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It's a split decision.
Choose IntelliJ IDEA for Java and Kotlin development, especially if you need a free option for commercial work or its paid Ultimate features. Choose WebStorm for JavaScript development and a lower individual subscription price. Both are JetBrains IDEs with code-aware navigation, suggestions, and built-in tools to run, debug, and test applications. Their pricing and free-use terms differ, but the vendor's site does not establish a feature-by-feature comparison for a shared language or workflow.
01Side by side
| IntelliJ IDEA | WebStorm | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Individual Ultimate: $19.90 monthly; $199 first year annually | Individual: $7.90 monthly; $79 first year annually |
| Free tier | Free for commercial and non-commercial use | Free for non-commercial use; anonymous telemetry required |
| Open source and licence | Free commercial use; open-source status unpublished | Free non-commercial use; open-source status unpublished |
| API and SDKs | Java and Kotlin IDE; no hosted API described | JavaScript IDE; no hosted API described |
| Integrations | JetBrains cites a Kotlin tools-and-libraries ecosystem | JetBrains cites broad language and framework support |
| Platforms | Listed as Web | Listed as Web |
| Limits and scaling | AI Free includes 3 credits per 30 days | AI Free included; usage quota unpublished |
| Deployment model | IDE for Java and Kotlin | IDE for JavaScript |
IntelliJ IDEA Choose IntelliJ IDEA if
- Choose IntelliJ IDEA if Java is your primary language.
- Choose IntelliJ IDEA if your work includes Kotlin.
- Choose IntelliJ IDEA if you need free commercial use.
WebStorm Choose WebStorm if
- Choose WebStorm if JavaScript is your primary language.
- Choose WebStorm if you want the lower individual subscription price.
- Choose WebStorm if you need a non-commercial free tier.
02Pricing at real usage
IntelliJ IDEA’s Free Tier / Core Edition costs $0 and permits commercial and non-commercial use. Its AI Free allowance is 3 credits per 30 days. IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate for individuals costs $19.90 monthly or $199 for the first year on annual billing; continuity discounts reduce the annual price to $159 in year two and $119 from year three. For organizations, the listed rate is $71.90 per user monthly or $59.92 per user per month with annual billing.
WebStorm’s non-commercial tier costs $0, requires anonymous telemetry, and includes JetBrains AI Free. Individual billing is $7.90 monthly or $79 for the first year annually, with renewal discounts to $63 and then $47. Organization licenses cost $19.90 per user monthly or $199 per user annually. Both products list 30-day trials for paid plans. These are per-user prices; the published plans do not charge by compute.
03API, SDKs and integration
IntelliJ IDEA and WebStorm are IDEs, not hosted API products in JetBrains’ product descriptions. JetBrains presents IntelliJ IDEA as its IDE for Java and Kotlin, and WebStorm as its IDE for JavaScript. The homepage describes code-aware navigation, contextual suggestions, and built-in tools to run, debug, and test applications for its IDEs.
The homepage does not identify product-specific APIs, SDKs, or CLI commands for either IDE. It says JetBrains IDEs support a wide range of languages and frameworks, but does not give a WebStorm-specific integration list. JetBrains separately describes a Kotlin ecosystem of tools, libraries, and integrations; it does not tie those integrations specifically to IntelliJ IDEA. For a codebase decision, the documented distinction is the target language: Java and Kotlin for IntelliJ IDEA, JavaScript for WebStorm. Check JetBrains’ product documentation for the workflows and extensions your stack requires.
04Open source, self-hosting and lock-in
JetBrains does not publish open-source licensing, self-hosting options, or data-export terms for either IDE on its product homepage. The pricing pages do distinguish free-use rights: IntelliJ IDEA’s Core Edition is listed as free for commercial and non-commercial use, while WebStorm’s free tier is for non-commercial use and requires anonymous telemetry. Those terms do not establish that either IDE is open source.
Both products are IDEs rather than hosted APIs, so their listed plans are licensed per user rather than priced by application traffic. The published product pages do not describe a data-export format or migration process. Before standardizing on either tool, check the applicable license terms and confirm how your team manages settings, project files, and any IDE-specific configuration in version control.
Questions people ask
Is IntelliJ IDEA better than WebStorm for Java?
JetBrains positions IntelliJ IDEA as its IDE for Java and Kotlin, while WebStorm is its IDE for JavaScript. For a Java codebase, IntelliJ IDEA is the direct fit based on those product roles. The available product facts do not provide a feature-by-feature Java comparison.
Is WebStorm free?
WebStorm has a free non-commercial tier for one user. JetBrains says it requires anonymous telemetry and includes AI Free. Individual commercial use costs $7.90 monthly or $79 for the first year with annual billing; organization pricing is per user.
Does IntelliJ IDEA cost more than WebStorm?
Yes, on the listed individual paid plans: IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate costs $19.90 monthly or $199 for the first year annually, while WebStorm costs $7.90 monthly or $79 for the first year. IntelliJ IDEA also has a free tier for commercial and non-commercial use.
Are IntelliJ IDEA and WebStorm open source or self-hosted?
JetBrains does not publish open-source licensing or self-hosting terms for these products on its product homepage. It lists IntelliJ IDEA Core as free for commercial and non-commercial use, and WebStorm’s free tier as non-commercial. Free use does not by itself mean open source.