🟦 Cursor vs ⚡ Zed
Head to head — the trade-offs that actually matter.
| Cursor | Zed | |
|---|---|---|
| Starts at | $20/mo | Free |
| Category | IDE | IDE |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Open source | No | Yes |
| Rating | ★ 4.7 | ★ 4.5 |
| Launched | 2023 | 2023 |
| Best for | Daily driver for IDE-first engineers | Speed freaks and pair-programming teams |
🟦 Cursor
Strengths
- + Keeps every VS Code extension and keybind
- + Tab completion and Composer feel instant
- + Model picker — bring your own API key
Weaknesses
- − Privacy mode limits some model routing
- − Pro plan quotas run out fast on large projects
⚡ Zed
Strengths
- + Ludicrously fast — Rust from the ground up
- + Collaborative editing like Google Docs
- + Open source core
Weaknesses
- − Ecosystem smaller than VS Code forks
- − Windows support still stabilizing