AI coding tools range from completions inside your editor to agents that take a task and return a pull request. Most start free, so the questions that matter are how usage is metered and how your code and prompts are treated.
Several vendors meter usage as pooled credits or allowances that refresh daily or weekly, with extra usage billed at API rates. Compare how each limits heavy use, not only the monthly price.
Developers and small engineering teams who want suggestions, chat or agent help inside an editor or on an existing codebase, and who will review and test every change.
Documented plan details, listed alphabetically. Free-plan availability does not mean every feature is included. Compare confirmed free plans across categories.
Scroll sideways in the table to compare prices and tradeoffs.
| Tool | Free plan | Paid entry price | Main tradeoff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Q DeveloperChecked 21 Oct 2026 | 50 agentic requests a month; 1,000 lines of code a month for Java upgrades; no admin dashboard; no IP indemnity | From $19/user/mo (currency not named), billed monthly | Free usage is capped at 50 agentic requests a month, and the exact Pro limits are not stated. |
| CursorChecked 21 Oct 2026 | Limited agent and Chat requests | From $8/mo (currency not named), billed monthly | Exact request or token counts per plan are not stated, and third-party models are billed separately by usage on Premium and above. |
| DevinChecked 21 Oct 2026 | Light quota; limited model availability; unlimited inline edits and Tab completions; 1 member | From $20/mo (currency not named), billing frequency not stated | Usage allowances refresh daily and weekly without published counts, and extra usage is bought at API pricing. |
| GitHub CopilotChecked 21 Oct 2026 | 2,000 inline completions and 50 chat requests a month; limited agent usage | From $10/mo, billing frequency not stated | Heavier use draws down AI credits at $0.01 each, and the page lists no IP indemnity on individual plans. |
Coding
AWS coding assistant with a free tier of 50 agentic requests a month and a $19 Pro plan.
Best for: Developers on AWS who want a free tier and IP indemnity on a paid plan
Coding
AI code editor whose plans share a usage pool, from a limited free plan to Ultra.
Best for: Developers who want an AI-first editor and will manage a shared usage pool
Coding
Autonomous software engineer with cloud agents, plus a free desktop editor.
Best for: Teams that want to delegate engineering tasks to cloud agents that return pull requests
Coding
AI coding assistant in your editor, on GitHub and in the CLI, with a free plan.
Best for: Developers who want AI completions and chat inside VS Code, JetBrains and GitHub
Chosen from published plan details. Not hands-on tested, and not influenced by affiliate status.
A free plan with stated monthly limits across many editors
Free lists 2,000 completions and 50 chat requests a month, and Copilot supports VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains, Eclipse and Xcode.
A free tier now and IP indemnity on the paid plan
The Free Tier lists 50 agentic requests a month, and Pro at $19 per user a month lists IP indemnity.
Cloud agents that return pull requests
Pro at $20 a month adds Devin Cloud, and the free desktop plan lists unlimited Tab completions.
An AI-first editor with a low-cost introductory plan
Plans start at a limited free plan and an $8 introductory plan, with usage drawn from a shared pool.
Free tiers meter different things: Copilot lists 2,000 inline completions and 50 chat requests a month, Amazon Q Developer lists 50 agentic requests a month, and Cursor and Devin list limited requests or quotas without exact counts. Heavier use can draw on paid credits.
Counted from our records of the 4 tools here: 4 have a confirmed free plan, 0 offer only a free trial, 3 price per seat, 4 meter credits or usage, and 3 show prices without naming the currency.
We have not verified any vendor's data handling and do not give legal advice. See the privacy review checklist.
Go deeper: Coding assistant for an existing repo (guide); Free plan, trial or credits: which is it? (guide); Test an AI tool before buying annually (guide); Use a coding assistant on an existing repo (workflow); Copilot vs Amazon Q Developer: terms compared (comparison);cost planner.
Look for fixed limits (for example completions and chat requests a month), credit pools, or allowances that refresh daily and weekly. A low sticker price can hide usage-based extras.
Check whether prompts can be used for training and whether IP indemnity is included. Amazon Q Developer lists indemnity on Pro; GitHub lists it as not included on individual Copilot plans.
Some tools plug into many editors and IDEs, while others are their own editor. Check that your editor or CLI is supported before you commit.
Completion tools help as you type. Agents work on a whole task and return changes for review. You will still need to read and test what they produce.
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