A detailed comparison of Cursor and Zed to help you choose the right tool for your needs.
| Plan | Cursor | Zed |
|---|---|---|
| Free Tier | ✓ Free tier (limited) | ✓ Free and open source |
| Lowest Paid | $20/mo | Free |
| Enterprise | $40/user/mo | Coming |
| Feature | Cursor | Zed |
|---|---|---|
| AI Code Completion | ✓ | — |
| Chat with Codebase | ✓ | — |
| AI Edit Mode | ✓ | — |
| Multi-File Edits | ✓ | — |
| VS Code Compatible | ✓ | — |
| Custom Models | ✓ | — |
| High Performance | — | ✓ |
| Real-Time Collaboration | — | ✓ |
| AI Integration | — | ✓ |
| Language Server Protocol | — | ✓ |
| Vim Mode | — | ✓ |
| Terminal | — | ✓ |
| Open Source | ✗ | ✓ |
| Rating | ⭐ 4.6 | ⭐ 4.3 |
Choose Cursor if: You need developers wanting the best ai-assisted coding experience. Cursor excels with its best ai coding experience and vs code extensions work.
Choose Zed if: You need developers wanting a fast, modern code editor. Zed stands out with its incredibly fast and native multiplayer.
Best free option: Both Cursor and Zed offer free tiers. Cursor offers "Free tier (limited)" while Zed offers "Free and open source".
It depends on your needs. Cursor is better for developers wanting the best ai-assisted coding experience, while Zed is better for developers wanting a fast, modern code editor. Both are excellent tools rated 4.6 and 4.3 respectively.
Cursor starts at $20/mo while Zed starts at Free. Both offer free tiers.
Most tools offer import/export features to help you migrate. We recommend trying Zed's free tier before fully committing to a switch.
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