kitio.aiTrae vs Refraction
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Refraction has the lower starting price: about $8 a month, against $20 for Trae.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- SOLO mode
- Builder agent
- Cloud tasks
- MCP support
- Custom agents
- Bug detection
- Language conversion
- Function generation
- Inline documentation
- Mermaid diagrams
- VS Code extension
| Feature | Trae | Refraction |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | ByteDance's AI IDE with a SOLO mode for hands-off building | AI code helper for bug checks, language conversion and docs |
| Category | Coding | Coding |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Free trial |
| Starting price | $20/mo | $8/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | No, trial available |
| Made by | ByteDance | Refraction |
| Based in | – | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
|
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Pricing compared
Refraction has the lower starting price: about $8 a month, against $20 for Trae.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
4 plans
Free
Free
- Auto mode only
- Limited usage
- 5,000 autocompletions / month
Pro
$20/mo
- Auto plus all models
- $20 usage / month
- Unlimited autocomplete
- 10 concurrent cloud tasks
Pro+
$60/mo
- $60 usage / month (3x Pro)
- Fast queue
- 15 concurrent cloud tasks
Ultra
$200/mo
- $200 usage / month (10x Pro)
- Model early access
- 20 concurrent cloud tasks
4 plans
Hobby
Free
- One user
- 10 code generations in total
Pro
$8/mo
- Unlimited code generations
- Unlimited history
- Editor extensions
Team
$14/mo
- Per user
- Shared code history
- Team management
Enterprise
Contact sales
- SSO and SCIM
- Audit logs
- Dedicated support
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
Trae
- Low-cost entry compared with rivals
- Strong free autocomplete allowance
- Live preview while building
- Data handling worries for some teams
- Plan names and limits change often
Refraction
- Low monthly price for unlimited use
- Many small utilities in one tool
- Works inside VS Code
- Free use stops after 10 generations
- Task-based actions, not a full coding agent
- No student or nonprofit discount yet
Which one should you choose?
Choose Trae if you want:
- Low-cost entry compared with rivals
- Strong free autocomplete allowance
- Live preview while building
Watch out: data handling worries for some teams.
Choose Refraction if you want:
- Low monthly price for unlimited use
- Many small utilities in one tool
- Works inside VS Code
Watch out: free use stops after 10 generations.
Trae vs Refraction FAQ
What is the difference between Trae and Refraction?
Trae: ByteDance's AI IDE with a SOLO mode for hands-off building. Refraction: AI code helper for bug checks, language conversion and docs. Both are coding tools.
Is Trae or Refraction cheaper?
Refraction has the lower starting price: about $8 a month, against $20 for Trae.
Do Trae and Refraction have free plans?
Trae: Yes. Refraction: No, trial available.
Who makes Trae?
Trae is made by ByteDance.
Who makes Refraction?
Refraction is made by Refraction.
Which should I choose, Trae or Refraction?
Choose Trae if you value low-cost entry compared with rivals and strong free autocomplete allowance. Choose Refraction if you value low monthly price for unlimited use and many small utilities in one tool.