// best ai for / free-ai-for-coding

Best free AI for coding

Every pick below lists a free plan on its official pricing page, ordered easiest first. Never coded? Start with Lovable or Bolt.new, which build the app for you from a plain-English description. Already write code? GitHub Copilot Free and Cursor Free add AI to your editor, ChatGPT Free includes limited Codex, and Gemini in Android Studio is the obvious free pick for Android apps.

// quick pick

Start with Lovable

Never coded? Describe an app or website and it builds and hosts it. The free plan gives 5 build credits a day (up to 30 a month), per Lovable's pricing page.

Describe an app in plain English and it builds and hosts it for you. · price: Free; Pro from $25/mo · Easy

Tool page →

// compare picks
Tool	Price	Difficulty	Best when…
Lovable	Free; Pro from $25/mo	Easy	Never coded? Describe an app or website and it builds and hosts it. The free plan gives 5 build credits a day (up to 30 a month), per Lovable's pricing page.
Bolt.new	Free; Pro $25/mo	Easy	Also beginner-friendly and runs in your browser. The free plan includes 300K tokens a day and 1M a month, with website hosting (sites carry Bolt branding).
GitHub Copilot	Free; Pro $10/mo; Pro+ $39/mo; Max $100/mo	Advanced	Best free pick if you already code in an editor like VS Code or JetBrains. Copilot Free is limited to 2,000 completions and 50 chat requests, per GitHub's plans page.
Cursor	Free; Plus $8/mo; Premium $30/mo; Super $100/mo; Ultra $200/mo (The X Subscription)	Advanced	A full AI code editor. The Free plan ($0) includes limited agent and chat requests; paid plans start with Plus at $8/mo.
ChatGPT	Free; Go $8/mo; Plus $20/mo; Pro from $100/mo	Easy	ChatGPT Free includes limited access to Codex, OpenAI's coding agent, plus code explanations in normal chat. Handy if you already use ChatGPT.
Gemini in Android Studio	Free edition; more via Google One or API key	Advanced	Building an Android app? Google's free edition is built into Android Studio and helps generate code, mock up Compose UIs and fix Gradle build errors.

Lovable

Never coded? Describe an app or website and it builds and hosts it. The free plan gives 5 build credits a day (up to 30 a month), per Lovable's pricing page.

Describe an app in plain English and it builds and hosts it for you.

price: Free; Pro from $25/modifficulty: Easy

AIPicker tool page →

Visit Lovable ↗

Bolt.new

Also beginner-friendly and runs in your browser. The free plan includes 300K tokens a day and 1M a month, with website hosting (sites carry Bolt branding).

Chat-to-app builder that runs in your browser, nothing to install.

price: Free; Pro $25/modifficulty: Easy

AIPicker tool page →

Visit Bolt.new ↗

GitHub Copilot

Best free pick if you already code in an editor like VS Code or JetBrains. Copilot Free is limited to 2,000 completions and 50 chat requests, per GitHub's plans page.

AI pair programmer inside popular code editors.

price: Free; Pro $10/mo; Pro+ $39/mo; Max $100/modifficulty: Advanced

AIPicker tool page →

Visit GitHub Copilot ↗

Cursor

A full AI code editor. The Free plan ($0) includes limited agent and chat requests; paid plans start with Plus at $8/mo.

An AI code editor; new signups use The X Subscription (shared with Grok).

price: Free; Plus $8/mo; Premium $30/mo; Super $100/mo; Ultra $200/mo (The X Subscription)difficulty: Advanced

AIPicker tool page →

Visit Cursor ↗

ChatGPT

ChatGPT Free includes limited access to Codex, OpenAI's coding agent, plus code explanations in normal chat. Handy if you already use ChatGPT.

The all-rounder with GPT-6: ask anything, draft scripts and emails, brainstorm, even make images.

price: Free; Go $8/mo; Plus $20/mo; Pro from $100/modifficulty: Easy

AIPicker tool page →

Visit ChatGPT ↗

Gemini in Android Studio

Building an Android app? Google's free edition is built into Android Studio and helps generate code, mock up Compose UIs and fix Gradle build errors.

Google's AI coding helper built into Android Studio: writes Kotlin, mocks up Compose UIs, fixes Gradle errors.

price: Free edition; more via Google One or API keydifficulty: Advanced

AIPicker tool page →

Visit Gemini in Android Studio ↗

Last checked 2026-10-22. Prices as listed in our data; "Check site" means we haven't verified current pricing. How we pick →

// ready-to-paste prompt

Try this prompt

You are my patient coding tutor. I want to build [what you want to make] using [tool]. Give me the smallest working first version, explain each part in one plain sentence, and tell me exactly how to run it. Then suggest one small next step.

// use cases

Ready-to-paste prompts for these tools

ChatGPT

Snap the inside of your fridge and get meals that use up what's about to expire first.

Use cases you didn't know about

Photograph your fridge, get a 3-day meal plan

Who it's for: Anyone who throws out wilted veg every week
Tool to use: ChatGPT · Open ChatGPT ↗

prompt · fill in the [brackets]

I'm attaching [1-3] photos of my fridge and pantry. First, list every ingredient you can see, and mark anything that looks like it needs using in the next 2-3 days (soft produce, opened dairy, leftovers, meat near its date). Ask me to confirm anything you're unsure of.

Then make a 3-day plan (breakfast, lunch, dinner) for [number] people that:
- uses the at-risk items on day 1 and 2
- needs at most [5] extra items from the store (give me that shopping list)
- fits [diet/allergies, e.g. no pork, one picky 6-year-old]
- uses [equipment: oven / air fryer / one pot] and takes under [30] minutes on weeknights

Finish with a 10-minute prep-ahead list for tonight.

Steps & tips

ChatGPT accepts photos in the app: tap + and take the picture straight from the fridge.
Open the crisper drawers before shooting; that's where food hides.
When in doubt about whether something is still safe to eat, throw it out. AI can't smell it.

ChatGPT

Upload a statement export and get a list of every recurring charge, price creep and duplicate.

Use cases you didn't know about

Find forgotten subscriptions in your bank statements

Who it's for: Anyone who suspects they're paying for stuff they forgot about
Tool to use: ChatGPT · Open ChatGPT ↗

prompt · fill in the [brackets]

I'm attaching [3] months of bank/credit card statements as [CSV/PDF]. Please:
1. Find every recurring charge (monthly, yearly, weekly) and put them in a table: merchant, amount, frequency, first and last date seen, yearly cost.
2. Flag price increases, duplicates (e.g. two streaming accounts), free trials that turned paid, and small charges that repeat.
3. Total my yearly spend on subscriptions.
4. Sort them into Keep / Review / Probably cancel, based on this: I actually use [list what you use].
5. For each 'Probably cancel', tell me the usual way to cancel (app store, website settings, phone) and whether a cheaper tier usually exists.

Steps & tips

Download the CSV export from your bank's website; it's cleaner than a PDF.
Delete account numbers from the file before uploading if you prefer.
Informational only, not financial advice. Double-check numbers against your actual statements.

ChatGPT

Photograph an old recipe card and get a clean, scaled, metric-or-cups version you can share with family.

Use cases you didn't know about

Digitize grandma's handwritten recipe card

Who it's for: Families saving recipes before the cards fade
Tool to use: ChatGPT · Open ChatGPT ↗

prompt · fill in the [brackets]

I'm attaching a photo of a handwritten recipe card. Please:
1. Transcribe it exactly as written first (keep the original wording, mark anything unreadable as [?]).
2. Then write a clean modern version: ingredient list with both US cups and grams, numbered steps, oven temp in °F and °C, pan size, total time.
3. Translate vague old instructions (e.g. 'butter the size of an egg', 'moderate oven', 'oleo') into exact amounts and explain your guess.
4. Scale it to [number] servings.
5. Suggest [1-2] tweaks for [dietary need, e.g. dairy-free] without changing the soul of the recipe.

Steps & tips

Shoot in daylight, flat, without flash glare.
Keep the original transcription with the photo; family members may read the handwriting differently.
Print the clean version for a family cookbook.

ChatGPT

Snap a menu abroad and get translations, allergen warnings and the dish you'd actually regret missing.

Use cases you didn't know about

Translate a foreign menu photo and find what locals order

Who it's for: Travelers in a restaurant with no English menu
Tool to use: ChatGPT · Open ChatGPT ↗

prompt · fill in the [brackets]

I'm attaching a photo of a restaurant menu in [country/city]. Please:
1. Translate every dish, keeping the original name, with a one-line description of what it actually is.
2. Mark anything containing [my allergies/diet, e.g. shellfish, pork, nuts] and anything that might hide it (sauces, broths).
3. Point out the 3 dishes this region is known for that a first-timer shouldn't miss, and any that are an acquired taste.
4. Tell me roughly what's a normal amount to order for [number] people and local tipping/service charge custom.
5. Give me one polite phrase in the local language (with pronunciation) to ask about my allergy.

Steps & tips

For serious allergies, also show staff a written allergy card in the local language.
Lighting matters: tilt the menu to avoid glare.
Translations of regional dishes can be off; ask the server if unsure.

ChatGPT

Walk room to room snapping photos and get an itemized inventory with replacement-cost estimates.

Use cases you didn't know about

Build a home inventory for insurance from room photos

Who it's for: Homeowners and renters who've never made an inventory
Tool to use: ChatGPT · Open ChatGPT ↗

prompt · fill in the [brackets]

I'm attaching photos of my [room name]. Build a home inventory for insurance purposes:
1. A table with: item, brand/model if visible, quantity, estimated age, condition, estimated replacement cost new in [currency].
2. Flag high-value items I should photograph closer (serial numbers, receipts, jewelry, electronics, art).
3. Note anything you can't identify so I can fill it in.
Keep a running total. When I send the next room, add to the same table. At the end, give me the full table as CSV I can save.

Steps & tips

Do one room per message so the table stays accurate.
Store the CSV and photos somewhere off-site (cloud drive or email to yourself).
Estimates are rough; your insurer decides actual values.

ChatGPT

Upload two thumbnail options and get a critique of how they read at tiny phone size.

Use cases you didn't know about

Get a brutal A/B critique of two thumbnails

Who it's for: YouTubers deciding between thumbnail versions
Tool to use: ChatGPT · Open ChatGPT ↗

prompt · fill in the [brackets]

I'm attaching two thumbnail options (A and B) for a video titled "[title]" for an audience of [who]. Judge them as they'd appear at phone size (about 160 px wide) in a busy feed:
1. What does each communicate in under 1 second? Can you read the text?
2. Score each 1-10 for clarity, curiosity, emotion and contrast, with one sentence per score.
3. Does the thumbnail + title combo create a question the video answers, without repeating the title word for word?
4. Pick a winner, then list 3 concrete edits to make it better (crop, face size, color, fewer words).
5. Suggest one completely different concept to test as option C.

Steps & tips

Shrink both images on your phone and compare them yourself too.
Use YouTube's built-in Test & Compare when you can; real clicks beat any opinion.
Keep text to 3-4 words max.

See all use cases →

// comparisons

Head-to-head comparisons

Lovable vs Replit

Lovable vs Bolt.new

Lovable vs Claude Code

Lovable vs Cursor

Cursor vs Claude Code

Codex vs Cursor

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free AI for coding for beginners?

Lovable or Bolt.new. Both are rated Easy, run in your browser, build the app for you from a description, and list a free plan.

Is GitHub Copilot free?

Yes. Copilot Free is for individual developers and is limited to 2,000 completions and 50 chat requests, per GitHub's plans page. Pro is $10/mo.

Is Claude Code free?

No. Per Anthropic's pricing page, Claude Code is included with paid Claude plans (Pro is $20/mo, or $17/mo billed annually), not the Free plan. Claude's free chat can still explain code and run small programs.

What is the best free AI for Android app development?

Gemini in Android Studio. Google offers a free edition built into Android Studio, and a Google AI plan or a Gemini API key raises the limits.

Is there a free option?

Lovable, Bolt.new, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, ChatGPT, Gemini in Android Studio list a free plan in our data.

Which pick is easiest to start with?

Lovable, Bolt.new, ChatGPT are rated Easy.

// related

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The AIPicker Weekly

New AI tools worth knowing and what changed in prices, one short email a week.

Best free AI for coding

Start with Lovable

Lovable

Bolt.new

GitHub Copilot

Cursor

ChatGPT

Gemini in Android Studio

Try this prompt

Ready-to-paste prompts for these tools

Photograph your fridge, get a 3-day meal plan

Photograph your fridge, get a 3-day meal plan

Steps & tips

Find forgotten subscriptions in your bank statements

Find forgotten subscriptions in your bank statements

Steps & tips

Digitize grandma's handwritten recipe card

Digitize grandma's handwritten recipe card

Steps & tips

Translate a foreign menu photo and find what locals order

Translate a foreign menu photo and find what locals order

Steps & tips

Build a home inventory for insurance from room photos

Build a home inventory for insurance from room photos

Steps & tips

Get a brutal A/B critique of two thumbnails

Get a brutal A/B critique of two thumbnails

Steps & tips

Head-to-head comparisons

Lovable vs Replit

Lovable vs Bolt.new

Lovable vs Claude Code

Lovable vs Cursor

Cursor vs Claude Code

Codex vs Cursor

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free AI for coding for beginners?

Is GitHub Copilot free?

Is Claude Code free?

What is the best free AI for Android app development?

Is there a free option?

Which pick is easiest to start with?

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The AIPicker Weekly