# 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.
> Facts from official pages, checked 2026-11-03. No scores and no hands-on testing.

- Canonical page: https://usewhichtool.com/compare/opencode-vs-cursor
- Last verified: 2026-11-03
- Publisher: Use Which Tool (https://usewhichtool.com), run by Sameer Chowdhry
- Cite as: Use Which Tool, "OpenCode vs Cursor (2026): Which should you pick?", https://usewhichtool.com/compare/opencode-vs-cursor (last verified 2026-11-03)

## 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.

## Verdicts

- OpenCode: Best for builders who want a free, open-source coding agent that works with whatever model or subscription they already have.
- Cursor: A strong default AI code editor for builders who want an agent in their IDE.

## Side by side

| | OpenCode | Cursor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pricing | 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. | Free tier; paid tiers listed at $8, $30, $100 and $200/month; Teams from $30/user/month; Enterprise custom. |
| Price type | Open source | Free tier |
| Pricing source | https://opencode.ai | https://cursor.com/pricing |
| Verified | 2026-11-03 | 2026-11-03 |
| Use cases | 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 | write code with an AI agent; refactor a codebase; AI code review; run cloud coding agents |
| Strengths | Open source under the MIT License and free to use; Works with 75+ model providers through Models.dev, including local models, and can sign in with a ChatGPT Plus/Pro or GitHub Copilot account; Comes with a set of free models; Terminal interface, desktop app and IDE extension | Agent-first editor built around handing off coding tasks; Cloud agents, automations and AI code review (Bugbot) listed on higher tiers; Third-party models available at API list price |
| Limitations | 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 | Cursor is now sold as part of The X Subscription (with Grok and X), so plan pages mix in non-coding perks; Plus tier is limited to Cursor models (Grok and Composer), with no third-party models; Third-party model usage billed separately |
| Official site | https://opencode.ai | https://cursor.com |

Tool pages: [OpenCode](https://usewhichtool.com/tools/opencode) · [Cursor](https://usewhichtool.com/tools/cursor)

## Questions

### 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 (https://cursor.com/help/account-and-billing/student-discount).

### 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 (https://cursor.com/help/models-and-usage/usage-limits).

### 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.

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