Cursor vs PyCharm
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Cursor starts at $8/mo and PyCharm starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Tab autocomplete
- Agent mode
- Codebase chat
- Bugbot PR review
- VS Code extensions
- Multi-agent sessions
- Bring your own model or subscription
- Built-in MCP server
- Live Jupyter kernel for agents
- Debugger, tests and profiler
- Django and FastAPI support
| Feature | Cursor | PyCharm |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | AI code editor that edits across your whole codebase | JetBrains' Python IDE with built-in support for running AI coding agents |
| Category | Coding | Coding |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | $8/mo | See pricing page |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Made by | Anysphere (SpaceX) | JetBrains |
| Based in | United States | Czechia |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Cursor starts at $8/mo and PyCharm starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
6 plans
Free
Free
- Limited AI usage
- Limited agent requests
Plus
$8/mo
- Shared AI usage pool
- Grok models only
Premium
$30/mo
- 4x Plus usage
- Cloud agents and automations
- Bugbot code reviews
Super
$100/mo
- 15x Plus usage
- Priority model access at peak
Ultra
$200/mo
- 50x Plus usage
- Earliest access to products and models
Teams
$30/mo
- Per user
- Pooled usage
- Team admin controls
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Cursor
- Understands the whole repository
- Familiar VS Code interface
- Choice of AI models
- Third-party models cost extra
- Heavy on memory for large projects
- Plans changed several times in 2026
PyCharm
- Deep Python code analysis
- Strong data science and notebook tools
- Lets you pick your own agent and model
- Heavier than a plain code editor
- Some features need the Pro tier
- AI usage may need a separate subscription
Which one should you choose?
Choose Cursor if you want:
- Understands the whole repository
- Familiar VS Code interface
- Choice of AI models
Watch out: third-party models cost extra.
Choose PyCharm if you want:
- Deep Python code analysis
- Strong data science and notebook tools
- Lets you pick your own agent and model
Watch out: heavier than a plain code editor.
Cursor vs PyCharm FAQ
What is the difference between Cursor and PyCharm?
Cursor: AI code editor that edits across your whole codebase. PyCharm: JetBrains' Python IDE with built-in support for running AI coding agents. Both are coding tools.
Is Cursor or PyCharm cheaper?
Cursor starts at $8/mo and PyCharm starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Do Cursor and PyCharm have free plans?
Cursor: Yes. PyCharm: Yes.
Who makes Cursor?
Cursor is made by Anysphere (SpaceX), based in United States.
Who makes PyCharm?
PyCharm is made by JetBrains, based in Czechia.
Which should I choose, Cursor or PyCharm?
Choose Cursor if you value understands the whole repository and familiar vs code interface. Choose PyCharm if you value deep python code analysis and strong data science and notebook tools.