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Cursor
Free (limited) / Pro $20/month / Pro+ $60/month / Ultra $200/month4.7/5
AI-native code editor. Codebase understanding, natural language commands, fast coding.
Why founders use Cursor
AI code completion & generation
Codebase-aware context window
Composer for multi-file edits
Natural language debugging
Terminal integration
VS Code extensions
Model selection (Claude, GPT-4, Gemini)
The Good
AI understands your full codebase (not just lines)
Composer mode for multi-file refactoring
VS Code compatible (install extensions freely)
Multiple AI models (Claude, GPT-4, Gemini)
Fast onboarding for new developers
Affordable Pro at $20/month for solo devs
The Bad
Pro+ at $60/month steep for beginners
Free tier limited (8 hours/week active coding)
No team pricing (each dev needs license)
Learning curve for advanced features
Context window can get expensive
The Verdict
Cursor is the modern code editor built for AI-assisted development. It's VS Code compatible but AI-native—uses Claude, GPT-4, or Gemini to understand your entire codebase, fix bugs, refactor, and build features with natural language. Unlike GitHub Copilot (which offers line-level completions only), Cursor's Composer mode lets you rewrite files and debug full features conversationally. Free tier includes a one-week Pro trial; the $20/month Pro plan is worth it for full-time developers (3x faster development reported). For indie hackers shipping fast, Cursor pays for itself in saved hours.