Cursor is an AI-powered code editor built on VS Code with superior AI integration and broader extension support, while Zed is a lightning-fast, native Rust-built editor optimized for performance with modern collaborative features but lacks the extensive AI capabilities and ecosystem of Cursor.
Cursor vs Zed — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
AI-first code editor built on VS Code with integrated Claude AI assistance and superior context awareness.
High-performance code editor written in Rust emphasizing speed, collaboration, and modern development workflows.
AI Code Completion Quality. Editor Performance (File Open Time). Extension Ecosystem. Real-time Collaboration. Price Model. Language Support. Memory Usage (Idle State)
Choose Cursor if you're an AI-first developer who values advanced code generation, extensive plugin ecosystem, and don't mind a subscription cost. Choose Zed if you prioritize blazing-fast performance, native collaboration, low system resource usage, and prefer a lightweight, modern development experience with minimal cost.
Cursor: Not publicly disclosed | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Significant but undisclosed | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Proprietary Commercial | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Standalone editor — a fork of VS Code (install Cursor itself) | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Anthropic Claude, OpenAI GPT, Google Gemini, plus Cursor fast models (per-request switching) | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Composer (Agent) plan-execute-verify loop across many files; runs commands and tests | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Whole-repo semantic embeddings with automatic relevant-file retrieval; built for monorepos | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Very fast predictive Tab completions that jump to the next edit location | Zed: N/A
Cursor: SSO, privacy mode (no retention/training), admin controls, SOC 2 | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Graphical IDE (VS Code fork) | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Interactive in-editor coding | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Flat plan with request quota + usage add-ons | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Monthly fast-request quota | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Multi-model (Claude, GPT, Gemini, etc.) | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Workspace indexing + @-mentions | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Low (VS Code familiarity) | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Interactive feature building & quick edits | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Yes — free Hobby tier plus a 2-week Pro trial | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Agent (formerly Composer) | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Claude, GPT, Gemini families (frequent day-one additions) | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Mature enterprise tier with SSO + privacy mode | Zed: N/A
Cursor: macOS, Windows, Linux | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Largest AI-IDE community and mindshare | Zed: N/A
Cursor: 0 (paid tier required) | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Superior) | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Native @-indexing across entire codebase | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Native Claude integration | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Code sent to Anthropic servers | Zed: N/A
Cursor: 50-200ms (Tab autocomplete) | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Desktop (Mac, Windows, Linux) | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Claude 3.5 Sonnet, GPT-4, Others | Zed: N/A
Cursor: ~500K (estimated based on download trends) | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Entire projects (no hard limit) | Zed: N/A
Cursor: 1.5 years (launched Oct 2024) | Zed: N/A
Cursor: 500K (Claude 3.5 Sonnet) | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Limited (chat requires internet) | Zed: N/A
Cursor: 50 premium requests | Zed: 0 (no native AI)
Cursor: 70,000+ (VS Code) | Zed: 500+ (Zed)
Cursor: 4+ (Claude, GPT-4, local) | Zed: 0 (third-party only)
Cursor: Electron (VS Code fork) | Zed: Native Rust
Cursor: Advanced (full workspace) | Zed: N/A
Primary AI Model Quality (MMBENCH score)
Cursor: 1-2 steps (download IDE) | Zed: N/A
Cursor: No (via extensions only) | Zed: N/A
Cursor: 40,000+ (VS Code marketplace) | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Code, text, file references | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Native VS Code-based editor | Zed: N/A
Cursor: 1–3 seconds (avg inline suggestion) | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Automatic full-project indexing | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Varies by plan (Pro tier higher) | Zed: N/A
Cursor: ~500KB+ codebase context | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Claude 3.5 Sonnet + GPT-4 | Zed: N/A
Cursor: 4+ (GPT-4o, Claude, Gemini, local) | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Yes, full project indexing | Zed: N/A
Cursor: 2 (VSCode + standalone) | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Native (full project) | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Download .dmg/.exe (1-click installer) | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Proprietary (not public) | Zed: N/A
Cursor: 100,000 tokens/month (Claude only) | Zed: N/A
Cursor: VS Code only (or Cursor standalone IDE) | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Liveshare integration included | Zed: N/A
Cursor: 5+ (GPT-4, Claude, local) | Zed: Basic features only
Cursor: 4GB (practical minimum) | Zed: N/A
Cursor: 82% (AI-assisted, broader context) | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Basic rename, extract, inline via extensions | Zed: N/A
Cursor: Community-based, limited official support | Zed: N/A
Cursor: N/A | Zed: Free (premium: $120/yr)
Cursor vs Zed — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Cursor vs Zed. Contains 178 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Cursor vs Zed — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Cursor vs Zed.
No, Zed does not support VS Code extensions natively. Zed has its own extension system with a limited but growing library of ~200 extensions. If you rely heavily on specific VS Code extensions, Cursor would be a better fit.
How does Cursor's AI compare to GitHub Copilot?
Cursor uses multiple AI models (GPT-4, Claude 3.5) and offers codebase-aware context through @mentions and indexing, providing more sophisticated code generation than standard Copilot. Copilot is limited to training data, while Cursor can reference your specific project structure.
Yes, Zed is completely free to download and use. It offers an optional $8/month pro subscription for additional features like faster AI code suggestions and priority support, but the core editor is free forever.
Which editor is better for remote team development?
Zed has a significant advantage here with native collaborative editing built into the core editor, making real-time pair programming seamless. Cursor requires third-party extensions for collaboration, making it less convenient for distributed teams.
Cursor requires an internet connection for most AI features, though basic editing works offline. Zed works fully offline without any internet dependency, making it ideal for developers with unreliable connections.
AI Code Completion Quality: Cursor has Advanced multi-model (GPT-4, Claude 3.5) with @mentions and codebase context, while Zed has Basic AI features, focused on speed over AI sophistication.
Consider: Editor Performance (File Open Time)
Editor Performance (File Open Time): Cursor has ~800ms for large projects, while Zed has ~150ms for large projects.
Extension Ecosystem: Cursor has 10,000+ VS Code extensions supported, while Zed has Limited native extensions, ~200 available.
Real-time Collaboration: Cursor has Available via extension, while Zed has Built-in native collaboration.
Price Model: Cursor has $20/month or $200/year subscription, while Zed has Free with optional $8/month pro features.
Language Support: Cursor has 40+ languages via extensions, while Zed has 15+ languages natively built-in.
Memory Usage (Idle State): Cursor has ~600MB RAM, while Zed has ~150MB RAM.