Best AI tools to write code with AI
Short answer
Cursor ranks #1 for write code with AI (score 10.0/10). Pricing: Pro $20/mo; free tier: yes. Runners-up: GitHub Copilot, Claude Code.
Top 5, ranked by our published rubric. Sponsorship never affects the order. Last updated 2026-10-13.
1Cursor
AI code editorScore 10.0/10 (fit 10.0 · value 10.0 · breadth 10 · availability 10) · how we score
Pricing: Free tier: yes · Paid from: Pro $20/mo · source, Pricing last checked: 2026-10-13 · Site checked: 2026-10-13 (live)
Why ranked: Its own site says: “Built to make you extraordinarily productive, agents turn ideas into code.” We placed it 1st of 5 on fit for this task. Free tier; paid from Pro $20/mo.
2GitHub Copilot
AI pair programmerScore 8.5/10 (fit 7.0 · value 10.0 · breadth 10 · availability 10) · how we score
Pricing: Free tier: yes · Paid from: Pro $10/mo · source, Pricing last checked: 2026-10-13 · Site checked: 2026-10-13 (live)
Why ranked: Its own site says: “GitHub Copilot works every step of the way, from an open issue to reviewing and merging a pull request.” We placed it 3rd of 5 on fit for this task. Free tier; paid from Pro $10/mo.
3Claude Code
Agentic coding in terminalScore 8.3/10 (fit 8.5 · value 6.2 · breadth 10 · availability 10) · how we score
Pricing: Free tier: no · Paid from: Included with Claude Pro, $17/mo annual ($20 monthly) · source, Pricing last checked: 2026-10-13 · Site checked: 2026-10-13 (live)
Why ranked: Its own site says: “Anthropic's agentic coding tool for developers.” We placed it 2nd of 5 on fit for this task. No free plan confirmed; paid from Included with Claude Pro, $17/mo annual ($20 monthly).
SPONSORED Your tool here: paid placement is shown here, separate from the ranking, and never changes the order. Advertise
4OpenAI Codex
Coding agentScore 7.5/10 (fit 5.5 · value 10.0 · breadth 10 · availability 7) · how we score
Pricing: Free tier: yes (in ChatGPT Free) · Paid from: Via ChatGPT Go $8/mo; API usage at API rates · source, Pricing last checked: 2026-10-13 · Site checked: 2026-10-13 (bot-blocked (403))
Why ranked: Its own site says: “ChatGPT logo Codex The same powerful coding agent—now in ChatGPT.” We placed it 4th of 5 on fit for this task. Free tier; paid from Via ChatGPT Go $8/mo; API usage at API rates.
5Windsurf
AI code editorScore 6.7/10 (fit 4.0 · value 10.0 · breadth 8 · availability 10) · how we score
Pricing: Free tier: yes · Paid from: Pro $20/mo · source, Pricing last checked: 2026-10-13 · Site checked: 2026-10-13 (live)
Why ranked: Its own site says: “Manage fleets of local and cloud agents from one surface.” We placed it 5th of 5 on fit for this task. Free tier; paid from Pro $20/mo.
FAQ
What is the best AI tool to write code with AI?
By TaskRanking's published rubric, Cursor ranks first, followed by GitHub Copilot and Claude Code.
Is there a free AI tool to write code with AI?
Yes: Cursor has a free tier per its own pricing page (checked 2026-10-13).
How are these tools ranked?
Score = 50% fit, 25% value (from vendor pricing pages), 15% breadth, 10% availability. Sponsorship never affects rank.