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Developer Tools · head to head

GoLand vs Visual Studio Code

GoLand logo

GoLand

Developer Tools

JetBrains IDE for developing applications in Go

From
$24/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Visual Studio Code logo

Visual Studio Code

Developer Tools

Code editing. Redefined.

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Visual Studio Code has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: GoLand requires a paid subscription with no permanently free tier for commercial use.; Visual Studio Code requires extension installation for language-specific features and tooling
  • They diverge on capability: GoLand covers Smart code completion, Visual Studio Code covers IntelliSense.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GoLand and Visual Studio Code actually diverge.

Attributes where GoLand and Visual Studio Code differ
AttributeGoLandVisual Studio Code
Starting price$24/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
Platformswindows, mac, linuxWindows, macOS, Linux, Web (via GitHub Codespaces)
Founded20002015

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Developer Tools).

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 GoLand

  • Smart code completion
  • Integrated debugger
  • Refactoring tools
  • Version control integration
  • Docker and Kubernetes support
  • Built-in terminal and database tools

Only in Visual Studio Code

  • IntelliSense
  • Debugging
  • Built-in Git
  • Extensions
  • Integrated terminal
  • Syntax highlighting
  • Code refactoring
  • Snippets

What people use each for

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

GoLand

  • Developing Go microservices and backend systemsnot Visual Studio Code
  • Debugging and profiling Go applicationsnot Visual Studio Code
  • Working with Docker and Kubernetes deploymentsnot Visual Studio Code
  • Refactoring large Go codebasesnot Visual Studio Code

Visual Studio Code

  • Code editingnot GoLand
  • Web developmentnot GoLand
  • Debuggingnot GoLand
  • Version controlnot GoLand
  • Remote developmentnot GoLand

Where each one falls short

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

GoLand

  • Requires a paid subscription with no permanently free tier for commercial use.
  • Heavier resource usage than lightweight text editors like Vim or Sublime Text.
  • Primarily optimized for Go, so multi-language teams may prefer a broader IDE like VS Code or IntelliJ Ultimate.
  • License renewal pricing increases after the first year if a subscription lapses.

Visual Studio Code

  • Requires extension installation for language-specific features and tooling
  • Performance can degrade with very large codebases (100,000+ files)
  • Git integration is basic; requires extensions for advanced version control workflows

Pricing, plan by plan

GoLand

$24/month
  • Individual$24/month
    • Personal use license
    • Access to GoLand
    • Free for students and open-source maintainers
  • Organization$34/month
    • Business use license
    • Access to GoLand
    • Volume and renewal discounts

Visual Studio Code

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Visual Studio Code review.

Which should you pick?

Choose GoLand if

  • You need smart code completion.
  • You work on windows, mac, linux.
  • You also want integrated debugger.
GoLand review

Choose Visual Studio Code if

  • You need intellisense.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, Web (via GitHub Codespaces).
  • You also want debugging.
Visual Studio Code review

Questions people ask

Is GoLand or Visual Studio Code better?
Neither clearly leads. GoLand starts at $24/month and Visual Studio Code at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GoLand or Visual Studio Code?
Visual Studio Code has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $24/month for GoLand and Free for Visual Studio Code.
Does GoLand or Visual Studio Code run on more platforms?
GoLand runs on windows, mac, linux. Visual Studio Code runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Web (via GitHub Codespaces).
Can I use Visual Studio Code for free?
Yes. Visual Studio Code has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. GoLand starts at $24/month.
What is GoLand best used for?
GoLand is most often used for developing go microservices and backend systems, debugging and profiling go applications, working with docker and kubernetes deployments, refactoring large go codebases. Of those, developing go microservices and backend systems and debugging and profiling go applications are not what Visual Studio Code is typically brought in for.
What can GoLand do that Visual Studio Code cannot?
GoLand covers Smart code completion, Integrated debugger, Refactoring tools, Version control integration. Visual Studio Code covers IntelliSense, Debugging, Built-in Git, Extensions.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

GoLand: How much does GoLand cost?

GoLand is sold as a JetBrains Toolbox subscription starting around $24/month for individuals and $34/month for organizations, with discounts for longer commitments and free licenses for students and open-source maintainers.

Source
Visual Studio Code: Is Visual Studio Code free?

Yes. Visual Studio Code is completely free to use under the MIT license. There are no subscription fees or paid tiers.

Source
GoLand: Is there a free trial?

JetBrains offers a free trial period for GoLand before requiring purchase of a Toolbox subscription license.

Source
Visual Studio Code: Can I use VS Code for remote development?

Yes. The Remote Development extension pack allows development on remote machines via SSH, in containers, or in Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) while using the full VS Code feature set.

Source
GoLand: What platforms does GoLand run on?

GoLand runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux as a desktop application distributed through JetBrains Toolbox.

Source
Visual Studio Code: How many extensions are available?

The VS Code Marketplace contains thousands of extensions from Microsoft and the community for language support, debuggers, themes, formatters, and productivity tools.

Source
Visual Studio Code: Does VS Code support debugging?

Yes. VS Code includes built-in debugging for JavaScript, TypeScript, and Node.js, and supports debugging for Python, C++, C#, Java, Ruby, Go, PHP, and other languages via extensions.

Source
Visual Studio Code: What operating systems does VS Code support?

VS Code runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux with identical features and keybindings across all platforms.

Source
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