Short answer: choose Claude Code for autonomous, multi-step work from the terminal with Anthropic's Claude models; choose Cursor for AI built into your everyday editor with fast completions and multiple model providers. Both start at $20/month — and many developers use both.
Side by side
| Feature | Claude Code | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | Anthropic | Anysphere (part of SpaceX since Aug 2026) |
| Status | Active | Active |
| Type | CLI / terminal, IDE extension, Cloud agent | AI IDE, Cloud agent, Code review |
| Interfaces | Terminal · VS Code / JetBrains · Desktop app · Web | Desktop editor (VS Code fork) · CLI · Web (cloud agents) |
| Open source | No | No |
| Free tier | — No | ✓ Yes |
| Starting price | from $20/mo | Free tier · from $20/mo |
| Plans | Pro: $20/mo ($17/mo billed annually) Max: From $100/mo Team: Per seat Enterprise: $20/seat/mo + usage at API rates API (pay-as-you-go): Per token | Hobby: Free Pro: $20/mo Pro+ / Ultra: Higher tiers Teams: $40/user/mo Enterprise: Custom |
| Models | Anthropic Claude models (Opus, Sonnet, Haiku families) | Multiple frontier models plus Cursor's own Composer model; the lineup changes often — check the official site |
| Bring your own key | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Agent mode | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Autocomplete | — No | ✓ Yes |
| Cloud / background agents | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| PR code review | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| MCP support | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Self-host option | — No | — No |
| Best for | Developers who are comfortable in the terminal and want an agent that can own multi-step tasks end to end. | Developers who want AI woven into everyday editing, with an agent one keystroke away. |
| Last verified | 2026-10-10 | 2026-10-10 |
The real difference: workflow, not features
Claude Code is an agent. You describe a goal and it explores the repository, edits files, runs commands and iterates on failures. You check in on progress rather than directing every step.
Cursor is an environment. It is the editor you live in, with AI threaded through it — Tab predicts your next edit, chat understands the project, and the Agent (plus cloud agents) takes on bigger tasks when you ask.
Where Claude Code wins
- Deep, multi-file tasks — plan-then-execute over large, unfamiliar codebases.
- Terminal-native teams — works next to any editor, with git, scripts and CI.
- Benchmarks — leads the Terminal-Bench 4.0 agent leaderboard we track (64.8% with Opus 5.5).
Where Cursor wins
- Always-on assistance — completions and inline edits as you type.
- Model flexibility — several frontier providers plus Cursor's own models.
- Free entry — a Hobby plan to try it; Teams at $40/user/month with Bugbot code review.
Pricing compared
Claude Code: included with Claude Pro ($20/month, or $17/month billed annually), Max (from $100/month), Team and Enterprise ($20/seat + API usage), or pay-as-you-go via the API. Cursor: Hobby free, Pro $20/month, higher Pro+ and Ultra tiers, Teams $40/user/month, Enterprise custom. Verified 2026-10-11 on the official pricing pages.