kitio.aiZed vs Novel
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Novel is completely free, while Zed is freemium.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Agent panel
- Edit predictions
- External agents via ACP
- Real-time collaboration
- Bring your own key
- Notion-style editing
- AI autocompletion
- Tiptap-based
- Vercel AI SDK
- Live demo
| Feature | Zed | Novel |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Fast Rust code editor with built-in AI agents and edit predictions | Open-source Notion-style editor with AI autocompletion |
| Category | Coding | Coding |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Free |
| Starting price | $10/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes, fully free |
| Made by | Zed Industries | Steven Tey |
| Based in | United States | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Novel is completely free, while Zed is freemium.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
3 plans
Personal
Free
- Free forever
- Use your own API keys or external agents
Pro
$10/mo
- Unlimited edit predictions
- $5 of tokens included
- Usage billing beyond $5
- 14-day free trial
Business
$30/mo
- Per seat
- Org-wide AI model policies
- Data governance controls
- Role-based access 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
Zed
- Very fast and light on memory
- Works with your own keys or local models
- Open-source editor core
- Smaller extension ecosystem than VS Code
- Hosted model usage is billed on top
Novel
- Free and open source
- Familiar block-editor behavior
- Documentation and demo included
- Developer component, not a finished app
- Needs your own OpenAI key and setup
- Limited detail on features beyond the demo
Which one should you choose?
Choose Zed if you want:
- Very fast and light on memory
- Works with your own keys or local models
- Open-source editor core
Watch out: smaller extension ecosystem than vs code.
Choose Novel if you want:
- Free and open source
- Familiar block-editor behavior
- Documentation and demo included
Watch out: developer component, not a finished app.
Zed vs Novel FAQ
What is the difference between Zed and Novel?
Zed: Fast Rust code editor with built-in AI agents and edit predictions. Novel: Open-source Notion-style editor with AI autocompletion. Both are coding tools.
Is Zed or Novel cheaper?
Novel is completely free, while Zed is freemium.
Do Zed and Novel have free plans?
Zed: Yes. Novel: Yes, fully free.
Who makes Zed?
Zed is made by Zed Industries, based in United States.
Who makes Novel?
Novel is made by Steven Tey.
Which should I choose, Zed or Novel?
Choose Zed if you value very fast and light on memory and works with your own keys or local models. Choose Novel if you value free and open source and familiar block-editor behavior.