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Cursor combines an AI editor with agent workflows; replacing it means deciding whether you want another IDE, a repository agent or a GitHub-native review path. Our shortlist covers Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, Factory, Amp, Cody and Kiro. Published starting prices range from $10 to $20 per month for five options; Cody has no listed starting price. Self-hosting does not answer licensing, API access or data-export questions, so confirm those terms and usage limits before migrating.
01Why people leave Cursor
Model choice and changing limits
Reddit users describe leaving after model restrictions or changing model limits affected which assistants they could use.
Codebase fit is inconsistent
Some users report agents missing project conventions or struggling with large repositories; others say newer agent workflows improved their results.
Review control matters
Developers who want to inspect edits in context may prefer workflows that keep changes visible in an IDE or GitHub pull request.
02The alternatives, ranked by fit
- Existing-repo agent
Claude CodeClaude CodeClaude Code is aimed at existing repositories, long-running refactors and issue-to-PR automation. It starts at $17 and has a free plan, but subscription usage limits need planning. Its broad entry points may suit teams that want an agent beyond a single editor; check which entry point fits your current editor and automation before moving workflows.
Trade-off: Plan around subscription usage limits and confirm the entry point fits your stack.
7.5/10from
$17/mofree plan - GitHub-centered teams
GitHub CopilotGitHub CopilotGitHub Copilot fits teams already working in GitHub issues and pull requests, with agent sessions across surfaces and change review inside GitHub. It starts at $10 and has a free plan. That makes it a lower starting price than Cursor’s listed $8 paid tier only if your usage fits; track credits and model limits as they change.
Trade-off: Usage credits and changing model limits make costs harder to forecast.
7.8/10from
$10/mofree plan - Self-hosted workflows
FactoryFactoryFactory puts coding agents across desktop, terminal, web and CLI, with model routing and on-premise options. It starts at $20 per month and is listed as self-hostable. This is a fit for teams standardizing agent workflows or requiring private deployment; confirm deployment and integration details, plus any usage-based charges, before estimating production cost.
Trade-off: Starts at $20 per month; confirm integration and operating details.
7.0/10from
$20/mo - Persistent team agents
AmpAmpAmp targets developers running long-lived agent tasks, with shared threads and workflows for teams. It starts at $20 and has a free plan; projects can also use self-hosted orbs. That combination may suit collaborative agent work, but confirm how orbs fit your stack and what usage the plan covers before moving persistent tasks out of Cursor.
Trade-off: Key integration and operating details need confirmation.
7.1/10from
$20/mofree plan - Large-repo context
CodyCodyCody is built for codebase context across many repositories and coordinating large changes. It is listed as self-hostable, which may help teams evaluating private deployment. Its starting price is not listed, and the Enterprise minimum is described as steep, so map your repository needs and deployment requirements to a quote before planning a migration.
Trade-off: The Enterprise minimum is a significant entry point.
7.0/10from
Custom - Spec-first AWS teams
KiroKiroKiro combines an AI coding IDE and CLI with spec-first workflows, AWS and Terraform use cases, and CI checks that review and fix pull requests. It starts at $20 and has a free plan; it is also listed as self-hostable. Teams should weigh its structured workflow against reported reliability and workflow frustrations before moving projects.
Trade-off: Users report workflow and reliability frustrations.
7.0/10from
$20/mofree plan
03Side by side
| Tool | Score | From | Free plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Cursor Cursor (current) | 6.8 | $8/mo | Yes | Developers delegating bounded coding tasks |
| Claude Code Claude Code | 7.5 | $17/mo | Yes | Developers working in existing repositories |
| GitHub Copilot GitHub Copilot | 7.8 | $10/mo | Yes | Teams already using GitHub issues and pull requests |
| Factory Factory | 7.0 | $20/mo | No | Engineering teams adopting coding agents |
| Amp Amp | 7.1 | $20/mo | Yes | Developers who want persistent agents |
| Cody Cody | 7.0 | Custom | No | Enterprise teams with many repositories |
| Kiro Kiro | 7.0 | $20/mo | Yes | Developers who work from written specs |
Questions people ask
Which Cursor alternative has the lowest published starting price?
GitHub Copilot has the lowest published paid starting price in this shortlist at $10, and it has a free plan. Claude Code starts at $17, while Amp and Kiro start at $20 and also list free plans. Compare plan limits and usage credits, not just starting prices.
Which alternatives can be self-hosted?
Factory, Cody and Kiro are listed as self-hostable. Self-hosting does not establish an open-source licence or guarantee feature parity with a hosted plan. Ask each vendor about deployment requirements, model configuration, data handling and export before moving repository context.
What should I check before replacing Cursor with an API-driven agent?
Confirm the API and SDKs support your languages, authentication, repository access and CI workflow. Ask for rate limits, usage billing, data retention and export terms, plus examples for your deployment model. A low subscription price alone does not show what production automation will cost.