AI coding tools pricing: Cursor vs GitHub Copilot vs Claude Code vs Codex (2026)
Cursor (by Anysphere), GitHub Copilot (by GitHub), Claude Code (by Anthropic) and Codex (by OpenAI) are the four most popular AI coding tools. Three of them have a free plan; Claude Code needs a paid Claude plan. Here is every plan side by side, from each official pricing page.
| Tier | Cursor | GitHub Copilot | Claude Code | Codex |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes: limited agent and chat requests | Yes: 2,000 completions a month, limited chat and agent | No: needs Claude Pro or higher | Yes: quick tasks in the desktop app (rolling out) |
| Cheapest paid plan | Plus, $8/mo (Grok models only) | Pro, $10/mo | Claude Pro, $20/mo ($17/mo annual) | ChatGPT Go, $8/mo (lightweight tasks) |
| Main plan | Premium, $30/mo | Pro, $10/mo or Pro+, $39/mo | Claude Pro, $20/mo | ChatGPT Plus, $20/mo |
| Top tiers | Super $100/mo, Ultra $200/mo | Max, $100/mo | Max 5x $100/mo, Max 20x $200/mo | ChatGPT Pro $100, $200 or $500/mo |
| How usage is counted | Weekly pool shared with Grok; third-party models billed at API list price | Monthly AI Credits (1 credit = $0.01); completions unlimited on paid plans | Same pool as Claude chat: 5-hour sessions plus weekly limits | Shared with ChatGPT Work; 5-hour windows on Plus |
| Also included | The same plan covers Grok | Works in VS Code, JetBrains, Xcode and more | The full Claude app | The full ChatGPT app |
US prices in USD, before tax, checked 2026-10-24. Usage limits differ by plan and change often, so confirm on the official page before you buy.
Every plan, by tool
Cursor plans by Anysphere
| Free | $0: limited agent and chat requests |
|---|---|
| Plus | $8/mo: Cursor Agent with Grok models only |
| Premium | $30/mo: 4x Plus usage, cloud agents, Bugbot code reviews, third-party models at API list price |
| Super / Ultra | $100/mo (15x Plus) or $200/mo (50x Plus) |
| Teams | From $30/user/mo |
GitHub Copilot plans by GitHub
| Free | $0: 2,000 completions a month, entry-level models, limited chat and agent use |
|---|---|
| Pro | $10/mo: unlimited completions, $15 of GitHub AI Credits a month |
| Pro+ | $39/mo: $70 of AI Credits a month |
| Max | $100/mo: $200 of AI Credits a month |
Claude Code plans by Anthropic
| Claude Free | $0, but Claude Code is not included |
|---|---|
| Claude Pro | $20/mo, or $17/mo billed annually ($200 up front) |
| Claude Max 5x / 20x | $100 or $200/mo, plus $100 to $200/mo in API credits |
Codex plans by OpenAI
| ChatGPT Free | $0: GPT-6 Luna in the desktop app for quick tasks (rolling out) |
|---|---|
| ChatGPT Go | $8/mo: lightweight coding tasks |
| ChatGPT Plus | $20/mo: Codex on web, CLI, IDE and iOS, automatic code review |
| ChatGPT Pro | $100, $200 or $500/mo: Pro has no 5-hour limit right now |
Which plan is the best value?
You already pay for a chatbot: check what you have before buying anything. ChatGPT plans include Codex, Claude Pro and Max include Claude Code, and The X Subscription covers both Grok and Cursor.
Cheapest way to start: try the free plans of GitHub Copilot, Cursor and Codex on the same small task. If you upgrade, Copilot Pro ($10/mo) is the cheapest plan with unlimited completions, and Cursor Plus and ChatGPT Go cost $8/mo.
For bigger, multi-file tasks: the coding agents (Claude Code with Claude Pro, Codex with ChatGPT Plus, Cursor Premium) all sit around $20 to $30/mo. Move to a $100+ tier only if you keep hitting limits.
Never coded? Skip these and start with vibe coding tools for beginners such as Lovable or Bolt.new. More head-to-heads: Cursor vs Claude Code, Codex vs Cursor and Codex vs Claude Code.
Try this prompt
I want an AI coding tool. My coding level is [never coded / beginner / developer], my budget is [$ per month], I code in [editor or none] and I already pay for [ChatGPT / Claude / X / nothing]. Ask me 2 questions, then tell me which free plan to try first and the cheapest paid plan to upgrade to only if I hit limits.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest AI coding tool?
GitHub Copilot, Cursor and Codex all have free plans. The cheapest paid plans are Cursor Plus and ChatGPT Go (which includes Codex) at $8/mo, then GitHub Copilot Pro at $10/mo. Claude Code starts with Claude Pro at $20/mo, or $17/mo billed annually.
Is Claude Code free?
No. Anthropic's pricing page lists Claude Code on Pro ($20/mo, or $17/mo billed annually) and Max ($100 or $200/mo), not on the Free plan.
Is Cursor free?
Yes, Cursor has a Free plan with limited agent and chat requests. Paid plans are sold through The X Subscription: Plus $8/mo (Grok models only), Premium $30/mo, Super $100/mo and Ultra $200/mo. Third-party models are billed separately at API list price.
Is GitHub Copilot free?
Yes. Copilot Free costs $0 and includes 2,000 code completions a month, entry-level models and limited chat and agent use. Pro is $10/mo, Pro+ $39/mo and Max $100/mo.
Is Codex included in ChatGPT Plus?
Yes. OpenAI says Codex is included in ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus and Pro. Plus ($20/mo) adds Codex on the web, in the CLI, in the IDE extension and on iOS, plus automatic code review.
Cursor vs GitHub Copilot: which is cheaper?
Copilot Pro is $10/mo with unlimited completions. Cursor Plus is $8/mo but only runs Grok models; Cursor Premium, which adds third-party models at API list price, is $30/mo.
I've never coded. Which one should I pay for?
None of these yet. They are built for people who read code. Start with a free app builder like Lovable or Bolt.new, which build the app from a plain-English description.
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