Cursor wins on our tests — it scores 9.2 against Aider's 8.7. Note that Aider is open source, so it wins on data control and self-hosting even if it scores lower.
Head to head Code & Dev
Aider vs Cursor
Two code & dev tools, one honest verdict — scores, pricing and free tiers compared side by side.
 Aider |  Cursor | |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 8.7/10 | 9.2/10 |
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Free version | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Open source | ✓ Apache-2.0 | No |
| GitHub stars | ★ 28k | — |
| Partner deal | — | — |
Aider in short
AI pair programming in your terminal — edits real repos with git. It is completely free.
Cursor in short
The AI-first code editor — tab, tab, tab, shipped. It is free to start, with paid upgrades.
FAQ
Which is better, Aider or Cursor?
Aider scores 8.7/10 and Cursor scores 9.2/10 in our hands-on tests. Cursor comes out ahead overall.
Is Aider free?
Yes, Aider has a real free version.
Is Cursor free?
Yes, Cursor has a real free version.
Can I try both for free?
Yes — both have free versions, so test them on the same task and keep the winner.
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