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GNAT Pro vs JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA

GNAT Pro logo

GNAT Pro

Developer Tools

Software development environments and toolchains for Ada, C/C++ and Rust

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA logo

JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA

Technology

The Leading Java and Kotlin IDE

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: GNAT Pro no pricing published on website; requires contacting AdaCore directly for quotes; JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA high memory consumption and slower startup time compared to lightweight editors like Visual Studio Code
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GNAT Pro and JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA actually diverge.

Attributes where GNAT Pro and JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA differ
AttributeGNAT ProJetBrains IntelliJ IDEA
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebmacOS, Windows, Linux
CategoryDeveloper ToolsTechnology
FoundedUnknown2000

Identical on both: 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 GNAT Pro

Nothing recorded that JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA does not also cover.

Only in JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA

  • Smart code completion
  • Framework support
  • Refactoring tools
  • Debugging & profiling
  • Version control
  • Database tools
  • Build tools
  • Testing frameworks

What people use each for

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

GNAT Pro

  • Building certified avionics software meeting DO-178B/C standardsnot JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA
  • Developing automotive embedded systems with ISO-26262 compliancenot JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA
  • Integrating Ada, C/C++, and Rust components in single codebasenot JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA
  • Managing software supply chain vulnerabilities and SBOMsnot JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA
  • Supporting long-lived software systems spanning decadesnot JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA

JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA

  • Enterprise Java developmentnot GNAT Pro
  • Spring applicationsnot GNAT Pro
  • Android appsnot GNAT Pro
  • Web applicationsnot GNAT Pro
  • Microservicesnot GNAT Pro

Where each one falls short

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

GNAT Pro

  • No pricing published on website; requires contacting AdaCore directly for quotes
  • Vendor indicates per-user, per-year subscription model but does not disclose specific costs

JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA

  • High memory consumption and slower startup time compared to lightweight editors like Visual Studio Code
  • Refactoring can sometimes increase code line count and doesn't effectively support all modern programming languages
  • Occasionally misses dependencies between files requiring full rebuilds for consistency
  • Expensive subscription costs for Ultimate edition compared to open-source alternatives like Eclipse
  • Not all class name references are updated reliably when using search and replace functionality

Pricing, plan by plan

GNAT Pro

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the GNAT Pro review.

JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA

Free
  • Community EditionFree
    • Java, Kotlin, Scala development
    • Python, Go, Rust, PHP, Ruby support
    • Spring Boot integration
  • Ultimate (Individual)$19.9/month
    • All Community Edition features
    • Advanced web development tools
    • JavaScript, TypeScript, React support
  • All Products Pack (Individual)$29.9/month
    • IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate
    • PyCharm Professional
    • WebStorm

Which should you pick?

Choose GNAT Pro if

Nothing in the data separates GNAT Pro from JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

GNAT Pro review

Choose JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA if

  • You need smart code completion.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on macOS, Windows, Linux.
  • You also want framework support.
JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA review

Questions people ask

Is GNAT Pro or JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA better?
Neither clearly leads. GNAT Pro starts at On request and JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GNAT Pro or JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA?
JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for GNAT Pro and Free for JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA.
Does GNAT Pro or JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA run on more platforms?
GNAT Pro runs on Web. JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA runs on macOS, Windows, Linux.
Can I use JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA for free?
Yes. JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. GNAT Pro starts at On request.
What is GNAT Pro best used for?
GNAT Pro is most often used for building certified avionics software meeting do-178b/c standards, developing automotive embedded systems with iso-26262 compliance, integrating ada, c/c++, and rust components in single codebase, managing software supply chain vulnerabilities and sboms. Of those, building certified avionics software meeting do-178b/c standards and developing automotive embedded systems with iso-26262 compliance are not what JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA is typically brought in for.
What can GNAT Pro do that JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA cannot?
JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA covers Smart code completion, Framework support, Refactoring tools, Debugging & profiling.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

GNAT Pro: How much does GNAT Pro cost?

GNAT Pro pricing is not published on the website. Customers must request a pricing quote by contacting AdaCore directly or speaking with a GNAT Pro expert.

Source
JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA: Is there a free version of IntelliJ IDEA?

Yes, IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition is completely free for personal, educational, and commercial use. As of IntelliJ IDEA 2025.3, the Community Edition has been unified with Ultimate, maintaining all core functionality free including Java, Kotlin, Scala, Python, Go, Rust, PHP, and Ruby support.

Source
GNAT Pro: What is GNAT Pro licensing model?

GNAT Pro is sold on a per-user, per-year basis with no license locks. Customers can request pricing for their specific needs.

Source
JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA: What programming languages does IntelliJ IDEA support?

IntelliJ IDEA supports Java, Kotlin, Scala, Python, Go, Rust, PHP, Ruby, JavaScript, TypeScript, and more. The free Community Edition includes support for all major languages with new features in Spring, Jakarta EE, Thymeleaf, and other frameworks.

Source
JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA: Can I use IntelliJ IDEA with Spring Boot?

Yes, IntelliJ IDEA has built-in Spring Boot integration including the Spring Initializr project wizard, automatic dependency management with Maven and Gradle, code inspections for Spring frameworks, and direct project creation from Spring Initializr.

Source
JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA: Does IntelliJ IDEA support Git version control?

Yes, IntelliJ IDEA includes comprehensive Git integration allowing users to create Git repositories, commit changes, push to GitHub, create and merge branches, resolve conflicts, and investigate file history directly from the IDE.

Source
JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA: How much does IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate cost?

IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate subscription starts at $19.90 per month for Individual plans or $29.90 for the All Products Pack. Long-term discounts apply: 20% off year 2 and 40% off year 3 and beyond, reducing the annual cost significantly for loyal users.

Source
JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA: What are the main differences between IntelliJ IDEA and Eclipse?

IntelliJ IDEA offers a cleaner UI and more powerful code assistance capabilities compared to Eclipse's more complex interface. IntelliJ provides better refactoring tools, superior code completion, and optimized performance, while Eclipse remains free and open-source with a larger plugin ecosystem.

Source
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