Head to head · Editorial, not sponsored
OpenCode vs Cursor (2026): Which should you pick?
Short answer
Pick OpenCode if you want a free open-source agent in the terminal, desktop app or IDE, with any model provider.
Pick Cursor if you want an agent-first editor with cloud agents and AI code review on higher tiers.
Based only on the facts below: Pricing from opencode.ai, checked 2026-11-03. Pricing from cursor.com, checked 2026-11-03. No scores and no hands-on testing (methodology).
Pricing at a glance
Open sourceOpenCode
Free and open source, with free models included; you pay any model provider you connect. Optional OpenCode Go model subscription: Go $10/mo, Go Plus $40/mo, Go Teams $20/member/mo. OpenCode Models are pay-as-you-go from a $20 balance.
Official pricing page · checked 2026-11-03
Free tierCursor
Free tier; paid tiers listed at $8, $30, $100 and $200/month; Teams from $30/user/month; Enterprise custom.
Official pricing page · checked 2026-11-03
Feature checklist
From each tool's pricing page and listed use cases. "Not listed" means it is not among the use cases we list for that tool, not that it cannot do it.
| Feature | OpenCode | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Free tier or open-source option | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | Not listed |
| Free trial mentioned | Not listed | Not listed |
| Listed under | ||
| Coding | Yes | Yes |
| Agents | Yes | Yes |
| Listed use cases | ||
| open-source coding agent in the terminal, desktop or IDE | Yes | Not listed |
| use any model provider, including local models | Yes | Not listed |
| run several agent sessions in parallel on one project | Yes | Not listed |
| write code with an AI agent | Not listed | Yes |
| refactor a codebase | Not listed | Yes |
| AI code review | Not listed | Yes |
| run cloud coding agents | Not listed | Yes |
Best for and skip if
OpenCode
Best for
- open-source coding agent in the terminal, desktop or IDE
- use any model provider, including local models
- run several agent sessions in parallel on one project
Skip if this matters to you
- Paid model providers you connect bill separately
- On Windows, OpenCode recommends running it under WSL
- OpenCode 1 and OpenCode 2 share the opencode command and can't be installed side by side by default
- OpenCode says your data is stored when you use its free models
From official docs and the pricing page, checked 2026-11-03.
Cursor
Best for
- write code with an AI agent
- refactor a codebase
- AI code review
- run cloud coding agents
Skip if this matters to you
- Pricing page now bundles Cursor with Grok/X subscription tiers, which can be confusing
- Plus tier is limited to Grok models per pricing page
- Third-party model usage billed separately
From official docs and the pricing page, checked 2026-11-03.
OpenCode vs Cursor: FAQ
Should I use OpenCode or Cursor?
Pick OpenCode if you want a free open-source agent in the terminal, desktop app or IDE, with any model provider. Pick Cursor if you want an agent-first editor with cloud agents and AI code review on higher tiers. Based on the official pricing pages and docs listed on this page, checked 2026-11-03.
Is OpenCode free?
It has an open-source option. Free and open source, with free models included; you pay any model provider you connect. Optional OpenCode Go model subscription: Go $10/mo, Go Plus $40/mo, Go Teams $20/member/mo. OpenCode Models are pay-as-you-go from a $20 balance. (official pricing page, checked 2026-11-03)
Is Cursor free?
Yes, it lists a free way to start. Free tier; paid tiers listed at $8, $30, $100 and $200/month; Teams from $30/user/month; Enterprise custom. (official pricing page, checked 2026-11-03)
How much do OpenCode and Cursor cost?
OpenCode: Free and open source, with free models included; you pay any model provider you connect. Optional OpenCode Go model subscription: Go $10/mo, Go Plus $40/mo, Go Teams $20/member/mo. OpenCode Models are pay-as-you-go from a $20 balance. Cursor: Free tier; paid tiers listed at $8, $30, $100 and $200/month; Teams from $30/user/month; Enterprise custom. (official pricing pages, checked 2026-11-03).
What is the difference between OpenCode and Cursor?
OpenCode is listed for: open-source coding agent in the terminal, desktop or IDE; use any model provider, including local models; run several agent sessions in parallel on one project. Cursor is listed for: write code with an AI agent; refactor a codebase; aI code review; run cloud coding agents.
Is Cursor free for students?
Not for new sign-ups. Cursor stopped new sign-ups for its student discount on June 25, 2026; students who already redeemed it keep their current rate until their plan expires. Undergraduates can now claim credits and discounts at on-campus and online events, and master's students, PhD candidates, researchers and educators can request credits through a form.
Source: Cursor help: Student discount (checked 2026-10-29)
When does Cursor usage reset, and does unused usage roll over?
On current plans the included pool refreshes weekly, and unused included usage does not roll over. Prepaid credit does not reset with the weekly pool; each top-up lasts until used or until it expires (currently 365 days after purchase). Legacy Cursor plans split included usage into monthly pools. When you hit the limit you can keep working from prepaid credit, wait for the weekly reset or upgrade.
Source: Cursor help: Usage limits (checked 2026-10-29)
Did you test OpenCode and Cursor?
No. Verdicts are based on each vendor's public docs and pricing pages, not hands-on testing, unless a page says otherwise.