AI Coding Assistants
Short answer
AI coding assistants fall into three groups: editor assistants that complete and edit code as you type (GitHub Copilot, Cursor), terminal agents that read a repository and run commands (Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Gemini CLI), and app builders for people who do not code (see App Builders). Pick by where you work and how much autonomy you want. Copilot has the lowest verified paid price at $10 a month; Gemini CLI has the most generous free tier. Prices below were checked on official pages on 5 October 2026 where shown.
What this category covers: Tools for people who write code. For no-code app building see App Builders.
AI Coding Assistants compared
| Tool | What it does | Pricing model | Status | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gemini CLI | Google's open-source AI agent that brings Gemini models into the terminal for coding, file and shell tasks. | Open source | Active | 5 October 2026 |
| Cursor | An AI code editor built on VS Code, with in-editor chat, multi-file agent edits and background agents. | Free plan available | Active | 5 October 2026 |
| GitHub Copilot | GitHub's AI coding assistant for code completion, chat, code review and agent tasks in major editors and on GitHub. | Free plan available | Active | 5 October 2026 |
| Replit AI | Replit's browser-based development platform with an AI agent that builds and deploys apps from prompts. | Free plan available | Active | 2 June 2026 |
| Claude Code | Anthropic's agentic coding tool that works in the terminal, in IDEs and on GitHub, editing files, running commands and handling git workflows. | Paid only | Active | 5 October 2026 |
| OpenAI Codex | OpenAI's coding agent; the open-source Codex CLI runs in the terminal and is included with paid ChatGPT plans or usable with an API key. | Paid only | Active | 5 October 2026 |
| Blackbox AI | An AI coding assistant with chat, code search and autocomplete in editors and on the web. | Free plan available | Active | 2 June 2026 |
| Shipable AI | Listed as a tool that automates parts of building and shipping code. | Free trial | Active | 2 June 2026 |
| Sourcegraph Cody | Sourcegraph's AI coding assistant for large codebases. Since July 2025 it is offered only as Cody Enterprise. | Enterprise only | Enterprise only | 5 October 2026 |
All tools in this category
Gemini CLI
Google's open-source AI agent that brings Gemini models into the terminal for coding, file and shell tasks.
Cursor
An AI code editor built on VS Code, with in-editor chat, multi-file agent edits and background agents.
GitHub Copilot
GitHub's AI coding assistant for code completion, chat, code review and agent tasks in major editors and on GitHub.
Replit AI
Replit's browser-based development platform with an AI agent that builds and deploys apps from prompts.
Claude Code
Anthropic's agentic coding tool that works in the terminal, in IDEs and on GitHub, editing files, running commands and handling git workflows.
OpenAI Codex
OpenAI's coding agent; the open-source Codex CLI runs in the terminal and is included with paid ChatGPT plans or usable with an API key.
Blackbox AI
An AI coding assistant with chat, code search and autocomplete in editors and on the web.
Shipable AI
Listed as a tool that automates parts of building and shipping code.
Sourcegraph Cody
Sourcegraph's AI coding assistant for large codebases. Since July 2025 it is offered only as Cody Enterprise.
How to choose
Evidence: Editorial assessmentStart from where you write code
If your team lives in VS Code, JetBrains or Vim and reviews code on GitHub, an editor assistant such as Copilot adds the least friction. If you want an editor built around AI, Cursor replaces your editor. If you work from the terminal and want an agent to make multi-file changes and run tests, try Claude Code, Codex or Gemini CLI. These are not exclusive: many developers pair an editor assistant with a terminal agent.
Decide how much autonomy you want
Autocomplete suggests a line; an agent edits many files, runs commands and opens pull requests. More autonomy saves more time on routine changes but needs more review. Whatever you choose, keep tests and code review in place: an agent that runs commands can also break things. Our guide to fixing AI-generated code bugs is on the way; until then, review diffs as carefully as a colleague's.
Check what the plan really includes
Entry prices hide limits. Copilot Free allows 2,000 completions and 50 chat requests a month. Cursor's free Hobby plan limits agent requests. Claude Code has no separate price: it is included in paid Claude plans and shares their usage limits, which matters if you also use Claude for chat. Codex is included with several ChatGPT plans or billed through the API.
Privacy, licensing and admin controls
For company code, check whether the vendor uses your prompts for training, whether you can opt out, and what admin controls and audit logs the business plans include. GitHub's plans page, for example, says it may use interactions from individual plans for training unless you opt out. Open-source clients such as Gemini CLI and Codex CLI let you inspect what runs locally, but the models they call are still hosted services.
What changed in this update
- Added Claude Code and OpenAI Codex; removed Llama 2 (moved to Models as legacy).
- Sourcegraph Cody relabelled 'Enterprise only' (Free and Pro ended 23 July 2025).
- Copilot and Cursor prices updated from official pages; removed the unconfirmed Copilot Business price.
Common questions
What is the cheapest AI coding assistant?
Among tools with verified prices, GitHub Copilot Pro is the cheapest paid plan at $10 a month. Gemini CLI is free with a personal Google account (60 requests a minute, 1,000 a day). Copilot Free and Cursor Hobby are also free but limited.
Should I use Cursor or GitHub Copilot?
Copilot if you want the lowest price and support across many editors and GitHub itself. Cursor if you want an AI-first editor with multi-file agent edits and are happy to switch editors. Cursor's Individual plan is $20 a month.
What is the difference between a coding assistant and a coding agent?
An assistant suggests code while you type and answers questions. An agent takes a task, edits files, runs commands and tests, and reports back. Claude Code, Codex and Gemini CLI are agents; Copilot and Cursor now include agent modes too.
Is Llama 2 a coding tool?
No. Llama 2 is a 2023 general-purpose open-weight model and was listed here by mistake. It now sits in the Models category as a legacy entry.