KST
πŸ“ŠCompareToolz
V
VS
Cursor logo

VS Code vs Cursor

Detailed comparison to help you choose the right tool in 2026

πŸ“… Last updated: February 4, 2026‒⏱️ 12 min readβ€’πŸ“Š Code Editors

πŸ† Quick Verdict

Winner: Cursor

Try VS Code β†’Try Cursor β†’

Cursor offers a transformative AI-first coding experience that significantly boosts productivity for developers willing to pay. VS Code remains the best free editor with the largest ecosystem.

πŸ“š Explore More

πŸ“Š Visual Comparison

Overall Score Comparison

100
VS Code
vs
100
Cursor

Category Breakdown

VS Code: 80%FeaturesCursor: 60%
VS Code: 90%PricingCursor: 90%
VS Code: 70%Ease of UseCursor: 70%
VS Code: 75%SupportCursor: 75%
VS Code: 60%IntegrationCursor: 60%

VS Code Highlights

  • βœ… Completely free and open-source
  • βœ… Massive extension marketplace (40,000+)
  • πŸ’° Free / $10/month (Copilot)

Cursor Highlights

  • βœ… Native AI integration
  • βœ… Codebase-aware context
  • πŸ’° Free / $20/month (Pro)

Feature Comparison

FeatureVS CodeCursor
AI Code CompletionVia Copilot extensionNative (advanced)
AI ChatVia Copilot Chat extensionNative (codebase-aware)
Built-in Terminalβœ“βœ“
Git Integrationβœ“βœ“
Debuggerβœ“βœ“
Extensions40,000+VS Code compatible
Remote Developmentβœ“βœ“
Multi-cursor Editingβœ“βœ“
IntelliSenseβœ“βœ“
ThemesThousandsVS Code compatible
Live Shareβœ“Via extension
Freeβœ“Limited free tier

What is VS Code?

V

VS Code

Code Editors

code.visualstudio.com

Visual Studio Code is Microsoft's free, open-source code editor. It's the most popular editor worldwide with a massive extension marketplace, built-in Git, debugging, and terminal support.

βœ…Pros

  • β€’Completely free and open-source
  • β€’Massive extension marketplace (40,000+)
  • β€’Excellent performance and stability
  • β€’Built-in Git, terminal, and debugger
  • β€’Remote development support (SSH, containers, WSL)
  • β€’Universal language support via extensions

❌Cons

  • β€’AI features require separate extensions (Copilot)
  • β€’Can become slow with too many extensions
  • β€’Electron-based (higher memory usage)
  • β€’No native AI chat integrated in editor
  • β€’Configuration can be complex

What is Cursor?

Cursor logo

Cursor

Code Editors

cursor.com

Cursor is an AI-first code editor built for pair programming with AI. A fork of VS Code with native AI features for codebase-aware assistance.

βœ…Pros

  • β€’Native AI integration
  • β€’Codebase-aware context
  • β€’VS Code familiar
  • β€’Fast iterations
  • β€’Composer for multi-file edits

❌Cons

  • β€’Newer product
  • β€’Resource intensive
  • β€’Subscription for Pro
  • β€’Learning curve for AI features

Pricing Comparison

VS Code

Free / $10/month (Copilot)

Free (Copilot $10/month separately)

βœ“ Free tier availableView detailed pricing β†’

Cursor

Free / $20/month (Pro)

Freemium

βœ“ Free tier availableView detailed pricing β†’

πŸ“ŠIn-Depth Analysis: VS Code vs Cursor

Choosing between VS Code and Cursor can be challenging, as both tools offer compelling features for modern workflows. In this comprehensive comparison, we'll analyze every aspectβ€”from features and pricing to real-world use casesβ€”to help you make an informed decision.

VS Code

Visual Studio Code is Microsoft's free, open-source code editor. It's the most popular editor worldwide with a massive extension marketplace, built-in Git, debugging, and terminal support.

Cursor

Cursor is an AI-first code editor built for pair programming with AI. A fork of VS Code with native AI features for codebase-aware assistance.

🎯Best Use Cases

When to Choose VS Code

  • βœ“
    For Teams:

    Completely free and open-source

  • βœ“
    For Small Business:

    Massive extension marketplace (40,000+)

  • βœ“
    For Enterprise:

    Excellent performance and stability

When to Choose Cursor

  • βœ“
    For Individuals:

    Native AI integration

  • βœ“
    For Small Business:

    Codebase-aware context

  • βœ“
    For Teams:

    VS Code familiar

πŸ”Feature Deep Dive

AI Code Completion

VS Code:Via Copilot extension
Cursor:Native (advanced)

AI Chat

VS Code:Via Copilot Chat extension
Cursor:Native (codebase-aware)

Built-in Terminal

VS Code:βœ… Yes
Cursor:βœ… Yes

Git Integration

VS Code:βœ… Yes
Cursor:βœ… Yes

Debugger

VS Code:βœ… Yes
Cursor:βœ… Yes

Extensions

VS Code:40,000+
Cursor:VS Code compatible

πŸ’°Pricing Analysis

VS Code

Free / $10/month (Copilot)

Free (Copilot $10/month separately)

βœ… Free tier available

Cursor

Free / $20/month (Pro)

Freemium

βœ… Free tier available

πŸ’‘ Pro Tip

Both tools offer free trials or tiers. We recommend testing both with your actual workflow before committing to a paid plan.

πŸ†Our Recommendation

After extensive analysis and testing, here's our take: Both VS Code and Cursor are excellent tools that can significantly improve your productivity. The best choice depends on your specific needs, workflow, and priorities.

Choose VS Code if:

You want a completely free editor, need the full VS Code extension ecosystem, or prefer minimal AI integration.

Choose Cursor if:

You want the most advanced AI coding experience with codebase-aware chat, multi-file edits, and AI-first workflows.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, Cursor is built on VS Code's core, so most settings, keybindings, and extensions are directly compatible. You can import your VS Code configuration on first launch.

Final Verdict: Which Should You Choose?

✨ Choose VS Code if

You want a completely free editor, need the full VS Code extension ecosystem, or prefer minimal AI integration.

✨ Choose Cursor if

You want the most advanced AI coding experience with codebase-aware chat, multi-file edits, and AI-first workflows.

Try VS Code Free β†’Try Cursor Free β†’