AIPickr
Short answer: GitHub Copilot Pro is the best AI coding assistant for most developers. It costs $10 a month and runs in almost every editor. Pick Claude Code for terminal-based agent work, and Cursor if you want an editor built around AI.
The category has shifted from autocomplete to agents that edit many files at once. The question is no longer “does it suggest code?” but “where does it run, and how much agent use do I get?”
Who should use which
- GitHub Copilot — you want the cheapest solid option that works in your current IDE.
- Claude Code — you live in the terminal and want an agent that plans and edits across a repo.
- Cursor — you’re happy to switch editors for an AI-first workflow with cloud agents.
- OpenAI Codex — you already pay for ChatGPT Plus and don’t want another bill.
- Google Antigravity — you want to try an agentic coding platform for free.
| Feature | Copilot ProRecommended | Claude Code | Cursor | OpenAI Codex | Antigravity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry paid price | $10/mo | $17–20/mo | $8/mo | $20/mo | $19.99/mo (AI Pro) |
| Free option | Limited | ||||
| Works in your existing IDE | |||||
| Inline autocomplete | Not listed | ||||
| Agent edits across files | |||||
| AI pull request review | Premium+ | Not listed | |||
| Terminal / CLI | |||||
| Bundled with a chat assistant | Claude | Grok | ChatGPT | Gemini |
Pricing compared
Last checked: 2026-11 on each official page.
| Tool | Free | Main paid plan | Heavy-use plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| GitHub Copilot | Yes | Pro $10/mo | Pro+ $39, Max $100 |
| Claude Code | No | Claude Pro $20 ($17 yearly) | Max $100, Ultra $200 |
| Cursor | Yes | Premium $30/mo | Super $100, Ultra $200 |
| OpenAI Codex | Limited (Free, Go) | ChatGPT Plus $20 | ChatGPT Pro $100, $200 or $500 |
| Antigravity | Yes | Google AI Pro $19.99 | AI Ultra from $99.99 |
Copilot meters agent work in GitHub AI Credits. Pro includes $15 a month of credits ($10 base plus a $5 flex allotment), and Pro+ includes $70.
Cursor’s cheapest plan, Plus, costs $8 a month or $80 a year (Last checked: 2026-11). It runs only Cursor’s own models: Grok 4.7, Grok 4.6, Grok 4.5 and Composer 2.5. Third-party models need Premium or higher and are billed at API list price from prepaid credit, so budget for that.
GitHub Copilot: best value
Copilot wins on reach and price. It runs in VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains IDEs, Xcode, Neovim, Eclipse and Zed, plus the CLI and github.com.
GitHub says Pro adds agent mode, pull request reviews and the ability to assign an issue to Copilot so it opens a pull request. For a team already on GitHub, that loop is hard to beat at $10.
Upgrade to Pro+ ($39) only if you need premium models like Opus or about four times Pro’s included usage.
Claude Code: best terminal agent
Claude Code comes with Claude Pro. You get Anthropic’s chat assistant and a coding agent on one $20 bill, or $17 a month billed yearly.
It suits developers who prefer to describe a change and review the diff. Long context helps when the agent needs to read a lot of the codebase first.
Heavy users will feel the 5-hour and weekly limits. Max ($100) gives 5x Pro’s usage. Ultra ($200) has no 5-hour limit for verified accounts and gives 10x Pro’s weekly usage. Our ChatGPT vs Claude vs Gemini comparison covers the rest of the Claude plan.
Cursor: best AI-first editor
Cursor is a full editor designed around AI agents. Every plan includes the agent; Premium ($30) adds cloud agents, automations, AI code reviews via Bugbot and code hosting.
Cursor is now sold as part of The X Subscription, bundled with Grok and X features. Plus covers only Cursor’s own models, Grok 4.x and Composer 2.5. If your team standardizes on other models, you need Premium or higher and pay API list price on top.
OpenAI Codex: best if you pay for ChatGPT
ChatGPT Plus lists expanded Codex usage, so if you already pay $20 a month you have a coding agent included. Pro raises limits with longer Codex sessions.
OpenAI publishes Codex limits for Plus only as estimated ranges, such as 15–160 local messages per 5 hours on GPT-6.1 Sol. Treat it as a strong add-on rather than a team-wide tool until you’ve tested your workload.
Google Antigravity: best free start
Google’s Antigravity is an agentic development platform that’s free to start, with basic weekly rate limits. Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers get higher limits.
It’s the lowest-risk way to try agent-driven coding. Limits are described rather than quantified, so it’s not yet the safest choice for teams.
How to choose in five minutes
- Need it inside JetBrains or Xcode? Choose Copilot.
- Prefer the terminal and big refactors? Choose Claude Code.
- Willing to switch editors? Try Cursor’s free plan.
- Already on ChatGPT Plus? Try Codex before buying anything.
- Zero budget? Start with Copilot Free or Antigravity.
Writing docs and READMEs too? Our best AI writing tools guide covers prose. Our testing approach is on the How We Test page.
The tools in detail
1. GitHub Copilot
Our pickPrice: Free; Pro $10/mo; Pro+ $39/mo; Max $100/mo · Last checked: 2026-11
Pros
- Works in VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains, Xcode, Neovim, Eclipse and Zed.
- Pro includes agent mode, pull request reviews and assigning issues to Copilot.
- Free plan with limited chat and agent use, no card required.
Cons
- Premium models such as Opus need Pro+ ($39).
- Usage is metered in GitHub AI Credits, which takes some learning.
- Code review is not on the Free plan.
- Best for
- Most developers, especially teams already on GitHub.
- Skip it if
- Developers who want an editor redesigned around AI.
2. Claude Code
Price: Included with Claude Pro ($20/mo or $17/mo yearly); Max $100/mo · Last checked: 2026-11
Pros
- Comes with Claude Pro, so one bill covers chat and coding.
- Long context helps with large codebases.
- Max and Ultra raise limits for heavy agent use.
Cons
- Not on Claude's Free plan.
- 5-hour and weekly usage windows apply on Pro and Max.
- Terminal-first workflow has a learning curve.
- Best for
- Developers comfortable in the terminal who want an agent to plan and edit across a repo.
- Skip it if
- Beginners who want inline autocomplete above all.
3. Cursor
Price: Free; Plus $8/mo or $80/yr; Premium $30/mo or $300/yr; Super $100/mo or $1,000/yr; Ultra $200/mo or $2,000/yr · Last checked: 2026-11
Pros
- Premium adds cloud agents, automations and AI code reviews (Bugbot).
- Agent available on every plan, including Free.
- Team plans with SSO and usage analytics.
Cons
- Plus runs only Cursor's own models (Grok 4.7, 4.6, 4.5 and Composer 2.5); third-party models need Premium or higher, billed at API list price.
- Sold as part of The X Subscription, bundled with Grok and X features, which complicates comparison.
- Switching editors costs time if your team is on JetBrains.
- Best for
- Developers who want an AI-first editor with cloud agents and code review.
- Skip it if
- Anyone who wants third-party models included in the flat price.
4. OpenAI Codex
Price: Included with ChatGPT Plus ($20/mo) · Last checked: 2026-11
Pros
- Plus lists expanded Codex usage.
- Same account as your everyday ChatGPT use.
- Pro raises limits with longer Codex sessions.
Cons
- Plus limits are published only as ranges, e.g. 15–160 local messages per 5 hours on GPT-6.1 Sol.
- No annual billing on Plus.
- Best for
- ChatGPT Plus subscribers who want a coding agent without another bill.
- Skip it if
- Anyone on ChatGPT Free or Go who needs more than lightweight coding tasks.
5. Google Antigravity
Price: No cost to start; higher limits with Google AI Pro ($19.99/mo) · Last checked: 2026-11
Pros
- Free to start with access to a variety of agent models.
- Google AI Pro and Ultra raise rate limits.
- Ties into Google AI Studio and the Gemini API.
Cons
- Rate limits are described, not quantified.
- Higher agent limits require a Google AI Pro or Ultra subscription.
- Best for
- Developers who want to try an agentic coding platform for free.
- Skip it if
- Teams that need predictable limits — free use has basic weekly rate limits.
Final verdict
Most developers should start with GitHub Copilot Pro at $10 a month. Add Claude Code if you want a strong terminal agent and already like Claude.
Choose Cursor only if you want to move to an AI-first editor. Use Codex or Antigravity first if you already pay for ChatGPT or Google AI.
