// coding_tools · October 2026
AI coding tools compared
Every plan for the seven tools developers actually choose between, the models each plan really includes, and how those models score on LiveBench coding — so you can see what $20 a month buys rather than what the landing page says.
Plans checked against vendor pricing pages on 2026-10-27.
What changed this year
- Cursor — SpaceXAI completed its acquisition of Cursor on August 14, 2026. The $8 Plus plan offers Grok models only.
- Devin Desktop — Formerly Windsurf: Cognition renamed the editor Devin Desktop on June 2, 2026, and windsurf.com now redirects to devin.ai.
- Google Antigravity — Gemini CLI was replaced by Antigravity CLI for unpaid and Google One users on June 18, 2026.
At a glance
Scores are the best LiveBench result among the models a tool's plans include. Cline takes any model, so it has no ceiling of its own.
| Tool | Where you use it | Free plan | Paid from | Best coding model | Best agentic model | Own API key |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude CodeAnthropic | Terminal agent, plus IDE extensions, desktop and web | No | $20/mo | 97.7Claude Fable 5.1 | 77.9Claude Fable 5.1 | Yes |
| OpenAI CodexOpenAI | Terminal, IDE extension, desktop app and cloud tasks | Yes | $8/mo | 96.0GPT-6.1 Sol | 77.5GPT-6 Astra | Yes |
| CursorSpaceXAI | AI code editor (VS Code fork) with cloud agents | Yes | $8/mo | 84.5SpaceXAI: Grok 4.7 | 46.1SpaceXAI: Grok 4.7 | No |
| GitHub CopilotGitHub (Microsoft) | IDE extensions, github.com, CLI and a cloud coding agent | Yes | $10/mo | 97.7Claude Fable 5.1 | 77.9Claude Fable 5.1 | No |
| Devin DesktopCognition | AI code editor with local and cloud agents | Yes | $20/mo | Not listed | Not listed | No |
| Google AntigravityGoogle | Agent-first IDE and CLI | Yes | $19.99/mo | 89.7Gemini 4 Argon | 61.2Gemini 4 Argon | No |
| ClineCline (open source) | VS Code extension and CLI | Yes | Tokens only | Any model | Any model | Yes |
The cheapest way to each top coding model
For the strongest models on LiveBench coding, the lowest-priced paid plans that include them (free tiers are too limited to count), against what a heavy month of agent use costs paying per token.
| Model | Coding | Cheapest paid plans that include it | Heavy month via API |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Fable 5.1 | 97.7 | GitHub Copilot Pro $10/mo · Claude Code Max $100/mo | $6,540/mo |
| Claude Opus 5.5 | 96.3 | GitHub Copilot Pro $10/mo · Claude Code Pro $20/mo | $2,672/mo |
| GPT-6.1 Sol | 96.0 | GitHub Copilot Pro $10/mo · OpenAI Codex Plus $20/mo | $1,336/mo |
| Claude Sonnet 5.5 | 94.7 | GitHub Copilot Pro $10/mo · Claude Code Pro $20/mo | $1,336/mo |
| GPT-6.1 Terra | 94.3 | GitHub Copilot Pro $10/mo · OpenAI Codex Plus $20/mo | $668.00/mo |
| GPT-6 Astra | 93.7 | GitHub Copilot Pro $10/mo · OpenAI Codex Plus $20/mo | $6,960/mo |
Head-to-head comparisons
AI coding tools FAQ
Which AI coding tool has the best model?
By the models their plans include, Claude Code gives access to Claude Fable 5.1, which scores 97.7 on LiveBench coding — the highest of any included model. Several tools include the same top models, so price and workflow (terminal, editor or cloud) usually decide it.
What is the cheapest paid AI coding tool?
OpenAI Codex Go and Cursor Plus, at $8/mo. Check which models that plan includes — the cheapest plans are often limited to one lab’s models.
Which AI coding tools are free?
OpenAI Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Devin Desktop, Google Antigravity, Cline have free plans, with tight usage limits. Cline is free software with no plan at all — you pay only the model provider for tokens.
Is a subscription cheaper than paying per token?
For heavy daily agent use, almost always: a month of agentic coding on a frontier model can cost thousands of dollars at API list price, while subscriptions cap the bill at the plan price and limit usage instead. Pay-per-token wins for light or bursty use, and when you want a model no plan includes.
Where these numbers come from
- Plans and prices — each vendor's own pricing page, checked 2026-10-27: Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Devin Desktop, Google Antigravity, Cline. Usage allowances change often; check before you buy.
- Model scores — LiveBench coding and long-horizon agentic categories for the models each plan includes, live from the same data as the leaderboard. A tool's own agent loop matters too; these scores rate the model, not the tool.
- “Same work via API” — a heavy coding-agent month (40K tokens in, 4K out, 20K requests, 70% cached input) at OpenRouter list price, for comparing a subscription against paying per token.