Is Cursor AI code editor free?
Free tier vs paid plans
Cursor's free plan, often called Hobby, gives you a set number of AI-powered actions per month, such as chat requests and code completions. The exact limits change over time, so check the pricing page for current numbers.
Paid plans (Pro, Business) remove most limits and add features like unlimited completions, access to premium models, and team management. Prices are typically in the range of $20 per month for individual Pro, but they can vary by region and billing period.
Students and some open-source maintainers may qualify for discounts or free Pro access. Eligibility rules and availability change, so verify on the official site.
- Free tier: limited AI requests per month
- Pro: higher limits, premium models, around $20/month
- Business: team features, per-seat pricing
- Discounts may exist for students and OSS maintainers
What 'free' actually covers
The editor itself is free and open to use without a subscription. You can write, edit, and run code without paying. The paid part is mainly the AI backend that powers chat, autocomplete, and code generation.
Even on the free tier, you get access to some AI models, but you may hit rate limits during heavy use. If you run out, you can wait for the next cycle or upgrade.
There's no permanent free unlimited plan. If you need constant AI assistance for large projects, a paid plan is usually necessary.
Common mistakes
- Assuming the free tier is unlimited—it has monthly caps on AI requests.
- Confusing Cursor's free plan with a free trial; the free tier is ongoing but limited.
- Thinking you must pay to use the editor at all—you can code without AI for free.
