Cursor is a specialized IDE built on VS Code with integrated AI coding features, while Claude Code is Claude's web-based interface for multi-file editing and execution. Cursor offers a complete development environment with local git integration, while Claude Code focuses on conversational AI with code capabilities.
Cursor vs Claude Code — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
AI-powered code editor built on VS Code for professional developers
Anthropic's web-based AI assistant with multi-file code editing capabilities
Interface Type. Local Development Support. AI Model Integration. Subscription Cost. Code Execution. Multi-file Editing. Offline Capability
Choose Cursor if you need a professional IDE replacement with local git integration, full project management, and want AI as a development tool within a complete coding environment. Choose Claude Code if you prefer conversational AI as your primary interface, need quick prototyping without setup, or want to start free before committing to a subscription.
Cursor: VS Code-based only | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Native & Superior | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: 2 model choices | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Not publicly disclosed | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Not disclosed | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Significant but undisclosed | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Enterprise-grade | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Baseline (1.0x) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Proprietary Commercial | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Cursor Pro $20/mo | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Business $40/user/mo | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Standalone editor — a fork of VS Code (install Cursor itself) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Anthropic Claude, OpenAI GPT, Google Gemini, plus Cursor fast models (per-request switching) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Composer (Agent) plan-execute-verify loop across many files; runs commands and tests | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Whole-repo semantic embeddings with automatic relevant-file retrieval; built for monorepos | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Very fast predictive Tab completions that jump to the next edit location | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: SSO, privacy mode (no retention/training), admin controls, SOC 2 | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Graphical IDE (VS Code fork) | Claude Code: Terminal / CLI
Cursor: Interactive in-editor coding | Claude Code: Agentic automation & scripting
Cursor: ~$20/mo (Pro) | Claude Code: ~$20/mo (via Claude Pro)
Cursor: Flat plan with request quota + usage add-ons | Claude Code: Subscription with usage limits, or pay-as-you-go API
Cursor: Monthly fast-request quota | Claude Code: Rolling usage limits (~5-hour windows) or token metering
Cursor: Multi-model (Claude, GPT, Gemini, etc.) | Claude Code: Anthropic Claude only
Cursor: Not designed for it | Claude Code: Yes — tmux/zellij, CI, scripts
Cursor: Workspace indexing + @-mentions | Claude Code: On-demand repo reading, agentic exploration
Cursor: Low (VS Code familiarity) | Claude Code: Moderate (terminal + agentic prompting)
Cursor: Interactive feature building & quick edits | Claude Code: Large refactors, agentic & CI automation
Cursor: Yes — free Hobby tier plus a 2-week Pro trial | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Agent (formerly Composer) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Cursor Tab model | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Claude, GPT, Gemini families (frequent day-one additions) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Mature enterprise tier with SSO + privacy mode | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: macOS, Windows, Linux | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Largest AI-IDE community and mindshare | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: 128,000 tokens | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: 0 (paid tier required) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Superior) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Native @-indexing across entire codebase | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Native Claude integration | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Code sent to Anthropic servers | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Native support | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: 50-200ms (Tab autocomplete) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Desktop (Mac, Windows, Linux) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Claude 3.5 Sonnet, GPT-4, Others | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: ~500K (estimated based on download trends) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Entire projects (no hard limit) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: 1.5 years (launched Oct 2024) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: 500K (Claude 3.5 Sonnet) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: ~50 (via Claude AI) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Limited (chat requires internet) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: 50 premium requests | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: 70,000+ (VS Code) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: 4+ (Claude, GPT-4, local) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Electron (VS Code fork) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Advanced (full workspace) | Claude Code: N/A
Primary AI Model Quality (MMBENCH score)
Cursor: 88 (Claude 3.5) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: 1-2 steps (download IDE) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: 1 (Cursor only) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: No (proprietary) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: 1 (Cursor IDE only) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: 14-day free trial | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: 200,000 tokens | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: No (via extensions only) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: 40,000+ (VS Code marketplace) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Limited (basic) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Code, text, file references | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Native VS Code-based editor | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: 1–3 seconds (avg inline suggestion) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Automatic full-project indexing | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: No native mobile app | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Varies by plan (Pro tier higher) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: 60-120 minutes | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: ~500KB+ codebase context | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Claude 3.5 Sonnet + GPT-4 | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Full native support | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: 5/10 (new IDE) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: 4+ (GPT-4o, Claude, Gemini, local) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: 0 (paid from start) | Claude Code: Unlimited free tier
Cursor: Yes, full project indexing | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: 50 requests/month | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: 2 (VSCode + standalone) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Standalone only | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Native (full project) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Download .dmg/.exe (1-click installer) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Proprietary (not public) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: 100,000 tokens/month (Claude only) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: VS Code only (or Cursor standalone IDE) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Liveshare integration included | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: $20 | Claude Code: $20 (Pro) / $0 (free tier)
Cursor: Via extension | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: 3 (GPT-4, Claude 3.5, o1-preview) | Claude Code: 1 (Claude 3.5 Sonnet)
Cursor: $20/month unlimited | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: 4GB (practical minimum) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: 30+ via extensions | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: 82% (AI-assisted, broader context) | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Basic rename, extract, inline via extensions | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Community-based, limited official support | Claude Code: N/A
Cursor: Yes (cached models) | Claude Code: No (web-only)
Cursor: Yes (native support) | Claude Code: No
Cursor: Local machine only | Claude Code: Sandbox artifact viewer
How to choose between Cursor and Claude Code
Cursor vs Claude Code — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Cursor vs Claude Code. Contains 170 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Cursor vs Claude Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Cursor vs Claude Code.
Yes, Cursor can work offline after models are initially cached, though you'll need internet to download them first. Claude Code requires an active internet connection at all times since it's web-based.
Which tool is better for managing large codebases?
Cursor is superior for large codebases because it's built on VS Code with full project navigation, git integration, symbol search, and refactoring tools. Claude Code is designed for single files or small artifacts and becomes unwieldy with large multi-file projects.
What's the cost difference if I use both tools?
Cursor costs $20/month ($240/year). Claude Code's Pro tier also costs $20/month. Claude Code's free tier is sufficient for learning and basic coding, making it a no-cost entry point. Cursor requires paid subscription from day one.
Can I use my own AI model with either tool?
Cursor allows you to select between multiple AI models (GPT-4, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, o1-preview). Claude Code uses only Claude 3.5 Sonnet—you cannot swap models. Cursor offers more flexibility for AI model preferences.
Which is better for learning programming?
Claude Code is ideal for beginners because it's free, requires no setup, and provides conversational explanations alongside code. Cursor is better for intermediate/advanced developers who need a full IDE and don't mind the subscription cost.
How to Choose Between Cursor and Claude Code
Interface Type: Cursor has Desktop IDE (VS Code fork), while Claude Code has Web-based chat interface.
Local Development Support: Cursor has Full git, file system, terminal access, while Claude Code has Limited to web environment.
AI Model Integration: Cursor has GPT-4, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, o1-preview, while Claude Code has Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Anthropic native).
Subscription Cost: Cursor has $20/month or $200/year, while Claude Code has Free tier + $20/month Claude Pro.
Code Execution: Cursor has Local machine execution only, while Claude Code has Sandbox environment with artifacts.
Multi-file Editing: Cursor has Native full-project support, while Claude Code has Single file or artifact focus.
Offline Capability: Cursor has Works offline with cached models, while Claude Code has Requires internet connection.