IDE | $20/mo | Best overall editing |
| 2 | GitHub Copilot | Extension | $10/mo | Best autocomplete |
| 3 | Claude Code | Terminal agent | $20/mo | Best complex tasks |
| 4 | Windsurf | AI IDE | Free/$15 | Best free option |
| 5 | Amazon Q Developer | Extension | Free/$19 | Best for AWS |
| 6 | Codeium | Extension | Free | Best free autocomplete |
| 7 | Tabnine | Extension | $12/mo | Best privacy (local) |
Rankings by Category
- Best autocomplete: GitHub Copilot > Codeium > Tabnine
- Best inline editing: Cursor (Cmd+K) > Windsurf > Copilot Chat
- Best multi-file: Claude Code > Cursor Composer > Windsurf Cascade
- Best free: Windsurf > Codeium > Amazon Q
- Best for teams: GitHub Copilot Enterprise > Cursor Business
Comparisons: Copilot vs Cursor vs Claude Code. Editors: AI editors compared. Developer stack: Complete developer AI stack.
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