Cursor cursor.com

Free alternatives to Cursor

Cursor costs $20/mo on the Pro plan, or $240 a year. Here are 5 free and open-source options, what each one does, and what you give up compared with paying.

Prices checked Aug 11, 2026Can AI replace it? Half-bot

01At a glance

Alternative	Type	Where it runs	Works on
Cline	Open source	On your device	Browser extension, Command line, Mac, Windows, Linux
Goose	Open source	On your device	Mac, Windows, Linux, Command line
Kilo Code	Open source	One-click install	Browser extension, Command line, Mac, Windows, Linux
OpenCode	Open source	On your device	Command line, Mac, Windows, Linux
Zed	Open source	On your device	Mac, Windows, Linux

02Each alternative, in detail

ClineOpen source

A code agent in your editor; the model bill is still yours.

Versus paying: It is an agent layered into an existing IDE rather than a cohesive AI-native editor, so autocomplete, indexing and composer-style interaction feel less integrated than Cursor.

Setup: VS Code or JetBrains extension, or npm-installed CLI

Watch for: Sign in for Cline inference, bring an API key, or run and configure a local model

65,800 GitHub stars (checked Aug 6, 2026)

cline.bot →

GooseOpen source

A desktop agent that edits and runs code without pretending the model is free.

Versus paying: It is a desktop or terminal agent, not a full editor with Cursor's fast tab completion, code navigation and integrated composer.

Setup: Desktop installer or curl-installed CLI

Watch for: A provider subscription, API key or local model must be connected before the agent can work

52,400 GitHub stars (checked Aug 6, 2026)

goose-docs.ai →

Kilo CodeOpen source

One open agent across VS Code, JetBrains and the terminal; inference still has a meter somewhere.

26,735 GitHub stars (checked Aug 6, 2026)

kilo.ai →

OpenCodeOpen source

A fast local coding agent with no loyalty to any model vendor.

Versus paying: It is terminal-first and does not replace Cursor's full graphical editor, low-latency autocomplete and inline review experience.

Setup: Install script, Homebrew or npm

Watch for: Terminal comfort and a provider API key or local model server are required

193,678 GitHub stars (checked Aug 6, 2026)

opencode.ai →

ZedOpen source

A fast open editor with agents built in, not a VS Code costume.

Versus paying: It requires changing editors and still has a smaller extension ecosystem and less mature AI autocomplete and indexing workflow than Cursor.

Setup: Direct desktop download, Homebrew, winget or install script

Watch for: Editor installation is clean; AI needs a Zed account, provider subscription or key, gateway, or local model, and platform hardware support varies

88,100 GitHub stars (checked Aug 6, 2026)

zed.dev →

03Cursor's own free plan

The free Hobby plan includes limited agent requests; no credit card needed.

04What you give up by leaving Cursor

native composer/agent UX
model routing/credits
cloud agents
editor polish
extensions compatibility
team features

They pay for speed: the agent is already in the editor with defaults that work.

05Questions

Is there a free alternative to Cursor?

Yes. This page compares 5: Cline, Goose, Kilo Code, OpenCode and Zed. All of them are open source, so you can run them yourself.

How much does Cursor cost?

$20/mo on the Pro plan (monthly), which is $240 a year. Free plan: The free Hobby plan includes limited agent requests; no credit card needed. Prices checked Aug 11, 2026.

What do you give up with a free alternative to Cursor?

Most often: native composer/agent UX, model routing/credits, cloud agents and editor polish. Each alternative on this page lists its own gap under “Versus paying.”

Can AI build me my own version of Cursor?

Half-bot. You can assemble VS Code plus open-source agents, but Cursor's moat is editor-native agent UX, model routing, cloud agents, context handling, and rapid product iteration.

Prices change; confirm on the vendor's site before you decide.