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JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA vs Zed

JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA logo

JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA

Software

The Leading Java and Kotlin IDE

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zed logo

Zed

Software

Code at the speed of thought

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA high memory consumption and slower startup time compared to lightweight editors like Visual Studio Code; Zed newer product with smaller ecosystem than established editors
  • They diverge on capability: JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA covers Smart code completion, Zed covers Real-time collaboration.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA and Zed differ
AttributeJetBrains IntelliJ IDEAZed
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsmacOS, Windows, LinuxmacOS, Linux, Windows
Founded20002023

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 JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA

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

Only in Zed

  • Real-time collaboration
  • AI code completion
  • Lightning-fast performance
  • Rust-based architecture
  • Multi-language support
  • Integrated terminal
  • Git integration
  • Vim keybindings

Both cover

  • Git
  • GitHub
  • Desktop deployment

What people use each for

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

JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA

  • Enterprise Java developmentnot Zed
  • Spring applicationsnot Zed
  • Android appsnot Zed
  • Web applicationsnot Zed
  • Microservicesnot Zed

Zed

  • Collaborative codingnot JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA
  • High-performance editingnot JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA
  • Real-time pair programmingnot JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA
  • Systems programmingnot JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA
  • Web developmentnot JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA

Where each one falls short

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

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

Zed

  • Newer product with smaller ecosystem than established editors
  • Limited extensions and plugin marketplace compared to VSCode or Sublime Text

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Zed

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Single-player editing
    • Local AI assistance
    • Fast performance
  • Plus$10/month
    • Multiplayer collaboration
    • Cloud AI assistance
    • Advanced features

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Zed if

  • You need real-time collaboration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on macOS, Linux, Windows.
  • You also want ai code completion.
Zed review

Questions people ask

Is JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA or Zed better?
Neither clearly leads. JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA starts at Free and Zed at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA or Zed?
JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA starts at Free and Zed at Free.
Does JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA or Zed run on more platforms?
JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA runs on macOS, Windows, Linux. Zed runs on macOS, Linux, Windows.
Can I use JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA best used for?
JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA is most often used for enterprise java development, spring applications, android apps, web applications. Of those, enterprise java development and spring applications are not what Zed is typically brought in for.
What can JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA do that Zed cannot?
JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA covers Smart code completion, Framework support, Refactoring tools, Debugging & profiling. Zed covers Real-time collaboration, AI code completion, Lightning-fast performance, Rust-based architecture. Both handle Git, GitHub, Desktop deployment.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Zed: What platforms does Zed support?

Zed is available for macOS, Linux, and Windows, providing cross-platform support for developers.

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
Zed: Is Zed free to use?

Yes. Zed is open-source software available free to download and use. The editor and GPUI framework are available under open-source licenses (GPL for editor, Apache/MIT for GPUI).

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
Zed: What makes Zed fast compared to other editors?

Zed is written in Rust and uses GPU-accelerated rendering to achieve startup times under 500ms and keystroke latency below 2ms.

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
Zed: Does Zed support real-time collaboration?

Yes. Zed provides real-time collaborative editing and screen sharing capabilities, enabling multiple developers to work on the same code simultaneously.

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
Zed: What AI models does Zed support?

Zed supports multiple AI models and agents for agentic editing, enabling human-AI collaboration during development.

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
Zed: When was Zed 1.0 released?

Zed 1.0 was officially released on April 29, 2026, marking the stable production release.

Source
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