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Software Development · head to head

Cursor vs Keycloak

Cursor logo

Cursor

Software Development

The AI-first code editor

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Keycloak logo

Keycloak

Developer Tools

Open-source identity and access management server.

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Cursor cannot work fully offline; AI features require internet connection; Keycloak requires self-hosted deployment and operational expertise to install, configure and maintain

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cursor and Keycloak actually diverge.

Attributes where Cursor and Keycloak differ
AttributeCursorKeycloak
Pricing modelUnknownopen-source
PlatformsWindows, Macos, LinuxSelf-hosted, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Windows, API
CategorySoftware DevelopmentDeveloper Tools
Founded2022Unknown

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

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 Cursor

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

Only in Keycloak

Nothing recorded that Cursor does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Cursor

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

Keycloak

  • Organisations requiring self-hosted identity infrastructure for compliance or data residencynot Cursor
  • Companies with existing LDAP/Active Directory systems needing federated authenticationnot Cursor
  • Open-source projects and communities requiring free IAM without licensing costsnot Cursor
  • Enterprises building custom identity workflows requiring fine-grained authorisationnot Cursor
  • Teams with sufficient operational expertise to manage infrastructurenot Cursor

Where each one falls short

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

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

Keycloak

  • Requires self-hosted deployment and operational expertise to install, configure and maintain
  • No managed cloud option provided by Red Hat; organisations must operate infrastructure themselves or use third-party distributions
  • Clustering and high-availability configurations require additional operational knowledge
  • Community support only; commercial support requires third-party vendors or distributions

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Keycloak

Free
  • Open-sourceFree
    • Full platform functionality
    • Self-hosted deployment
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

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.
Cursor review

Choose Keycloak if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Self-hosted, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Windows, API.
Keycloak review

Questions people ask

Is Cursor or Keycloak better?
Neither clearly leads. Cursor starts at Free and Keycloak at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cursor or Keycloak?
Cursor starts at Free and Keycloak at Free.
Does Cursor or Keycloak run on more platforms?
Cursor runs on Windows, Macos, Linux. Keycloak runs on Self-hosted, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Windows, API.
Can I use Cursor for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Cursor best used for?
Cursor is most often used for ai-assisted coding, code generation, bug fixing, refactoring. Of those, ai-assisted coding and code generation are not what Keycloak is typically brought in for.
What can Cursor do that Keycloak 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
Keycloak: What protocols does Keycloak support?

Keycloak supports OpenID Connect, OAuth 2.0 and SAML 2.0 protocols for authentication and authorisation.

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
Keycloak: Can Keycloak integrate with existing user directories?

Yes. Keycloak supports user federation with LDAP and Active Directory systems, allowing organisations to leverage existing user directories.

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
Keycloak: Is Keycloak free?

Yes. Keycloak is fully open-source and free to deploy and use. No licensing fees are required.

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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