Cursor vs VS Code
type: Article
description: Cursor is an AI-first code editor built on VS Code's foundation with integrated Claude AI assistance, while VS Code is a free, lightweight editor optimized for speed and extensibility through community plugins. Cursor costs $20/month for pro features, whereas VS Code remains completely free.
language: en-US
date published: 2026-06-22T07:33:10.705Z
date created: 2026-06-22T07:33:10.705Z
date modified: 2026-06-22T07:33:10.760Z
content reference time: 2026-06-22T07:33:10.760Z
author: A Versus B
publisher: A Versus B
about: Cursor
about: Visual Studio Code
abstract: Cursor is an AI-first code editor built on VS Code's foundation with integrated Claude AI assistance, while VS Code is a free, lightweight editor optimized for speed and extensibility through community plugins. Cursor costs $20/month for pro features, whereas VS Code remains completely free.
text: AI Code Assistance. Base Price. Codebase Analysis Depth. Startup Time. Community Extensions. Tab Multi-line Edit. Privacy Model
conclusion text: Choose Cursor if you want seamless AI-assisted coding with deep context understanding and don't mind the $20/month subscription or sending code to Anthropic's servers. Choose VS Code if you prioritize a lightweight, free editor with the largest extension ecosystem and prefer privacy-first development, accepting that AI features require manual extension setup.
additional property: Interface Learning Curve
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: 3 (familiar) | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: IDE Integration Points
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: VS Code-based only | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Setup Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: 5-10 minutes | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Codebase Context Awareness
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Excellent | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Enterprise SSO Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Limited | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Inline Edit/Refactor
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Native & Superior | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Community Size
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Growing | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Free Trial Period
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: 7 days | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Model Flexibility
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: 2 model choices | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Active Users (2026)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Not publicly disclosed | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Daily Code Lines Generated
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Not disclosed | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Fortune 500 Adoption Rate
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Significant but undisclosed | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Security Certifications
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Enterprise-grade | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Base Technology
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: VS Code fork | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Agent Autonomy Level
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: 6 | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Control Determinism
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: 9 | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Token Efficiency
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Baseline (1.0x) | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Code Quality (No-Edit Rate)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: ~75% | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Interface Type
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Full IDE | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Setup Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: <5 minutes | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Licensing Model
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Proprietary Commercial | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: IDE Feature Completeness
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: 10/10 | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Customization Freedom
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: 6/10 | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Monthly Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: $20 | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Paid plan (per user / month)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Cursor Pro $20/mo | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Business / team tier
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Business $40/user/mo | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: IDE model
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Standalone editor — a fork of VS Code (install Cursor itself) | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Selectable AI models
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Anthropic Claude, OpenAI GPT, Google Gemini, plus Cursor fast models (per-request switching) | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Agent / multi-file editing
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Composer (Agent) plan-execute-verify loop across many files; runs commands and tests | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Large-repo codebase indexing
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Whole-repo semantic embeddings with automatic relevant-file retrieval; built for monorepos | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Inline autocomplete latency
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Very fast predictive Tab completions that jump to the next edit location | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Enterprise governance & IP indemnity
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: SSO, privacy mode (no retention/training), admin controls, SOC 2 | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Interface type
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Graphical IDE (VS Code fork) | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Primary Workflow
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Interactive in-editor coding | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Entry Price
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: ~$20/mo (Pro) | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Pricing Model
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Flat plan with request quota + usage add-ons | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Rate limit style
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Monthly fast-request quota | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Model choice
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Multi-model (Claude, GPT, Gemini, etc.) | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Headless / CI automation
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Not designed for it | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Codebase context
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Workspace indexing + @-mentions | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Learning Curve
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Low (VS Code familiarity) | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Best for
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Interactive feature building & quick edits | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Pro Plan Price
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: $20/mo | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Free tier
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Yes — free Hobby tier plus a 2-week Pro trial | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Agent name
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Agent (formerly Composer) | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Autocomplete engine
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Cursor Tab model | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Editor base
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: VS Code fork | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Frontier models available
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Claude, GPT, Gemini families (frequent day-one additions) | Visual Studio Code: N/A
additional property: Enterprise / self-hosting
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cursor: Mature enterprise tier with SSO + privacy mode | Visual Studio Code: N/A
interactivity type: active
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/entity/cursor
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/alternatives/cursor
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/entity/visual-studio-code
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/alternatives/visual-studio-code
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/api/answer/cursor-vs-vs-code
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/api/v1/schema/cursor-vs-vs-code
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/cursor-vs-windsurf
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/aider-vs-cursor
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/cursor-vs-copilot
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/cursor-vs-claude-code
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/cursor-vs-github-copilot
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/cursor-vs-claude
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/cursor-vs-jetbrains
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/cursor-vs-zed
teaches: How to choose between Cursor and Visual Studio Code
genre: Software

primaryImage
type: ImageObject
width: 1200
height: 630
caption: Cursor vs VS Code — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B

A Versus B
type: Organization

Cursor
type: SoftwareApplication
language: en-US
description: AI-native code editor IDE built on VS Code with Claude integration and agentic features.
subject of: Cursor vs VS Code

Visual Studio Code
type: SoftwareApplication
alternate name: VSC
language: en-US
description: Lightweight, free code editor by Microsoft with extensive plugin ecosystem.
image: ImageObject
  caption: Visual Studio Code
subject of: Cursor vs VS Code
image: ImageObject
  caption: Visual Studio Code

Cursor vs VS Code — Structured Comparison Data
type: Dataset
description: Machine-readable comparison dataset for Cursor vs VS Code. Contains 239 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
language: en-US
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
creator: A Versus B
distribution: JSON-LD knowledge graph
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json+ld
distribution: Raw comparison JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: Structured FAQ pairs JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: AI Answer API (citation-ready)
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: Related comparisons JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
variable measured: Interface Learning Curve
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: UX
variable measured: IDE Integration Points
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Integration
variable measured: Setup Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Operations
variable measured: Codebase Context Awareness
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: AI Capability
variable measured: Enterprise SSO Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Enterprise Security
variable measured: Inline Edit/Refactor
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: AI Capability
variable measured: Community Size
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Support
variable measured: Free Trial Period
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Onboarding
variable measured: Model Flexibility
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: AI Capability
variable measured: Active Users (2026)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Adoption
variable measured: Daily Code Lines Generated
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Fortune 500 Adoption Rate
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Enterprise
variable measured: Security Certifications
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Security
variable measured: Base Technology
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Architecture
variable measured: Agent Autonomy Level
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: AI Features
variable measured: Control Determinism
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: AI Features
variable measured: Token Efficiency
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Code Quality (No-Edit Rate)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Interface Type
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: User Experience
variable measured: Setup Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Installation
variable measured: Licensing Model
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Access
variable measured: IDE Feature Completeness
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Customization Freedom
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Flexibility
variable measured: Monthly Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Paid plan (per user / month)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Business / team tier
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: IDE model
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Architecture
variable measured: Selectable AI models
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Models
variable measured: Agent / multi-file editing
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Large-repo codebase indexing
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Inline autocomplete latency
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Enterprise governance & IP indemnity
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Security
variable measured: Interface type
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Interface
variable measured: Primary Workflow
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Functionality
variable measured: Entry Price
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Cost
variable measured: Pricing Model
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Cost & Licensing
variable measured: Rate limit style
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Model choice
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Models
variable measured: Headless / CI automation
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Workflow
variable measured: Codebase context
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Workflow
variable measured: Learning Curve
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Usability
variable measured: Best for
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Workflow
variable measured: Pro Plan Price
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Free tier
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Agent name
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Agent
variable measured: Autocomplete engine
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Editor
variable measured: Editor base
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Editor
variable measured: Frontier models available
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Models
variable measured: Enterprise / self-hosting
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Enterprise
variable measured: Platform Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Compatibility
variable measured: Community size / momentum
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Editor
variable measured: Monthly Subscription Cost (Individual)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Annual Subscription Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Max Context Window
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: AI Capability
variable measured: Free Tier Premium Requests Per Day
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Free Chat Messages Per Month
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Compatible Editors
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Integration
variable measured: Default AI Model Quality (Reasoning)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: AI Capability
variable measured: Multi-File Project Understanding
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: AI Capability
variable measured: Startup Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Available Extensions
variable measured: Memory Usage (Idle)
variable measured: Built-in AI Features
variable measured: Data Privacy Model
variable measured: Multi-line Tab Autocomplete
variable measured: Monthly Cost (Subscription)
variable measured: Code Completion Latency
variable measured: Platform Availability
variable measured: Number of Supported AI Models
is based on: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/cursor-vs-vs-code

Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary
type: DefinedTermSet
language: en-US
description: Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Cursor vs VS Code.
has defined term: UX
has defined term: Integration
has defined term: Operations
has defined term: AI Capability
has defined term: Enterprise Security
has defined term: Support
has defined term: Onboarding
has defined term: Adoption
has defined term: Performance
has defined term: Enterprise
has defined term: Security
has defined term: Architecture
has defined term: AI Features
has defined term: User Experience
has defined term: Installation
has defined term: Access
has defined term: Features
has defined term: Flexibility
has defined term: Pricing
has defined term: Models
has defined term: Interface
has defined term: Functionality
has defined term: Cost
has defined term: Cost & Licensing
has defined term: Workflow
has defined term: Usability
has defined term: Agent
has defined term: Editor
has defined term: Compatibility
has defined term: Ecosystem
has defined term: Resource Efficiency
has defined term: Capability
has defined term: Maturity
has defined term: Code Analysis
has defined term: Language Support
has defined term: Scalability
has defined term: Pricing & Usage
has defined term: Technical
has defined term: Technical Capabilities
has defined term: AI Quality
has defined term: Licensing
has defined term: Privacy
has defined term: Community
has defined term: Ease of Use
has defined term: AI Capabilities
has defined term: Collaboration
has defined term: Extensibility
has defined term: Capabilities
has defined term: Development Features
has defined term: Accessibility
has defined term: Limits
has defined term: Setup
has defined term: Timeline
has defined term: Development
has defined term: Deployment
has defined term: Community Popularity
has defined term: AI Integration
has defined term: System Requirements
has defined term: Code Intelligence
has defined term: Development Tools
has defined term: Connectivity
has defined term: Execution
has defined term: Pricing & Limits
has defined term: Market
has defined term: Productivity
has defined term: Code Quality
has defined term: History
has defined term: Platform Size
has defined term: Technology
has defined term: Customization
has defined term: AI Performance
has defined term: Community Engagement
has defined term: Developer Experience

UX
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ux
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Integration
type: DefinedTerm
term code: integration
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Operations
type: DefinedTerm
term code: operations
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

AI Capability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ai-capability
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Enterprise Security
type: DefinedTerm
term code: enterprise-security
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Support
type: DefinedTerm
term code: support
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Onboarding
type: DefinedTerm
term code: onboarding
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Adoption
type: DefinedTerm
term code: adoption
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Performance
type: DefinedTerm
term code: performance
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Enterprise
type: DefinedTerm
term code: enterprise
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Security
type: DefinedTerm
term code: security
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Architecture
type: DefinedTerm
term code: architecture
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

AI Features
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ai-features
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

User Experience
type: DefinedTerm
term code: user-experience
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Installation
type: DefinedTerm
term code: installation
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Access
type: DefinedTerm
term code: access
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Features
type: DefinedTerm
term code: features
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Flexibility
type: DefinedTerm
term code: flexibility
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Pricing
type: DefinedTerm
term code: pricing
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Models
type: DefinedTerm
term code: models
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Interface
type: DefinedTerm
term code: interface
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Functionality
type: DefinedTerm
term code: functionality
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Cost
type: DefinedTerm
term code: cost
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Cost & Licensing
type: DefinedTerm
term code: cost-&-licensing
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Workflow
type: DefinedTerm
term code: workflow
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Usability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: usability
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Agent
type: DefinedTerm
term code: agent
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Editor
type: DefinedTerm
term code: editor
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Compatibility
type: DefinedTerm
term code: compatibility
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Ecosystem
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ecosystem
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Resource Efficiency
type: DefinedTerm
term code: resource-efficiency
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Capability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: capability
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Maturity
type: DefinedTerm
term code: maturity
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Code Analysis
type: DefinedTerm
term code: code-analysis
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Language Support
type: DefinedTerm
term code: language-support
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Scalability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: scalability
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Pricing & Usage
type: DefinedTerm
term code: pricing-&-usage
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Technical
type: DefinedTerm
term code: technical
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Technical Capabilities
type: DefinedTerm
term code: technical-capabilities
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

AI Quality
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ai-quality
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Licensing
type: DefinedTerm
term code: licensing
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Privacy
type: DefinedTerm
term code: privacy
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Community
type: DefinedTerm
term code: community
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Ease of Use
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ease-of-use
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

AI Capabilities
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ai-capabilities
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Collaboration
type: DefinedTerm
term code: collaboration
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Extensibility
type: DefinedTerm
term code: extensibility
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Capabilities
type: DefinedTerm
term code: capabilities
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Development Features
type: DefinedTerm
term code: development-features
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Accessibility
type: DefinedTerm
term code: accessibility
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Limits
type: DefinedTerm
term code: limits
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Setup
type: DefinedTerm
term code: setup
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Timeline
type: DefinedTerm
term code: timeline
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Development
type: DefinedTerm
term code: development
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Deployment
type: DefinedTerm
term code: deployment
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Community Popularity
type: DefinedTerm
term code: community-popularity
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

AI Integration
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ai-integration
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

System Requirements
type: DefinedTerm
term code: system-requirements
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Code Intelligence
type: DefinedTerm
term code: code-intelligence
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Development Tools
type: DefinedTerm
term code: development-tools
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Connectivity
type: DefinedTerm
term code: connectivity
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Execution
type: DefinedTerm
term code: execution
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Pricing & Limits
type: DefinedTerm
term code: pricing-&-limits
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Market
type: DefinedTerm
term code: market
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Productivity
type: DefinedTerm
term code: productivity
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Code Quality
type: DefinedTerm
term code: code-quality
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

History
type: DefinedTerm
term code: history
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Platform Size
type: DefinedTerm
term code: platform-size
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Technology
type: DefinedTerm
term code: technology
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Customization
type: DefinedTerm
term code: customization
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

AI Performance
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ai-performance
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Community Engagement
type: DefinedTerm
term code: community-engagement
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Developer Experience
type: DefinedTerm
term code: developer-experience
in defined term set: Cursor vs VS Code — Attribute Category Vocabulary

faq
type: FAQPage
language: en-US
is accessible for free: true
conditions of access: Free
date modified: 2026-06-22T07:33:10.760Z
author: A Versus B
publisher: A Versus B
is part of: cursor-vs-vs-code
main entity: Can I use Cursor without paying?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Cursor offers a free tier with limited AI requests (~50 per day for autocomplete). The $20/month Pro tier provides unlimited AI features and deeper codebase indexing. Most users find the free tier insufficient for daily development work.
    language: en-US
main entity: Is my code private in Cursor?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: No. Cursor sends code to Anthropic's servers for AI processing. Anthropic claims they don't train on user code and delete it after processing, but sensitive proprietary code should not be used with Cursor. VS Code keeps all code local unless you install AI extensions.
    language: en-US
main entity: Can VS Code do everything Cursor does for AI coding?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Functionally yes, but with more setup. VS Code requires installing extensions like GitHub Copilot ($20/month), Codeium ($12/month), or CodeGPT. The total cost and configuration overhead exceeds Cursor's integrated approach, though you gain flexibility in choosing AI providers.
    language: en-US
main entity: Which is faster for everyday coding?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: VS Code starts ~28% faster (1.8s vs 2.5s) and uses ~22% less memory idle. However, Cursor's indexed codebase makes AI-assisted coding faster in practice because context loading is instant. For non-AI work, VS Code maintains a speed advantage.
    language: en-US
main entity: Which has better support for my programming language?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: VS Code supports 30+ languages natively with 55K+ language-specific extensions. Cursor supports the same languages through VS Code's foundation but has fewer specialized extensions. For niche languages, VS Code's larger ecosystem provides more options.
    language: en-US

How to Choose Between Cursor and Visual Studio Code
type: HowTo
description: Cursor is an AI-first code editor built on VS Code's foundation with integrated Claude AI assistance, while VS Code is a free, lightweight editor optimized for speed and extensibility through community plugins. Cursor costs $20/month for pro features, whereas VS Code remains completely free.
language: en-US
total time: PT3M
step: Consider: AI Code Assistance
step: Consider: Base Price
step: Consider: Codebase Analysis Depth
step: Consider: Startup Time
step: Consider: Community Extensions
step: Consider: Tab Multi-line Edit
step: Consider: Privacy Model
tool: A Versus B Comparison Guide
tip: HowToTip
  text: Choose Cursor if you want seamless AI-assisted coding with deep context understanding and don't mind the $20/month subscription or sending code to Anthropic's servers. Choose VS Code if you prioritize a lightweight, free editor with the largest extension ecosystem and prefer privacy-first development, accepting that AI features require manual extension setup.

Consider: AI Code Assistance
type: HowToStep
position: 1
text: AI Code Assistance: Cursor has Built-in Claude AI (native integration), while Visual Studio Code has Requires third-party extensions.

Consider: Base Price
type: HowToStep
position: 2
text: Base Price: Cursor has $20/month (Pro tier), while Visual Studio Code has Free.

Consider: Codebase Analysis Depth
type: HowToStep
position: 3
text: Codebase Analysis Depth: Cursor has Indexed full project context (50K+ tokens), while Visual Studio Code has Limited by extension capability.

Consider: Startup Time
type: HowToStep
position: 4
text: Startup Time: Cursor has ~2.5 seconds, while Visual Studio Code has ~1.8 seconds.

Consider: Community Extensions
type: HowToStep
position: 5
text: Community Extensions: Cursor has ~15,000 (via VS Code marketplace), while Visual Studio Code has ~55,000+.

Consider: Tab Multi-line Edit
type: HowToStep
position: 6
text: Tab Multi-line Edit: Cursor has Native Tab key support, while Visual Studio Code has Requires keybinding configuration.

Consider: Privacy Model
type: HowToStep
position: 7
text: Privacy Model: Cursor has Code sent to Anthropic servers for AI, while Visual Studio Code has All processing local by default.

claimreview
type: ClaimReview
is accessible for free: true
conditions of access: Free
claim reviewed: Cursor vs VS Code
review body: Cursor is an AI-first code editor built on VS Code's foundation with integrated Claude AI assistance, while VS Code is a free, lightweight editor optimized for speed and extensibility through community plugins. Cursor costs $20/month for pro features, whereas VS Code remains completely free.
review rating: Rating
  rating: 5
  worst rating: 1
  best rating: 5
  alternate name: Verified Comparison
author: A Versus B
item reviewed: Cursor vs VS Code

Platform Support
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: macOS, Windows, Linux | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Community size / momentum
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Largest AI-IDE community and mindshare | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Monthly Subscription Cost (Individual)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: $20 | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Annual Subscription Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: $120 | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Max Context Window
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 128,000 tokens | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Free Tier Premium Requests Per Day
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 2 (slow) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Free Chat Messages Per Month
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 0 (paid tier required) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Compatible Editors
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Cursor only | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Default AI Model Quality (Reasoning)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Superior) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Multi-File Project Understanding
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Native @-indexing across entire codebase | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Startup Time
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: ~3000ms | Visual Studio Code: 950ms (typical)
value reference: Visual Studio Code

Available Extensions
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 10,000+ | Visual Studio Code: 50,000+
value reference: Visual Studio Code

Memory Usage (Idle)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 450-600MB | Visual Studio Code: ~150 MB
value reference: Visual Studio Code

Built-in AI Features
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Native Claude integration | Visual Studio Code: None (requires extensions)

Data Privacy Model
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Code sent to Anthropic servers | Visual Studio Code: Local-first, no telemetry by default

Multi-line Tab Autocomplete
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Native support | Visual Studio Code: Requires extension + config

Monthly Cost (Subscription)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: $20 | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Code Completion Latency
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 50-200ms (Tab autocomplete) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Platform Availability
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Desktop (Mac, Windows, Linux) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Number of Supported AI Models
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Claude 3.5 Sonnet, GPT-4, Others | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Estimated Daily Active Users
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: ~500K (estimated based on download trends) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Max File Size for Analysis
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Entire projects (no hard limit) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Years Since Launch
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 1.5 years (launched Oct 2024) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Base Subscription Cost (Monthly)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: $20 | Visual Studio Code: N/A

AI Context Window
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 500K (Claude 3.5 Sonnet) | Visual Studio Code: Varies by extension (typically 4,000-8,000)
value reference: Visual Studio Code

Built-in Code Inspections
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: ~50 (via Claude AI) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Supported Languages (Official)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 40+ | Visual Studio Code: 40+ via built-in and extensions

Setup Time for New Users
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 2-3 | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Offline Functionality
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Limited (chat requires internet) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Max Codebase Size (Recommended)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 500,000 | Visual Studio Code: N/A

AI Monthly Cost (Unlimited)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: $20/month | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Free Tier Monthly AI Requests
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 50 premium requests | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Compatible Extensions
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 70,000+ (VS Code) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Native Multiplayer Collaboration
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: No | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Supported LLMs (Built-in)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 4+ (Claude, GPT-4, local) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Architecture
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Electron (VS Code fork) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Autocomplete Latency
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 250-400ms | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Professional Tier Price
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: $20 | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Supported Editors/IDEs
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: VSCode only | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Multi-file Context Support
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Advanced (full workspace) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Primary AI Model Quality (MMBENCH score)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 88 (Claude 3.5) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Setup Complexity
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 1-2 steps (download IDE) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Base Monthly Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: $20 | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Supported AI Models
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 3 models | Visual Studio Code: N/A

IDE Compatibility
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 1 (Cursor only) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Code Context Window
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 8000-16000 | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Real-time Suggestion Speed
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 200-400 | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Open-Source
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: No (proprietary) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Local Model Support
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: No | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Estimated Active Users
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 500 | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Base Monthly Price
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: $20 | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Number of Supported IDEs
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 1 (Cursor IDE only) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Max Context Window Size
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 1000+ KB | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Multi-File Editing
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Native support | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Setup Time (minutes)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Immediate | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Programming Languages Supported
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 50+ | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Free Tier Availability
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 14-day free trial | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Monthly Subscription Cost (Pro Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: $20/month | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Maximum Token Context Window
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 200,000 tokens | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Native Multi-user Collaboration
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: No (via extensions only) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Base on VS Code
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Yes | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Extension Ecosystem Size
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 40,000+ (VS Code marketplace) | Visual Studio Code: 50,000+
value reference: Visual Studio Code

Setup Time (Fresh Installation)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 5-10 minutes | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Agentic Workflow Capability
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Limited (basic) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Context Window
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 200,000 tokens | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Monthly Subscription (Pro/Standard)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: $20 | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Input Types Supported
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Code, text, file references | Visual Studio Code: N/A

IDE Integration
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Native VS Code-based editor | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Code Completion Speed
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 1–3 seconds (avg inline suggestion) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Codebase Context Indexing
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Automatic full-project indexing | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Available on Mobile
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: No native mobile app | Visual Studio Code: N/A

API Rate Limit (Standard Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Varies by plan (Pro tier higher) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Maximum Context Window
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 128,000 tokens | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Base Monthly Cost (Premium)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: $20/month | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Setup Time for Existing Users
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 60-120 minutes | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Code Context Window Size
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: ~500KB+ codebase context | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Primary AI Model (Free)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Claude 3.5 Sonnet + GPT-4 | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Multi-file Refactoring Support
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Full native support | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Learning Curve (1-10 scale)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 5/10 (new IDE) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Monthly Cost (Individual Plan)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: $20/month | Visual Studio Code: N/A

AI Requests per Month (Pro Plan)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Unlimited | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Supported IDEs/Editors
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 1 (VS Code) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Installation Time
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 7-10 minutes | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Available AI Models
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 4+ (GPT-4o, Claude, Gemini, local) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Free Trial Duration
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 0 (paid from start) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Codebase Indexing
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Yes, full project indexing | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Pro Tier Monthly Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: $20 | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Free Tier Monthly Requests
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 50 requests/month | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Supported Programming Languages
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 50+ | Visual Studio Code: 80+ built-in
value reference: Visual Studio Code

IDE Integration Options
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 2 (VSCode + standalone) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Public Launch Year
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 2023 | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Monthly Cost (Individual Pro Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: $20/month | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Context Window Size
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 200KB | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Supported Code Completion Speed
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: ~400-600ms | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Number of Supported IDEs/Editors
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 1 (Cursor IDE only) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Estimated Active User Base
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: ~500K (2025) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Monthly Individual Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: $20/month | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Annual Individual Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: $240/year | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Supported IDEs/Platforms
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Standalone only | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Multi-file Context Editing
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Native (full project) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Free Tier Monthly Completions
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 20 per month | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Active User Base
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 1+ million | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Product Maturity (Years Active)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 2 years | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Agentic/Autonomous Edit Capabilities
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Advanced (cmd+k, Composer, auto-fix) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Primary AI Model
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Anthropic) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Learning Curve (days to productivity)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 3-5 days (new IDE to learn) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Monthly Cost (Premium Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: $20/month | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Installation Complexity
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Download .dmg/.exe (1-click installer) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

GitHub Stars
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Proprietary (not public) | Visual Studio Code: 165,000+

Free Tier Token Limit
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 100,000 tokens/month (Claude only) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

IDE Integration Requirement
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: VS Code only (or Cursor standalone IDE) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Real-Time Code Collaboration
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Liveshare integration included | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Monthly Subscription Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: $20 | Visual Studio Code: Free
value reference: Visual Studio Code

File Open Time (Large Projects)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: ~800ms | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Memory Usage at Idle
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: ~600MB | Visual Studio Code: 320MB
value reference: Visual Studio Code

Built-in Collaboration
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Via extension | Visual Studio Code: N/A

AI Model Options
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 3 (GPT-4, Claude 3.5, o1-preview) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Language Support
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 40+ | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Monthly Subscription (Individual)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: $20/month unlimited | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Minimum RAM Required
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 4GB (practical minimum) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Language Support (Native Optimization)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 30+ via extensions | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Code Completion Accuracy (Benchmark)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 82% (AI-assisted, broader context) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Built-in Refactoring Tools
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Basic rename, extract, inline via extensions | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Startup Time (Cold Start)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 2-3 seconds | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Enterprise Support
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Community-based, limited official support | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Offline Support
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Yes (cached models) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Local Git Integration
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Yes (native support) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Code Execution Environment
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Local machine only | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Free Tier Autocomplete Limit
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 2,000 | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Pro Plan Monthly Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: $20 | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Supported IDE Count
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 1 (Proprietary VS Code fork) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Primary AI Models Available
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Claude 3.5 Sonnet (default) + GPT-4o (configurable) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Chat Context Window
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Advanced multi-tab with @files, @docs, @web references | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Setup Time for First Use
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 10-15 | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Pro Plan Monthly Request Limit
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 50,000 | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Code Completion Accuracy (HumanEval)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 84% | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Free Tier Code Completions
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: 50 | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Monthly Pro Subscription Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: $20/month | Visual Studio Code: N/A

AI-Powered Debugging
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Built-in with error explanation | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Multi-File Refactoring
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: Full codebase refactoring across files | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Local Privacy Mode Available
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: No (cloud-only with Claude) | Visual Studio Code: N/A

Annual License Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: Free

Memory Usage at Startup
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: ~80MB

Time to Productive Setup (Python Development)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: 3-4 hours (Pylance, Pytest, Linter config)

Built-in Refactoring Accuracy
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: 92% (with Pylance extension)

Monthly Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: $0

Installation Size
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: 50 MB

Global Developer Adoption
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: 74% of professional developers

Average Code Suggestion Time
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: N/A (manual)

Available Extensions/Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: 50,000+ extensions

Development Time Reduction
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: N/A (baseline)

Free Tier Available
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: Yes, fully featured

Available Extensions/Plugins
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: 50,000+

Native Language Support (Without Extensions)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: 8 languages (JS, TS, Python basics, JSON, HTML, CSS, Markdown, XML)

Development Team Size for Optimal Experience
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: 1-50 (lightweight, customizable)

Issues Detected Pre-Runtime (Java Code Analysis)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: ~65% (with extensions)

Initial Learning Time (Keyboard Shortcuts)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: 2-4 hours

Supported Languages (Built-in Syntax Highlighting)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: 200+

Native Debugging Support
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: Yes (20+ languages)

Developer Market Share
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: 72%

Default Memory Usage (Idle)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: 150-250 MB

AI Multi-File Context
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: Extension-limited; manual file selection required

Latest AI Assistant Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: Free basic + $10 Copilot Pro

Initial Release Year
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: 2015

GitHub Stars (as of 2026)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: 160,000+

Monthly Active Users
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: 20 million

Idle Memory Usage
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: 300-500 MB

Supported Languages (Native)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: Generic (extension-based)

Base License Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: Free (open-source)

GPU-Accelerated Rendering
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: No (Electron-based)

Built-in Language Support
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: 60+

Years in Development
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: 9 years (stable)

Real-Time Collaboration
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: Via Live Share extension

License Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: Free

Annual Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: Free

Built-in Refactoring Operations
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: 5-15 (extension dependent)

Code Completion Accuracy
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: 70-80%

Extension/Plugin Count
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: 50,000+

Base Install Size
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: 95 MB

AI Context Window Size
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: Varies by extension (typically 4K-8K)

Base License Cost (Annual)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: Free

Code Generation Speed (vs baseline)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: Baseline (100%)

GitHub Repository Stars
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: 160K stars

Supported Languages
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: 200+

RAM Usage (Idle State)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: ~150MB

Application Startup Time
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: 2-3 seconds

Native Language Support Count
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: 1 (JS/TS only)

Integrated Refactoring Tools Quality
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: Basic (extension-dependent)

Code Intelligence (IntelliSense Accuracy)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: 82% (with Pylance)

Built-in Debugging Capabilities
type: PropertyValue
value: Cursor: N/A | Visual Studio Code: Good (requires setup per language)

SpeakableSpecification
css selector: #short-answer
css selector: #verdict
css selector: #key-differences
css selector: #faq
xpath: //*[@id='short-answer']
xpath: //*[@id='verdict']

Cursor — Wikipedia
type: CreativeWork

Visual Studio Code — Wikipedia
type: CreativeWork

Compare Cursor vs Visual Studio Code
type: Action
additional type: CompareAction
target: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/cursor-vs-vs-code
object: Cursor
object: Visual Studio Code

Available Extensions
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ecosystem

Memory Usage (Idle)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Resource Efficiency

Built-in AI Features
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Data Privacy Model
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Security

Multi-line Tab Autocomplete
type: PropertyValue
value reference: AI Features

Monthly Cost (Subscription)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Code Completion Latency
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Platform Availability
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Compatibility

Number of Supported AI Models
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Capability

Estimated Daily Active Users
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Adoption

Max File Size for Analysis
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Capability

Years Since Launch
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Maturity

Base Subscription Cost (Monthly)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

AI Context Window
type: PropertyValue
value reference: AI Features

Built-in Code Inspections
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Code Analysis

Supported Languages (Official)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Language Support

Setup Time for New Users
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Usability

Offline Functionality
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Max Codebase Size (Recommended)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Scalability

AI Monthly Cost (Unlimited)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Free Tier Monthly AI Requests
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing & Usage

Compatible Extensions
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ecosystem

Native Multiplayer Collaboration
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Supported LLMs (Built-in)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: AI Features

Architecture
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Technical

Autocomplete Latency
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Professional Tier Price
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Supported Editors/IDEs
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Compatibility

Multi-file Context Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Technical Capabilities

Primary AI Model Quality (MMBENCH score)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: AI Quality

Setup Complexity
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Usability

Base Monthly Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Supported AI Models
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

IDE Compatibility
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Integration

Code Context Window
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Real-time Suggestion Speed
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Open-Source
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Licensing

Local Model Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Privacy

Estimated Active Users
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Community

Base Monthly Price
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Number of Supported IDEs
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Compatibility

Max Context Window Size
type: PropertyValue
value reference: AI Capability

Multi-File Editing
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Setup Time (minutes)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ease of Use

Programming Languages Supported
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Free Tier Availability
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Monthly Subscription Cost (Pro Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Maximum Token Context Window
type: PropertyValue
value reference: AI Capabilities

Native Multi-user Collaboration
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Collaboration

Base on VS Code
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Architecture

Extension Ecosystem Size
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Extensibility

Setup Time (Fresh Installation)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ease of Use

Agentic Workflow Capability
type: PropertyValue
value reference: AI Capabilities

Context Window
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Capability

Monthly Subscription (Pro/Standard)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Input Types Supported
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Capabilities

IDE Integration
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Code Completion Speed
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Codebase Context Indexing
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Development Features

Available on Mobile
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Accessibility

API Rate Limit (Standard Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Technical

Maximum Context Window
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Capability

Base Monthly Cost (Premium)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing & Usage

Setup Time for Existing Users
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Onboarding

Code Context Window Size
type: PropertyValue
value reference: AI Capabilities

Primary AI Model (Free)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: AI Capabilities

Multi-file Refactoring Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: AI Capabilities

Learning Curve (1-10 scale)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Usability

Monthly Cost (Individual Plan)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

AI Requests per Month (Pro Plan)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Limits

Supported IDEs/Editors
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Compatibility

Installation Time
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Setup

Available AI Models
type: PropertyValue
value reference: AI Capability

Free Trial Duration
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Codebase Indexing
type: PropertyValue
value reference: AI Capability

Pro Tier Monthly Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Free Tier Monthly Requests
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Supported Programming Languages
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Functionality

IDE Integration Options
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ecosystem

Public Launch Year
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Timeline

Monthly Cost (Individual Pro Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Context Window Size
type: PropertyValue
value reference: AI Capabilities

Supported Code Completion Speed
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Number of Supported IDEs/Editors
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Compatibility

Estimated Active User Base
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Adoption

Monthly Individual Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Annual Individual Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Supported IDEs/Platforms
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Integration

Multi-file Context Editing
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Free Tier Monthly Completions
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Active User Base
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Adoption

Product Maturity (Years Active)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Development

Agentic/Autonomous Edit Capabilities
type: PropertyValue
value reference: AI Features

Primary AI Model
type: PropertyValue
value reference: AI Capabilities

Learning Curve (days to productivity)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Usability

Monthly Cost (Premium Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Installation Complexity
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Deployment

GitHub Stars
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Community Popularity

Free Tier Token Limit
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

IDE Integration Requirement
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Compatibility

Real-Time Code Collaboration
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Monthly Subscription Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

File Open Time (Large Projects)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Memory Usage at Idle
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Built-in Collaboration
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

AI Model Options
type: PropertyValue
value reference: AI Integration

Language Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Capabilities

Monthly Subscription (Individual)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Minimum RAM Required
type: PropertyValue
value reference: System Requirements

Language Support (Native Optimization)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Language Support

Code Completion Accuracy (Benchmark)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Code Intelligence

Built-in Refactoring Tools
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Development Tools

Startup Time (Cold Start)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Enterprise Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Support

Offline Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Connectivity

Local Git Integration
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Development

Code Execution Environment
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Execution

Free Tier Autocomplete Limit
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing & Limits

Pro Plan Monthly Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Supported IDE Count
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Compatibility

Primary AI Models Available
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Chat Context Window
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Setup Time for First Use
type: PropertyValue
value reference: User Experience

Pro Plan Monthly Request Limit
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing & Limits

Code Completion Accuracy (HumanEval)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Free Tier Code Completions
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Monthly Pro Subscription Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

AI-Powered Debugging
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Multi-File Refactoring
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Local Privacy Mode Available
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Privacy

Annual License Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Memory Usage at Startup
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Time to Productive Setup (Python Development)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ease of Use

Built-in Refactoring Accuracy
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Code Intelligence

Monthly Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Installation Size
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Global Developer Adoption
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Market

Average Code Suggestion Time
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Available Extensions/Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Development Time Reduction
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Productivity

Free Tier Available
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Accessibility

Available Extensions/Plugins
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ecosystem

Native Language Support (Without Extensions)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Language Support

Development Team Size for Optimal Experience
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Scalability

Issues Detected Pre-Runtime (Java Code Analysis)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Code Quality

Initial Learning Time (Keyboard Shortcuts)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Usability

Supported Languages (Built-in Syntax Highlighting)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Native Debugging Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Developer Market Share
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Adoption

Default Memory Usage (Idle)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

AI Multi-File Context
type: PropertyValue
value reference: AI Features

Latest AI Assistant Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Initial Release Year
type: PropertyValue
value reference: History

GitHub Stars (as of 2026)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Community Popularity

Monthly Active Users
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Platform Size

Idle Memory Usage
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Resource Efficiency

Supported Languages (Native)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Language Support

Base License Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

GPU-Accelerated Rendering
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Technology

Built-in Language Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Years in Development
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Maturity

Real-Time Collaboration
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

License Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Annual Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Built-in Refactoring Operations
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Code Intelligence

Code Completion Accuracy
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Extension/Plugin Count
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Customization

Base Install Size
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

AI Context Window Size
type: PropertyValue
value reference: AI Capabilities

Base License Cost (Annual)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Code Generation Speed (vs baseline)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: AI Performance

GitHub Repository Stars
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Community Engagement

Supported Languages
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Compatibility

RAM Usage (Idle State)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Application Startup Time
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Native Language Support Count
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Integrated Refactoring Tools Quality
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Code Quality

Code Intelligence (IntelliSense Accuracy)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Developer Experience

Built-in Debugging Capabilities
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features