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Of the tools on this list, the best Cursor alternatives on Artificial Analysis’s Coding Agent Index are Claude Code and Codex. Grok Build, DeepSeek through Codex and Google’s Gemini tools then follow. We rank them by each agent’s best published score, and we also show cost per task where it exists.
Reasons to leave Cursor, however, vary. For example, some developers want a higher agent score, while others want lower cost. Others want a different owner now that SpaceX bought Cursor in August 2026, as our Cursor review covers. So each entry below also notes what it changes.
Best Cursor Alternatives: The Short Answer
Among the best Cursor alternatives on this list, Claude Code scores highest and Codex gives strong value. As of September 30, 2026, Claude Code with Sonnet 5.5 scored 68 on the index. Codex with GPT-6.1 Sol, meanwhile, scored 63 at $1.04 per task. Both also come with $20 plans: Claude Pro and ChatGPT Plus.
Cursor itself remains cheap per task. Its Composer 2.5 scored 62 in May at $0.07 per task, Artificial Analysis said. So switching mostly buys a higher score or a different owner, not a lower price per task.
The List at a Glance
| Alternative | Best index score | Plan to start |
|---|---|---|
| Claude Code | 68 (Sonnet 5.5, max) | Claude Pro $20/mo or $200/yr |
| Codex | 63 (GPT-6.1 Sol), $1.04 a task | ChatGPT Plus $20/mo; Free has limited access |
| Grok Build | 56 (Grok 4.7) | SuperGrok $30/mo (reported) |
| DeepSeek V4 Pro in Codex | 43.1 (BenchLM mirror) | API, $0.66 per 1M input off-peak |
| Gemini (Antigravity, CLI) | 41.9 (BenchLM mirror) | Antigravity CLI free |
| Cursor, for reference | 62 (Composer 2.5, May), $0.07 a task | Pro $20/mo |
How We Ordered the Best Cursor Alternatives
This list of the best Cursor alternatives orders agents by their best entry on Artificial Analysis’s Coding Agent Index. That index scores the agent and model together on agentic coding tests. After all, that is how you would use them in place of Cursor.
Where Artificial Analysis does not list a score directly, however, we use BenchLM’s mirror and say so. GitHub Copilot and Windsurf, now Devin Desktop, have no entry on the index, so this rule cannot place them. Our page on GitHub Copilot alternatives covers seven options ranked by our review scores.
1. Claude Code: The Top Score
Claude Code with Sonnet 5.5 at maximum effort scored 68, the top entry on the index. However, that run cost $14.19 per task. At Extra High effort, by contrast, it scored 63 for $3.33. It comes with Claude Pro and Max and runs in the terminal and in IDEs. Our guide to Claude for coding covers the details.
The catch: chat and Claude Code share one usage pool. Also, personal plans train on your sessions unless you turn that off. With training on, moreover, Anthropic keeps them for five years.
2. Codex: Strong Value per Task
Codex with GPT-6.1 Sol scored 63 at $1.04 per task. That matches Claude Code at Extra High for about a third of the cost. It also comes with every ChatGPT plan, including limited access on Free, and its sandbox keeps network access off by default.
The catch: Codex shares its allowance with ChatGPT Work, and Plus gets only limited GPT-6 Astra use. Our guide to ChatGPT for coding covers the details.
3. Grok Build: Same Owner as Cursor
Grok Build with Grok 4.7 scored 56 on the index, which places it third here. However, SpaceXAI makes both Grok and, since August 14, 2026, Cursor itself. So if you are leaving Cursor because of the new owner, Grok Build does not change that.
Also, SuperGrok is reported at $30 a month. Grok’s January image scandal remains on its record, as our Grok review and our Grok vs DeepSeek comparison cover.
4. DeepSeek in Codex: The Cheapest Tokens
DeepSeek V4 Pro running inside Codex scored 43.1, according to BenchLM’s mirror of the index. Its API also offers one-click Codex setup and the cheapest tokens of the providers here. In addition, its V4.1 Flash weights can run on your own servers.
The catch: DeepSeek’s hosted service stores data in China, as our guide to DeepSeek for coding covers. So self-host for anything proprietary, because that keeps code off DeepSeek’s servers.
5. Gemini: Free Command-Line Agent
Google’s Antigravity SDK with Gemini 3.8 Flash scored 41.9 on BenchLM’s mirror of the index. Since June 18, 2026, meanwhile, Antigravity CLI has replaced Gemini CLI for free and Google AI accounts, with a smaller free quota, several guides report. As a result, it suits learners and light use.
The catch, however, is that its index entry is the lowest on this list. Our list of the best AI for beginners in coding covers when that trade-off makes sense.
Not Ranked: GitHub Copilot and Windsurf
GitHub Copilot and Windsurf, now Devin Desktop, are also common Cursor alternatives, but neither has an entry on Artificial Analysis’s index. So we do not rank them here. Instead, our GitHub Copilot review and Windsurf review cover them, and our Cursor vs GitHub Copilot comparison sets Copilot against Cursor.
Which Alternative for Which Reason
The best Cursor alternatives on this list depend on why you are leaving. Higher agent score: Claude Code. Value per task: Codex. A different owner: anything but Grok Build. Cheapest tokens or self-hosting: DeepSeek. Free to start: Antigravity CLI or Codex on ChatGPT Free. Our DeepSeek vs Cursor comparison also weighs the cheapest tokens against a full AI editor.
For the full field, see our list of the best AI for coding. For APIs, however, our list of the best AI tools for developers goes further.
How We Research
Scores come from Artificial Analysis’s Coding Agent Index, read on September 30 and October 1, 2026. Cursor’s score comes from its May 21 article on Composer 2.5. DeepSeek and Gemini entries come from BenchLM’s mirror, and the Gemini CLI change from guides citing Google’s announcement.
We run no coding tests of our own. Our criteria live on our about page.
Best Cursor Alternatives FAQ
Of the tools on this list, Claude Code scored highest on Artificial Analysis’s index at 68. Codex scored 63 at $1.04 per task, and Grok Build, DeepSeek and Gemini follow.
On the index, Claude Code with Sonnet 5.5 scored 68 in September, against 62 for Cursor’s Composer 2.5 in May. Cursor’s Composer, however, cost far less per task.
Google’s Antigravity CLI is free with a smaller quota, several guides report. ChatGPT Free also includes limited Codex access.
Yes. SpaceXAI makes Grok, and SpaceX completed its acquisition of Cursor on August 14, 2026.
Neither has an entry on the agent index, so this list does not rank them. Our reviews cover both, and Windsurf now ships as Devin Desktop.
The Verdict
Among the best Cursor alternatives on this list, Claude Code leads on score and Codex on value. Grok Build shares Cursor’s owner, DeepSeek has the cheapest tokens, and Google’s Antigravity CLI is free.
Before switching, however, compare cost per task as well as the score. After all, Cursor’s own Composer remains one of the cheapest options on the index.