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Claude Code vs Cursor (October 2026): Agent, Editor, Models and Pricing

Updated 2026-10-15 · by Murilo Prataviera, maker of Aki

Last checked: October 2026. Both products change fast, and Cursor changed its plans on October 12, 2026. Prices and models below come from the official pricing pages and docs listed under Sources. Check >cursor.com/pricing and >claude.com/pricing before you buy.

You have a $20 budget and a bug in a checkout page. In Claude Code you open a terminal, type claude, describe the bug, and watch it read files, run the tests and propose a fix. In Cursor you open the project in the editor, press ⌘I, ask the Agent, and review the diff next to your code while Tab finishes the lines you type yourself. Both can fix the bug. They differ in where you work, which models you get, and how the bill is counted. This page compares them as they are today.

Quick answer

  • Claude Code is Anthropic's coding agent. It started in the terminal and now also runs in VS Code (and Cursor), JetBrains, a desktop app and the web. It uses Claude models only. It comes with Claude Pro ($20/month) and Max ($100 or $200/month), and that usage is shared with the Claude chat apps.

  • Cursor is an AI code editor (a VS Code fork) with Tab autocomplete, an Agent, a CLI (agent) and Cloud Agents. Since October 12, 2026 it's sold as part of The X Subscription (Plus $8, Premium $30, Super $100, Ultra $200). The weekly pool covers Cursor's own models (Grok and Composer). Claude, GPT and Gemini are billed at API list price, from Premium up.

  • Pick Claude Code if you live in the terminal, want Claude models at subscription rates, or already pay for Claude.

  • Pick Cursor if you want an editor with strong autocomplete, many model vendors in one place, or cloud agents tied to your repos.

  • Many people use both: Claude Code runs fine inside Cursor's terminal, and its extension installs in Cursor.

The core difference

Claude Code is an agent first. You give it a task in plain language and it plans, edits files, runs commands and works with git. The terminal version is "the full-featured CLI". The same agent also runs as a VS Code extension with inline diffs, a JetBrains plugin, a desktop app with parallel sessions and scheduled tasks, and on the web at claude.ai/code for long tasks on repos you don't have locally. It's scriptable: claude -p "..." runs it in CI or in a pipe.

Cursor is an editor first. You write code in it, and AI is built into every part: Tab predicts your next edit (multi-line, across files), the Agent (⌘I) runs terminal commands and edits code, and it can control a browser to check visual changes. Cursor also has a CLI. You install it with curl https://cursor.com/install -fsS | bash and run it as agent, with Agent, Plan and Ask modes and a print mode for scripts. Cloud Agents run in isolated cloud VMs, so you can run many in parallel without your laptop. In the CLI you can hand a task off to one by starting a message with &.

Each has grown toward the other, but the center of gravity is still different.

Feature comparison

Claude Code Cursor
What it is Coding agent AI code editor (VS Code fork)
Where it runs Terminal, VS Code/Cursor extension, JetBrains plugin, desktop app, web, iOS/Android app Desktop editor, CLI (agent), Cloud Agents, iOS app (remote control of local agents), JetBrains via ACP
Autocomplete while typing No Yes (Tab)
Models Claude only: Opus 5.5 (default), Sonnet 5.5, Haiku 5.5, Fable 5.1 Grok 4.7/4.6/4.5 and Composer 2.5 in the plan; Claude, GPT-5.6, Gemini and others at API list price
Cloud / parallel agents Web sessions, background agents, subagents Cloud Agents in isolated VMs, Automations
Project instructions CLAUDE.md; reads AGENTS.md when there's no CLAUDE.md .cursor/rules/*.mdc; AGENTS.md (nested supported)
MCP config claude mcp add, .mcp.json, ~/.claude.json .cursor/mcp.json, ~/.cursor/mcp.json
Usage resets 5-hour window plus weekly limit Weekly pool (new plans)
Cheapest paid plan Pro, $20/month Plus, $8/month (Grok models only)

Models

Claude Code runs Claude models. On Pro, Max, Team, Enterprise and the API, the default is Opus 5.5. You can switch with /model to Sonnet 5.5, Haiku 5.5 or Fable 5.1. Depending on your plan and seat, Fable can bill to usage credits instead of your plan's limits, and Claude Code asks before it does. You can also run Claude Code through Amazon Bedrock, Google Cloud's Agent Platform or Microsoft Foundry, but it's still Claude.

Cursor supports models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, SpaceXAI and others. The docs list Claude Opus 5.5, Sonnet 5.5, Haiku 5.5 and Fable 5.1, GPT-5.6 (Sol, Terra, Luna), Gemini 3.1 Pro, Gemini 3.8 Flash and Gemini 4 Argon, plus Cursor's own Grok 4.7, 4.6, 4.5 and Composer 2.5. Auto mode on individual plans is "Cost" mode, which draws from your weekly pool.

Cursor was acquired by SpaceX in August 2026. That's why the plan pool covers Grok and Composer, while Claude and GPT are paid separately.

Plans and how usage is counted

Claude

Plan Price Claude Code
Free $0 Not included
Pro $20/month ($17/month billed yearly) Yes
Max 5x $100/month Yes, 5× Pro's usage
Max 20x $200/month Yes, 20× Pro's usage
Team $25 standard / $125 premium per seat per month ($20 / $100 yearly) Yes

Usage is measured in a 5-hour window plus a weekly limit, and it's shared with Claude on the web, desktop and mobile. Past the limits you can wait, upgrade, or turn on usage credits billed at API rates. Our guide to Claude Code usage limits covers how to check where you stand.

Cursor (The X Subscription, since October 12, 2026)

Plan Price Weekly usage Third-party models (Claude, GPT, Gemini)
Free $0 Limited Not available
Plus $8/month Base Not available
Premium $30/month 4× Plus API list price, from prepaid credit
Super $100/month 15× Plus API list price, from prepaid credit
Ultra $200/month 50× Plus API list price, from prepaid credit
Teams $30, $100 or $200 per seat Matches the seat's tier API list price plus $0.25 per million tokens

Yearly billing is $80 (Plus), $300 (Premium), $1,000 (Super) and $2,000 (Ultra). Each plan also includes Grok apps and X Premium benefits.

What matters for a Claude Code comparison:

The takeaway: if most of your coding runs on Claude, a Claude subscription gives you Claude at plan rates, while Cursor's new plans charge Claude by the token. If Grok or Composer is enough for you, Cursor is cheap to start with. Which is cheaper depends on the model and how much you use it.

Rules and project context

Claude Code reads CLAUDE.md at the start of every session (project, personal and organization levels). If your repo only has an AGENTS.md, Claude Code reads that instead, with no extra setting. When both exist, it reads CLAUDE.md by default; you can import AGENTS.md from CLAUDE.md to share one file.

Cursor uses Project Rules in .cursor/rules/ as .mdc files with frontmatter (alwaysApply, globs, description). A plain .md file in that folder is ignored. For plain markdown, Cursor reads AGENTS.md, including nested ones in subfolders. There are also User Rules, Team Rules, skills, subagents and hooks.

If you use both tools, AGENTS.md is the file they have in common. Cursor's docs don't say it reads CLAUDE.md, so don't count on it.

MCP

Both support the Model Context Protocol, so the same server usually works in both.

If you're picking servers, see the best MCP servers for Claude Code.

Privacy

Claude Code. On Free, Pro and Max, Anthropic trains on your data only if the "help improve Claude" setting is on. With it on, data is kept for 5 years; with it off, 30 days. On Team, Enterprise and the API, Anthropic doesn't train on your code or prompts unless your organization opts in. Zero data retention is available for qualified Enterprise accounts.

Cursor. Cursor sends prompts and code context to model providers such as OpenAI, Anthropic and Google. With Privacy Mode on, your code is never used for training by Cursor or the model providers. Privacy Mode is on by default for Enterprise teams; individuals turn it on in settings. Cloud Agents are the only feature that requires Cursor to store your code. A few models require data retention with their provider; the docs list them.

Which one should you pick

Using both

This is common, and it works.

Don't let two agents edit the same files at once; use separate branches or worktrees.

Where Aki fits

Whichever you choose, you'll often need to show the agent something on screen: a misaligned button, a terminal error, a state in Figma. Aki is a free, source-available macOS app for that. Press ⇧⌘A, click an element or drag an area, write what should change, and Aki sends it to the right agent session. In Chromium browsers it gets the exact element (CSS selector, text, HTML, and the React source file in dev builds). It sends text first and attaches a small image only when the mark is visual, which uses fewer tokens than a full screenshot (see how to give Claude Code a screenshot).

It works with Claude Code, Codex and Cursor Agent: the agent reads your marks through Aki's local MCP server or the aki CLI. It's Mac-only (Apple Silicon, macOS 14+), with no account and no usage tracking (just an anonymous install and update notice, which you can turn off). The code is on >GitHub.

FAQ

Is Claude Code better than Cursor?

Neither wins for everyone. Claude Code is the stronger fit for terminal-first, agent-driven work on Claude models. Cursor is the stronger fit if you want an editor with autocomplete and many model vendors. Many developers use both.

Can I use Claude models in Cursor?

Yes, on Premium ($30) and higher, at the model's API list price paid from prepaid credit. Plus and Free don't include third-party models. Legacy Pro, Pro+ and Ultra plans still have a monthly pool for them.

Can I use Claude Code inside Cursor?

Yes. Run claude in Cursor's integrated terminal, or install the Claude Code extension in Cursor. It uses your Claude plan.

How much does Claude Code cost compared to Cursor?

Claude Code comes with Claude Pro ($20/month) and Max ($100 or $200/month), with a 5-hour window and a weekly limit. Cursor's new plans run from $8 to $200/month with a weekly pool for Grok and Composer. Claude, GPT and Gemini in Cursor cost extra at API prices.

Do Claude Code and Cursor read the same rules file?

They share AGENTS.md. Claude Code's own file is CLAUDE.md, and Cursor's is .cursor/rules/*.mdc.

What happened to Cursor's Pro plan?

Since October 12, 2026, new sign-ups get The X Subscription (Plus, Premium, Super, Ultra). Existing Pro, Pro+ and Ultra plans keep working as "legacy Cursor plans" until you switch or cancel.

Sources