AI Coding Tools Comparison 2026: Claude Code, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, OpenAI Codex and 6 More (Pricing & Free Plans)

When choosing an AI coding assistant, many people hesitate over pricing structures, the availability of a free plan, and the level of Japanese support. Additionally, differences in platforms—such as whether to use it in a terminal or integrate it into an IDE—often create barriers to adoption.

This article compares 10 major tools, including Claude Code and Cursor, based on pricing, free plans, Japanese support, platforms, and strengths and weaknesses. We organize the differences between each tool based on AIpedia data (as of November 2026).

Finally, we give recommendations by goal for different development styles and team sizes, along with tips on how to choose without regrets. Please check the official website for the latest pricing and features.

What Are AI Coding Assistants? Capabilities and Key Considerations Before Choosing

AI coding assistants are development support services that go beyond code completion and generation. They feature agent-based capabilities that execute file editing, command execution, and Git operations based on instructions. For example, Claude Code performs file editing and pull request creation in the terminal, while GitHub Copilot provides completion and chat within the IDE. Additionally, Cursor and Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) offer agent features for editing across multiple files, and Cline operates as an open-source extension that allows you to freely choose the model used.

• Code completion and multi-line automatic editing
• File creation, editing, and terminal command execution
• Git operations such as commits and pull request creation
• Parallel task execution and artifact generation in cloud environments
• Work synchronization across multiple environments, including IDEs, CLIs, and web apps

Before adoption, you should check the differences in free usage limits. GitHub Copilot and Google Antigravity offer free tiers, while Claude Code requires a paid plan to start using it. The level of Japanese support also varies by tool. TRAE and JetBrains AI allow you to select Japanese as the display language for the IDE interface, but we have not confirmed Japanese UI support in Cline.

Furthermore, whether a tool is intended for individuals or businesses is important. Many tools offer separate monthly plans for individuals and license fees for teams or enterprises. Supported environments also vary, ranging from IDE-only to broad support including CLIs and web apps. Please check the official website of each tool for specific feature details and the latest pricing structure.

Note that Gemini Code Assist ended new sales on October 9, 2026, and Google is directing users to its successor, Google Antigravity. Tabnine was acquired by Tricentis in July 2026 and has no free or individual plans. For these reasons, neither tool is included in this comparison.

Comparison of Top 10 Tools (Pricing, Japanese Support, Platforms)

Tool	AIpedia rating	Main plans	Japanese support	Platforms
Claude Code	4.5	Pro $20/month (annual billing is a lump sum of $200, equivalent to $17/month) / Max $100/month (5x the usage of Pro) / Ultra $200/month (10x Pro per week, no 5-hour limit for verified accounts)	Partial support	CLI, macOS, Windows, Linux, and others
Cursor	4.4	Free (limited agent and chat usage) / Plus $8/month (Grok models only) / Premium $30/month (4x the usage quota of Plus)	Partial support	macOS, Windows, Linux, CLI, and others
GitHub Copilot	4.3	Free (2,000 completions/month, limited chat and agent) / Pro $10/month (1,500 AI credits/month = 1,000 base + 500 variable quota)	Partial support	VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains, Xcode, and others
OpenAI Codex	—	ChatGPT Free (GPT-6 Luna gradually provided via desktop app) / Go $8/month (same) / Plus $20/month	Partial support	CLI, VS Code, Cursor, Windsurf, and others
Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)	4.2	Free (limited agent usage, unlimited Tab completion and inline editing) / Pro $20/month / Max $200/month	Unconfirmed	macOS, Windows, Linux, JetBrains (Windsurf plugin, maintenance mode)
Cline	4.3	Open source: free (AI inference costs are pay-as-you-go, or use your own API key) / ClinePass $9.99/month (flat-rate plan for open-weight models, standard price after promotional period)	Unconfirmed	VS Code, Cursor, Windsurf, JetBrains, and others
Google Antigravity	3.9	Individual (free) $0 (usage quota resets weekly with a weekly limit, unlimited Tab completion) / Google AI Pro ¥2,900/month (¥29,000/year), US $19.99/month (usage quota resets every 5 hours, expanded weekly limit)	Partial support	macOS, Windows, Linux, Googlebook, and others
Kiro	4.2	Free (50 credits/month) / Pro $20/user/month (1,000 credits) / Pro+ $40/user/month (2,000 credits)	Partial support	macOS, Windows, Linux, CLI, and others
TRAE	4.1	Free (Auto mode only, usage limits apply, 5,000 completions/month) / Pro $20/month ($20 worth of usage per month, annual billing equivalent to $16.67/month) / Pro+ $60/month ($60 worth per month, annual billing equivalent to $50/month)	Supported	macOS, Windows, Linux, Web, and others
JetBrains AI	4.2	AI Free (3 credits every 30 days, requires a license for the target IDE) / AI Pro Individual $10/month (annual billing equivalent to $8.33/month, 10 credits every 30 days), Organization $20/user (20 credits)	Supported	JetBrains, macOS, Windows, Linux, and others

Ratings are out of 5 points by the AIpedia editorial team. “—” indicates tools that do not yet have an individual page on AIpedia. Pricing and plans may change. Please check the official website of each tool for the latest information before signing up.

Features, Pricing, and Best For: 10 Tools

1. Claude Code

Claude Code is an agentic coding tool provided by Anthropic. It reads the entire codebase and proceeds with file editing, command execution, and Git operations based on natural language instructions.

• Strengths: Usable from diverse environments such as terminal, IDE, desktop, Web, and mobile, with session continuity.
• Strengths: The default model is Opus 5.5, but you can switch to Sonnet or Haiku using the /model command.
• Things to note: Not available on the free plan. Requires an individual plan of Pro ($20/month) or higher, or a business plan.
• Things to note: Pro and Max have usage limits every 5 hours and weekly. Reaching the limit requires waiting or paying additional fees.

Pricing: Pro $20/month (annual billing: $200 lump sum, equivalent to $17/month) / Max $100/month (5x usage of Pro) / Ultra $200/month (10x weekly usage of Pro; no 5-hour limit for verified accounts) / Team Standard seat $25/seat/month (annual billing: $20) / Team Premium seat $125/seat/month (annual billing: $100) / Enterprise US$20/seat/month (annual billing, 20+ seats) + usage via API fees / API (Console) pay-as-you-go Opus 5.5 input $4, output $20 (per 1 million tokens) (not available on the Free plan; prices in USD, excluding tax)

Best for: Those who work across several development environments, and teams that want one coding assistant for everyone.

View detailed features, pricing, and FAQ for Claude Code

2. Cursor

Cursor is an AI code editor and coding agent developed by Anysphere. The acquisition by SpaceX was completed in August 2026, and pricing plans are now integrated with Grok and X features. Centered on agentic capabilities that read the codebase and edit multiple files, it includes cloud execution, automation, and AI code review.

• Strengths: The desktop version supports macOS, Windows, and Linux, and is also available via CLI, Web, and mobile.
• Strengths: Offers diverse features such as agentic capabilities and AI code review in a single product.
• Things to note: On the Plus plan, only Grok models are available; other models are billed pay-as-you-go at API list prices.
• Things to note: There is no official guidance regarding Japanese support for the editor interface or documentation.

Pricing: Free (free, with limits on agent and chat usage) / Plus $8/month (Grok models only) / Premium $30/month (4x usage quota of Plus) / Super $100/month (15x Plus) / Ultra $200/month (50x Plus) / Teams $30+/user/month (shared team usage quota) / Enterprise (contact sales). Monthly prices only; no annual pricing is listed. Third-party models are billed separately at API list prices. Prices exclude tax.

Best for: Developers who want to delegate multi-file editing and automation to AI, and businesses that need management features such as shared usage quotas and SSO. However, note that if you primarily use third-party models like Claude or GPT, they are not included in the plan's usage quota and incur additional fees at API list prices.

View detailed features, pricing, and FAQ for Cursor

3. GitHub Copilot

GitHub Copilot is an AI coding assistance service provided by GitHub. In addition to code completion and chat in your IDE, it includes a feature that handles tasks on GitHub and creates pull requests.

• Strengths: It supports a wide range of editors, including VS Code and JetBrains IDEs.
• Strengths: It integrates naturally with the development workflow on GitHub, such as issues and pull requests.
• Things to note: Since June 1, 2026, it has used an AI credit system, which makes usage harder to estimate.
• Things to note: The official FAQ states that quality may decrease when using prompts in languages other than English.

Pricing: Free (2,000 completions/month, limited chat and agent features) / Pro $10/month (1,500 AI credits/month = 1,000 base + 500 variable) / Pro+ $39/month (7,000 credits = 3,900 + 3,100) / Max $100/month (20,000 credits = 10,000 + 10,000) / Business $19/user/month (1,900 credits per user shared across the organization) / Enterprise $39/user/month (3,900 credits per user) Note: 1 credit = $0.01; overages are billed pay-as-you-go up to the budget you set. The pricing page displays monthly rates only

Best for: Individuals and teams who use GitHub as their primary development environment. It is also suitable for those who want to try the free plan before considering an upgrade to a paid plan.

View detailed features, pricing, and FAQ for GitHub Copilot

4. OpenAI Codex

OpenAI Codex is a coding agent provided by OpenAI. It can be accessed via a terminal CLI, IDE extensions, the ChatGPT desktop app, or cloud environments. Integration with Xcode and JetBrains IDEs is also possible.

• Strengths: With a subscription of ChatGPT Plus ($20/month) or higher, you can use the CLI, IDE, Web, iOS, and cloud services together.
• Strengths: Codex CLI is published as open source under the Apache-2.0 license.
• Strengths: Using an API key allows pay-as-you-go usage in automation such as CI.
• Things to note: Usage varies by model and task, and only a rough range is provided.
• Things to note: Free and Go plans are limited to using GPT-6 Luna in the desktop app, with availability rolling out gradually.

Pricing: ChatGPT Free (GPT-6 Luna available in the desktop app, rolling out gradually) / Go $8/month (same) / Plus $20/month / Pro $100, $200, or $500/month / Business $20/user/month (annual billing, minimum 2 users; $25 for monthly billing) / Enterprise and Edu contact sales / API key usage is pay-as-you-go (e.g., GPT-6.1 Sol: $2 input, $10 output per 1 million tokens)

Best for: Users who want to leverage their existing ChatGPT subscription to use coding assistance in both local and cloud environments. It is also suitable for developers who want to integrate the open-source CLI into CI pipelines or scripts. However, Free and Go plans have feature limitations, so a Plus plan or higher is required for full usage.

5. Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)

Devin Desktop is an IDE with agent management features provided by Cognition. It was renamed from the AI editor “Windsurf” on June 2, 2026. The main interface centers around the “Agent Command Center,” which manages multiple agents in a kanban format.

• Strengths: The free plan allows unlimited use of Tab completion and inline editing.
• Strengths: Supports ACP (Agent Client Protocol), allowing third-party coding agents to be managed in the same interface.
• Strengths: When migrating from Windsurf, plans, pricing, extensions, and settings are carried over.
• Things to note: Due to the name change, it can be difficult to match information previously introduced under the old Windsurf name.
• Things to note: Specific numerical limits for each plan's usage quota are not publicly disclosed.

Pricing: Free (limited agent usage; unlimited Tab completion and inline editing) / Pro $20/month / Max $200/month / Teams $80/month + $40/month per full seat (up to 200 users) / Enterprise (contact sales). Usage quotas reset automatically each day and week; overages are purchased at API rates.

Best for: Users who want to centrally manage multiple AI agents or continue using their existing Windsurf environment. Note that Japanese language display for the Devin Desktop main interface has not been officially confirmed.

View detailed features, pricing, and FAQ for Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)

6. Cline

Cline is an open-source AI coding agent developed by Cline Bot Inc. It is published under the Apache-2.0 license and performs file reading/writing, terminal command execution, and browser operations. It is designed to request user approval before each operation.

• Strengths: The extension itself is free and open-source, allowing source code inspection.
• Strengths: The same agent can be used across multiple editors like VS Code and JetBrains, as well as via CLI.
• Strengths: Supports numerous model providers such as Anthropic and OpenAI, and allows the use of local models.
• Things to note: Inference costs vary based on usage, making it difficult to estimate monthly costs.
• Things to note: There is no official guidance regarding a Japanese UI or Japanese documentation.

Pricing: Open-source version Free (AI inference costs are pay-as-you-go, or use your own API key) / ClinePass $9.99/month (flat-rate plan for open-weight models; standard price after promotional period) / Enterprise (contact sales)

Best for: Users who want to use an AI agent within their existing editor environment. It is also suitable for those who do not want to lock in a specific model provider and wish to switch based on cost or features. It can also be considered for businesses requiring VPC or on-premises deployment.

View detailed features, pricing, and FAQ for Cline

7. Google Antigravity

Google Antigravity is an agent-based development platform provided by Google. It consists of a desktop app for running and managing multiple agents in parallel, a CLI for terminals, and extensions for various IDEs. All components share the same underlying agent mechanism, allowing users to choose their preferred usage mode.

• Strengths: You can start for free with a personal Google account, and Tab completion is unlimited.
• Strengths: Extensions are available for major IDEs such as VS Code and JetBrains.
• Strengths: In addition to Gemini models, you can select Claude models depending on the plan.
• Things to note: The specific number of usage limits is not disclosed and may change.
• Things to note: The standalone Antigravity IDE does not support deployment for businesses.
• Things to note: Gemini Code Assist ended new sales on October 9, 2026. Google states that it will provide future agentic coding assistance through Antigravity and is guiding existing subscribers on migration plans.

Pricing: Individual (free) $0 (usage limits that reset weekly with a weekly cap; Tab completion is unlimited) / Google AI Pro ¥2,900/month (¥29,000/year) or $19.99/month in the US (usage limits that reset every 5 hours; expanded weekly cap) / Google AI Ultra ¥14,500/month (Ultra 5x), ¥32,000/month (Ultra 20x), or $99.99 and $199.99 in the US (larger usage limits) / Gemini Enterprise Standard and Plus from $30 per license per month (no additional Antigravity licenses required) / Google Cloud pay-as-you-go $0 seat fee (billed based on consumption). Note: On Pro and Ultra, you can buy AI credits for usage beyond the caps. Google AI Pro and Ultra are Google subscriptions that include the Gemini app, storage, and more.

Best for: Individual developers who want to leverage the Google ecosystem, and engineers who want to add agentic features to their existing IDE environment. Also, organizations that have implemented Gemini Enterprise can use it without additional Antigravity licenses.

8. Kiro

Kiro is an agentic AI development environment provided by AWS. It features "spec-driven development," which involves documenting requirements, design, and tasks before implementation. It offers three usage formats: IDE, CLI, and Web.

• Strengths: The workflow of documenting requirements, design, and tasks before implementation is built in.
• Strengths: It runs in a VS Code-compatible environment, making it easy to import existing settings and plugins.
• Things to note: Monthly credits do not roll over, so you need to choose a plan that matches your usage pace.
• Things to note: Older versions of the IDE and CLI will gradually lose connectivity after November 9, 2026.

Pricing: Free $0 (50 credits per month) / Pro $20/user/month (1,000 credits) / Pro+ $40/user/month (2,000 credits) / Pro Max $100/user/month (5,000 credits) / Power $200/user/month (10,000 credits) / Enterprise (contact sales; billed via AWS). Additional credits cost $0.04 per credit, and consumption tax is added for billing addresses in Japan.

Best for: Developers who want to work with AI on design documents and requirement definitions for complex projects. Also, Enterprise billing is handled through AWS.

View detailed features, pricing, and FAQ for Kiro

9. TRAE

TRAE is a development tool integrated with AI agents. You can switch between the "Agent window" for delegating tasks and the "IDE window" focused on editing. It also features work synchronization across desktop, Web, and mobile apps.

• Strengths: A free plan is available. Pro costs $20/month ($16.67/month equivalent with annual billing).
• Strengths: You can select Japanese as the IDE display language. Japan is included in the regions where paid services are offered.
• Strengths: Plugin versions for VS Code and JetBrains IDEs are also available.
• Things to note: If privacy mode is not enabled, chat content may be used for analysis or model training.
• Things to note: It states that data is stored on servers in Singapore and Malaysia.

Pricing: Free (Auto mode only, usage limits apply, 5,000 completions/month) / Pro $20/month ($20 worth of usage per month, $16.67/month equivalent with annual billing) / Pro+ $60/month ($60 worth of usage per month, $50/month equivalent with annual billing) / Ultra $200/month ($200 worth of usage per month, $166.67/month equivalent with annual billing)

Best for: Those who want to sync work across multiple devices or use it as a plugin in VS Code or JetBrains environments. It is also worth considering if you want to start with the free plan.

View detailed features, pricing, and FAQ for TRAE

10. JetBrains AI

JetBrains AI is a set of AI features integrated into IDEs such as IntelliJ IDEA and PyCharm. It centers on "AI Assistant" for chat and code generation, and "Junie," an agent that autonomously progresses tasks. A subscription based on the AI credit system is required for use.

• Strengths: With an IDE license, you can use AI Free for unlimited code completions and local models.
• Strengths: In addition to Junie, agents from other companies such as Claude Agent and OpenAI Codex can be used within the IDE.
• Strengths: One credit is equivalent to one US dollar, making the relationship between pricing and usage clear.
• Things to note: AI Free cannot be used in Android Studio or certain editions.
• Things to note: Heavy use of agents may require additional credit purchases.

Pricing: AI Free (3 credits every 30 days, requires a license for the target IDE) / AI Pro Individual $10/month ($8.33/month equivalent with annual billing, 10 credits every 30 days), Organization $20/user (20 credits) / AI Ultimate Individual $30/month ($25/month equivalent with annual billing, 35 credits), Organization $60/user (70 credits) / AI Enterprise $60/user (organizations only) Note: 1 credit is worth about US$1; extra credits can be purchased and are valid for 12 months.

Best for: JetBrains IDE users who want AI features inside their existing development environment, and those who want to run third-party agents or connect local models within the IDE.

Recommendations by Goal

Goal	Recommended	Reason
Try it for free first	GitHub Copilot, Google Antigravity	GitHub Copilot Free allows 2,000 completions per month. Google Antigravity is available for free with a personal Google account, and Tab completion is unlimited.
Use a Japanese interface or chat in Japanese	TRAE, JetBrains AI, Kiro	TRAE and JetBrains AI support Japanese IDE display, and JetBrains AI allows specifying the response language for AI chat. Kiro supports Japanese in chat.
Use it at work or with a team	GitHub Copilot, JetBrains AI	GitHub Copilot Business and Enterprise include policy management and audit logs. JetBrains AI offers AI Pro, AI Ultimate, and AI Enterprise for organizations.
Use it via API as a developer	Cline, OpenAI Codex	You can use your own API keys or integrate them into automation like CI with pay-as-you-go billing.
Keep your existing IDE setup	JetBrains AI, GitHub Copilot	If you have a license or environment for a supported IDE, you can use them directly as extensions.
Manage multiple agents	Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf), JetBrains AI	They have features that allow using and managing coding agents from other vendors within the same screen or IDE.
Work across the terminal, IDEs, and the web	Claude Code	It is available via CLI, VS Code and JetBrains extensions, desktop app, Web, and mobile, and allows transferring sessions to other environments (starting from Pro at $20/month).
Get an editor and agents in one product	Cursor	You can use agents, cloud agents, and AI code review in one product. Plan usage limits apply to Grok models; other models are billed separately at API list prices.

These picks are based on the data above. The usability of specific features may vary depending on your actual development environment.

When choosing the best tool, please check the latest pricing and terms of use on each tool's official website.

How to Choose Without Regrets

Check for free tiers and usage limits

The scope of the free plan varies significantly by tool. You can use completion features for free with GitHub Copilot and Google Antigravity, but Claude Code is paid-only. Also, tools like Cursor that display usage limits in relative terms (e.g., "4x Plus") or tools like Kiro where credit consumption changes depending on the task require you to verify in advance whether they match your workload.

Supported IDEs and development environments

It is important whether the tool supports the editor and OS you usually use. JetBrains AI is specialized for JetBrains IDEs, while Cline and Claude Code run in diverse environments, including VS Code, JetBrains, and terminals. If you do not want to significantly change your existing development flow, prioritize IDE compatibility.

Depth of Japanese support

"The interface is in Japanese" and "you can converse in Japanese via chat" are separate issues. You can select Japanese as the display language for TRAE and JetBrains AI, but it is unconfirmed whether Cline or Devin Desktop have a Japanese UI. Distinguish between the language used for code and the language used to interact with the tool, and check the official documentation to see if the required features are supported.

Differences between individual and business use

Pricing structures and management features differ between plans for individuals and plans for businesses. OpenAI Codex, GitHub Copilot, and JetBrains AI offer separate plans for individuals and organizations. Kiro allows centralized billing and SSO in Enterprise, with billing handled via AWS. If you are deploying for a team, verify that there is a plan that meets your cost predictability and security requirements.

FAQ

Q. Which tools have a free plan?

Cursor, GitHub Copilot, OpenAI Codex, Devin Desktop, Cline, Google Antigravity, Kiro, TRAE, and JetBrains AI offer free plans. Claude Code is not available on a free plan. However, the number of uses and supported features in the free tier vary by tool. Even if Cline’s core is free, you still incur AI inference costs. JetBrains AI Free requires a license for the target IDE. OpenAI Codex Free provides GPT-6 Luna via the desktop app on a phased rollout basis.

Q. How well can these tools be used in Japanese?

TRAE and JetBrains AI support Japanese as the display language for the IDE. Kiro supports Japanese conversation in chat, and GitHub Copilot and Google Antigravity have Japanese versions of their official websites and documentation (GitHub Copilot’s official FAQ notes that quality may drop with prompts in languages other than English). However, full interface localization and complete documentation support vary by tool, so verify before adoption.

Q. Which paid plan has the lowest monthly fee?

Cursor’s Plus plan is $8/month, and OpenAI Codex’s Go plan is also $8/month. ClinePass is $9.99/month, while GitHub Copilot Pro and JetBrains AI Pro start at $10/month. Note that Cursor Plus is limited to Grok models, and Codex via ChatGPT Go provides GPT-6 Luna via the desktop app on a phased rollout basis. Usage limits and included models differ across plans, so compare them based on your use case.

Q. What can I do to continue working if I hit usage limits?

You can continue with Cursor by topping up (additional purchases), and with OpenAI Codex by purchasing additional ChatGPT credits. GitHub Copilot allows you to set a budget and pay for overages on a pay-as-you-go basis, while Kiro lets you continue by purchasing additional credits at $0.04 each under paid plans. However, if you use your own API key with pay-as-you-go billing, as with Cline, you need a contract with each model provider.

Q. Can I use the same tool across multiple IDEs or environments?

Claude Code can be used from terminals, VS Code, JetBrains IDEs, desktop apps, and more. GitHub Copilot also supports a wide range of editors, including VS Code, Visual Studio, and JetBrains. OpenAI Codex and Cline also support multiple editors.

Summary

This article compared 10 AI coding assistance tools, including Claude Code and Cursor. Each tool differs in pricing structure and supported platforms. The availability of free plans and usage limit mechanisms also vary.

When adopting a tool, you need to check not only the monthly cost but also the consumption per model and the scope of Japanese support. Specific specifications may change, so please check the latest information on each official website.

• If you prioritize GitHub integration: GitHub Copilot (because it integrates naturally with the development flow)
• If you want to keep costs low: Cline (because the extension itself is free, and you only pay for inference costs)
• If you want to use an existing JetBrains IDE: JetBrains AI (because it is built into the IDE, so no additional editor is needed)

View all AI code assistance tools (17 items)