AI coding agents tier list
Editorial ranking from official docs, pricing and public release notes. Not yet hands-on tested. Rankings are never for sale.
AI coding agents
Updated Oct 21, 2026Agents that read, write and run code for you, in the terminal or editor.
S
Claude CodeStrong agent loop, first-class MCP support, included in a $20 plan.
OpenAI CodexBundled with ChatGPT plans (Plus $20), runs locally and in the cloud, GPT-6.1 Sol.
A
CursorBest-known AI editor; Plus at $8 is the cheapest entry, but third-party models now cost extra (Premium+).
GitHub Copilot$10 Pro with unlimited completions and an agent where your issues live; usage now credit-based.
Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)Former Windsurf; manages local and cloud agents from one place.
B
OpenCodeFree, open source, any provider or local model.
ClineFree, open source, popular in VS Code.
Google Antigravity (+ Antigravity CLI)Free tier with a weekly quota; replaced Gemini CLI for consumers.
JulesFree async tasks (15/day); good for small chores.
C
AiderSolid and git-native, but less agentic than the tools above.
Prices at a glance
- S · Claude Code ↗ Pro $20 · Max 5x $100 · Max 20x $200 · source
- S · OpenAI Codex ↗ Free $0 · Go $8 · Plus $20 · Pro $100 · source
- A · Cursor ↗ Free $0 · Plus $8 · Premium $30 · Super $100 · Ultra $200 · source
- A · GitHub Copilot ↗ Free $0 · Pro $10 · Pro+ $39 · Max $100 · source
- A · Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) ↗ Free $0 · Pro $20 · Max $200 · source
- B · OpenCode ↗ Open source $0 · source
- B · Cline ↗ Open source $0 · source
- B · Google Antigravity (+ Antigravity CLI) ↗ Free $0 · Google AI Pro $19.99 · source
- B · Jules ↗ Free $0 · Google AI Pro $19.99 · Google AI Ultra $99.99 · source
- C · Aider ↗ Open source $0 · source
Loadouts using this gear
Other tier lists: Vibe-coding app builders · AI code review · Browser automation for agents · Agent frameworks · Web search and scraping for agents · Customer support agents · Personal AI agents