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The best Claude Code alternatives, in our order, are Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini’s Antigravity, Grok Build, Windsurf and DeepSeek. We rank them by their scores in our reviews, and we break ties with each tool’s best entry on Artificial Analysis’s Coding Agent Index.
People leave Claude Code for three reasons, all covered in our Claude Code review. Its top run costs $14.19 a task, and its limits are shared with Claude chat without published counts. Personal plans also train on your sessions unless you opt out. So each entry below says how it answers those three.
Best Claude Code Alternatives: The Short Answer
Among the best Claude Code alternatives on this list, Codex ranks first. It scored 63 on the September index at $1.04 a task, about a third of Claude Code’s cost at the same score. It also comes with every ChatGPT plan. Our DeepSeek vs Claude Code comparison also covers setups and data location.
Cursor follows for developers who want a full AI editor, while GitHub Copilot is the cheapest seat at $10. Notably, Copilot’s paid plans still list Claude models, so you can keep them while leaving Claude Code itself.
The List at a Glance
| Alternative | Best index entry; cost per task | Plan to start |
|---|---|---|
| Codex (ChatGPT) | 63 (GPT-6.1 Sol); $1.04 | Plus $20/mo; trial on Free |
| Cursor | No current entry; 62 in May at $0.07 | Pro $20/mo |
| GitHub Copilot | No entry | Pro $10/mo |
| Gemini (Antigravity) | 41.9, via BenchLM | Antigravity CLI free; AI Pro $19.99 |
| Grok Build | 56 (Grok 4.7) | SuperGrok Lite $10/mo, reported |
| Windsurf (Devin Desktop) | No entry | Pro $20/mo |
| DeepSeek in Codex | 43.1, via BenchLM | API from $0.15 per 1M tokens |
| Claude Code, for reference | 68 (Sonnet 5.5, max); $14.19 | Claude Pro $20/mo |
How We Ordered the Best Claude Code Alternatives
This list orders the seven alternatives by their scores in our reviews, because those cover each product as a whole. Where scores tie, the best entry on the September version of the agent index decides. As a result, Codex sits above Cursor, whose only entry comes from May.
In addition, two entries come from BenchLM’s mirror of the index rather than Artificial Analysis directly, and we say so. Our list of the best AI for coding ranks agents by index score alone.
1. Codex: Same Score for a Third of the Cost
Codex with GPT-6.1 Sol scored 63 at $1.04 a task, against $3.33 for Claude Code at the same score. It comes with every ChatGPT plan, with a trial on Free, and its sandbox starts with network access off.
On the three reasons, first, cost per task is much lower. However, limits still come as ranges shared with ChatGPT Work, and personal plans also train unless you opt out. Our guide to ChatGPT for coding covers each plan’s allowance.
2. Cursor: A Full AI Editor
Cursor, by contrast, replaces your editor rather than running beside it. Pro costs $20 a month, and its own Composer 2.5 scored 62 on the May version of the index at $0.07 a task. Moreover, Claude Code itself runs inside Cursor, so you can try both.
On the three reasons: Cursor’s own model is far cheaper per task, but heavy months can run $60 to $100, Cursor estimates. With Privacy Mode on, it does not train on your code. Our Claude vs Cursor comparison goes deeper.
3. GitHub Copilot: The Cheapest Seat, Claude Models Included
Copilot Pro, meanwhile, costs $10 a month and works in VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains IDEs, Xcode and Eclipse. Its paid plans also list Claude Opus 5.5 and Sonnet 5.5, and GitHub lists Anthropic’s Claude as a third-party agent, in public preview.
On the three reasons, the seat costs half of Claude Pro, and usage runs on published AI credits. Part of each allowance, though, can change. Personal plans, however, train by default too. Our Claude vs GitHub Copilot comparison covers the trade-off.
4. Gemini: Antigravity at a Low Price
Google’s Antigravity with Gemini 3.8 Flash, for its part, scored 41.9 on BenchLM’s mirror of the index. Since June 18, 2026, Antigravity CLI has replaced Gemini CLI for free and Google AI accounts, with a smaller free quota, several guides report.
On the three reasons, it is the cheapest way in. Its score, however, sits far below Claude Code’s, and Gemini ties training to Keep Activity. Our Gemini review covers the plans.
5. Grok Build: A Cheaper Frontier Option
Grok Build with Grok 4.7, meanwhile, scored 56 on the September index, according to an Artificial Analysis post. SuperGrok Lite is reported at $10 a month, and SpaceXAI, which makes Grok, also owns Cursor.
On the three reasons, entry is cheap. Its consumer prices, however, come from third-party readings, and Grok’s January 2026 image scandal remains on its record. Our Grok review covers the details.
6. Windsurf: Many Agents on One Board
Windsurf now ships as Devin Desktop, after Cognition renamed it on June 2, 2026. Pro costs $20 a month on daily and weekly quotas, and its board can run Claude’s agent and Codex alongside Cognition’s own Devin Local. Our list of Windsurf alternatives also ranks eight options by independent scores.
On the three reasons: quotas refresh daily and weekly, but it has no index entry, and personal plans need a training opt-out. Our Windsurf review covers its 2025 security flaws.
7. DeepSeek: Cheapest Tokens, Data in China
DeepSeek has no agent of its own; instead, its API plugs into Codex, where V4 Pro scored 43.1 on BenchLM’s mirror. Its V4.1 Flash costs $0.15 per million input tokens off-peak, with open weights.
On the three reasons: it is by far the cheapest per token, but its hosted service stores data in China. So self-host the open weights for anything private, as our guide to DeepSeek for coding explains.
Reasons to Stay With Claude Code
Still, Claude Code holds the top entry on the index, 68 with Sonnet 5.5 at maximum effort. It also comes with Claude Pro at no extra cost and runs in the terminal, VS Code, JetBrains IDEs, a desktop app and the web.
So before switching, try a lower effort setting: at extra-high effort it scored 63 for $3.33, and at high effort 55 for $1.24. Then turn off Help improve Claude if training is your concern. Our guide to Claude for coding covers both settings.
Which Alternative for Which Reason
In short, to cut cost per task, take Codex, or Cursor’s own model. To keep Claude models for less, take GitHub Copilot, and for a full AI editor, Cursor. Budget learners, meanwhile, can start with Antigravity CLI for free.
For the wider field, see our lists of Cursor alternatives and GitHub Copilot alternatives.
How We Research
For the best Claude Code alternatives, review scores come from our own reviews, including our Cursor review and GitHub Copilot review. Agent scores come from Artificial Analysis’s Claude Code vs Codex comparison, read on September 30, 2026, with two entries from BenchLM’s mirror.
Plans come from each company’s pages, read between September 30 and October 2, 2026. We run no coding tests of our own, and our about page explains the criteria.
Best Claude Code Alternatives FAQ
On this list, Codex ranks first. It scored 63 on Artificial Analysis’s September index at $1.04 a task, about a third of Claude Code’s cost at the same score.
Yes. GitHub Copilot Pro costs $10 a month and still lists Claude models. Antigravity CLI is free with a smaller quota, and DeepSeek’s API starts at $0.15 per million input tokens.
Yes. GitHub Copilot’s paid plans list Claude Opus 5.5 and Sonnet 5.5, and Cursor bills Claude models at Anthropic’s API prices.
Mostly cost and limits. Its top run cost $14.19 a task, usage is shared with Claude chat without published counts, and personal plans train by default.
Cursor with Privacy Mode on does not. Most personal plans elsewhere train by default, while business plans from OpenAI, GitHub and Anthropic do not.
The Verdict
The best Claude Code alternatives mostly trade a little score for a lot of cost. Codex matches Claude Code’s extra-high score for a third of the price, Cursor adds a full editor, and Copilot keeps Claude models for $10.
Before you switch, though, try Claude Code at a lower effort setting. If the bill still bothers you, move one recurring task to Codex and compare.