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Software · head to head

Cody vs Cursor

Cody logo

Cody

Software

AI coding assistant powered by code search

From
Free
Rated
-
Cursor logo

Cursor

Software

The AI-first code editor

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Cody sourcegraph now publishes a single Enterprise plan starting at $16K, with no free or individual Pro tier listed on the pricing page; Cursor cannot work fully offline; AI features require internet connection

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cody and Cursor actually diverge.

Attributes where Cody and Cursor differ
AttributeCodyCursor
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
PlatformsWebWindows, Macos, Linux
Founded20132022

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Cody

Nothing recorded that Cursor does not also cover.

Only in Cursor

  • AI code completion
  • Natural language editing
  • Codebase chat
  • Multi-file editing
  • Code generation
  • Bug fixing assistance
  • Refactoring suggestions
  • AI pair programming

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Cody

  • AI code assistance with context drawn from a whole private codebasenot Cursor
  • Code search and navigation across many repositoriesnot Cursor
  • Large scale code migrations and modernisation with Batch Changesnot Cursor

Cursor

  • AI-assisted codingnot Cody
  • Code generationnot Cody
  • Bug fixingnot Cody
  • Refactoringnot Cody
  • Learning new codebasesnot Cody
  • Rapid prototypingnot Cody

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Cody

  • Sourcegraph now publishes a single Enterprise plan starting at $16K, with no free or individual Pro tier listed on the pricing page
  • sourcegraph.com/cody redirects to the documentation rather than a Cody product or pricing page
  • AI features are metered as credits included per user, and exceeding the allocation requires buying a higher volume bucket
  • Volume credit buckets are sold as an add-on rather than included
  • A customer success manager and premium support are optional paid extras on top of the Enterprise plan
  • Standard support is 24x5 rather than 24x7, with round-the-clock coverage sold as an upgrade
  • The published $16K figure is a starting price that scales with team size, so the actual cost is quoted rather than listed

Cursor

  • Cannot work fully offline; AI features require internet connection
  • Local models require requests to route through Cursor's backend, not true localhost support
  • Free tier capped at 2,000 completions per month
  • Codebase indexing uploads code chunks to compute embeddings, with file caching handled server-side

Pricing, plan by plan

Cody

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Cody review.

Cursor

Free
  • HobbyFree
    • 2,000 completions/month
    • 50 slow premium requests
    • Basic autocomplete
  • Pro$20/month
    • Unlimited completions
    • 500 fast premium requests
    • Composer multi-file editor
  • Pro+$60/month
    • 3x Pro limits on Agent requests
    • Priority feature access
  • Teams Standard$40/user/month
    • All Individual Pro features
    • Centralized billing
    • SAML/OIDC SSO

Which should you pick?

Choose Cody if

  • You want to start without paying.

Choose Cursor if

  • You need ai code completion.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux.
  • You also want natural language editing.

Questions people ask

Is Cody or Cursor better?
Neither clearly leads. Cody starts at Free and Cursor at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cody or Cursor?
Cody starts at Free and Cursor at Free.
Does Cody or Cursor run on more platforms?
Cody runs on Web. Cursor runs on Windows, Macos, Linux.
Can I use Cody for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Cody best used for?
Cody is most often used for ai code assistance with context drawn from a whole private codebase, code search and navigation across many repositories, large scale code migrations and modernisation with batch changes. Of those, ai code assistance with context drawn from a whole private codebase and code search and navigation across many repositories are not what Cursor is typically brought in for.
What can Cody do that Cursor cannot?
Cursor covers AI code completion, Natural language editing, Codebase chat, Multi-file editing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cursor: What's included in Cursor's free tier and what are its limits?

The free Hobby plan provides 2,000 completions per month and 50 slow premium requests, with access to basic autocomplete features. Codebase-wide indexing and the Composer multi-file editor are not available on the free plan.

Source
Cursor: Does Cursor require an internet connection to edit code?

While Cursor can open and edit files locally, its AI features including autocomplete, chat, agents, and codebase-aware reasoning require internet access to cloud-hosted models.

Source
Cursor: Can I use Cursor with local models running on my machine?

Cursor can integrate with local models, but requests still route through Cursor's backend for prompt building. True localhost mode without external endpoints is not supported. The paid plan ($20+/month) is required to use local models.

Source
Cursor: What privacy controls does Cursor offer?

Cursor offers Privacy Mode (enabled on paid Team plans) which prevents customer data from being used for model training, with zero data retention agreements with all AI providers. When disabled, Cursor may use codebase data to improve features.

Source
Cursor: What are the differences between Pro and Pro+ plans?

Pro ($20/month) includes unlimited completions and 500 fast premium requests, while Pro+ ($60/month) provides 3x those request limits, priority feature access, and extended Agent capabilities.

Source
Cursor: Does Cursor support SSO and on which plan?

SSO with SAML/OIDC is included on Teams Standard ($40/user/month) and higher plans, with full team administration and audit logs.

Source

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