Best Cursor Alternatives: Free AI Coding Tools (2025)
Cursor is excellent but costs $20/month. Here are the best Cursor alternatives for AI-assisted coding at lower prices.
Top Cursor Alternatives
1. GitHub Copilot (Best Overall Alternative)
The most widely used AI coding tool. Works as a plugin in VS Code, JetBrains, and most IDEs. Free for students.
- Price: $10/month (Individual), free for students
- Best for: Teams already using GitHub, students
2. Codeium (Best Free Option)
Codeium provides free AI autocomplete for 70+ programming languages. No usage limits on the free plan — the most generous free coding AI tool.
- Price: Free (individual), $12/mo (Teams)
- Best for: Developers who want free AI autocomplete
3. Amazon CodeWhisperer (Free for Personal Use)
Amazon’s coding AI, now called Amazon Q Developer. Free for individual use with solid Python, Java, and JavaScript support.
- Price: Free (individual)
4. Continue.dev (Open-Source Cursor Alternative)
Continue is an open-source VS Code extension that adds AI chat and autocomplete using your choice of model (including free local models).
- Price: Free + API costs
5. Tabnine (Best for Privacy)
Self-hostable AI coding tool that keeps your code on your servers. Ideal for enterprises with strict data requirements.
- Price: Free (basic), $12/mo (Pro)
Comparison
| Tool | Price | Free? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cursor | $20/mo | 2-week trial | Best AI IDE overall |
| Copilot | $10/mo | Students | GitHub users |
| Codeium | Free | Yes (unlimited) | Free autocomplete |
| Amazon Q | Free | Yes | AWS developers |
| Continue.dev | Free | Yes (open source) | Self-hosted AI |
Verdict
For the best free Cursor alternative: Codeium (unlimited free) or GitHub Copilot (students). For professionals who want the best results: Cursor is still worth the $20/month.
Or Try Cursor (2 Weeks Free) →
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