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We built this site’s custom WordPress theme, plugin and calculators in Cursor, using its agent to write and edit code, run shell commands on our server and fix errors. We have not used Claude Code for this project, so the Claude Code side is based on Anthropic’s published plans and documentation. Prices were checked on both official pricing pages on October 31, 2026.
How we compared
Cursor and Claude Code in one minute
Cursor is a code editor built around AI. It looks and works like VS Code, with extensions and settings you already know, and adds AI tab completion, chat, an agent that edits files and runs commands, cloud agents that work in the background, and Bugbot for automated code reviews.
Claude Code is Anthropic’s agentic coding tool. It started in the terminal: you describe a task, and it reads your codebase, edits files, runs commands and tests, and asks before risky steps. It also works with IDEs through extensions. It uses Anthropic’s Claude models.
| Cursor | Claude Code | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | AI code editor (VS Code-based) | Agentic coding tool for the terminal and IDEs |
| Models | Grok on Plus; third-party models from other labs from Premium, billed at API list price | Anthropic Claude models |
| Tab completion | Yes | No (agent and chat focused) |
| Background agents | Cloud agents on Premium and up | Runs tasks in your terminal session |
| Code review | Bugbot on Premium and up | Ask the agent to review a diff |
| Cheapest paid plan | $8/mo (Plus, Grok only) | $20/mo, or $17/mo billed annually (Claude Pro) |
| Free plan | Yes, limited requests | No (Claude Free does not include Claude Code) |
Plans and prices
Cursor
| Plan | Price | Billing | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cursor Free | Free | Monthly | Limited agent and chat requests |
| Cursor Plus | $8.00/mo | Monthly | Shared usage pool; Grok models only |
| Cursor Premium | $30.00/mo | Monthly | 4x Plus usage, cloud agents, Bugbot reviews, third-party models at API list price |
| Cursor Super | $100.00/mo | Monthly | 15x Plus usage, priority access at peak times |
| Cursor Ultra | $200.00/mo | Monthly | 50x Plus usage, earliest access |
Official list prices checked Oct 30, 2026, before tax. Sources: cursor.com.
Cursor’s pricing changed in 2026. The page now presents its plans alongside X and Grok, and checkout is handled through X Subscription Corp. The Plus plan at $8 includes a shared usage pool with Grok models only. Premium at $30 adds four times Plus usage, cloud agents, Bugbot reviews and third-party models billed at API list price from your usage. Super ($100) and Ultra ($200) raise usage to 15 and 50 times Plus.
Claude Code (Claude plans)
| Plan | Price | Billing | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Free | Free | Monthly | Chat only; Claude Code not included |
| Claude Pro | $20.00/mo | $17.00/mo billed annually | Includes Claude Code; shared 5-hour and weekly limits |
| Claude Max | $100.00/mo | Monthly | 5x Pro usage, $100/month API credits |
| Claude Ultra | $200.00/mo | Monthly | 10x Pro weekly usage, no 5-hour limit, $200/month API credits |
Official list prices checked Oct 30, 2026, before tax. Sources: claude.com.
Claude Code is included with Claude Pro and above; the Free plan is chat only. Pro has shared limits that reset every five hours and weekly. Max ($100) gives five times Pro usage plus $100 a month in API credits. Ultra ($200) gives ten times Pro’s weekly usage, removes the five-hour limit and adds $200 a month in API credits. You can also run Claude Code on pay-per-token API billing instead of a plan; see AI API pricing.
Workflow: editor vs agent
The real choice is how you like to work.
Cursor keeps you in the editor. You see every change as a diff in the file you are working on, accept or reject it, and keep typing with AI completions. In our experience building this site, that tight loop was the biggest win: the agent wrote a PHP shortcode or a CSS block, we reviewed it in place, and it fixed problems from the terminal output it could see. Having several labs’ models in one tool (on Premium) lets you switch when one model struggles.
Claude Code hands the task to an agent. You describe the goal in the terminal, and it plans, edits across files and runs your tests, checking in for permission as it goes. Developers who prefer Vim, Emacs or JetBrains, or who script their workflow, can keep their editor and add Claude Code alongside it.
Many developers use both: an editor for hands-on work and a terminal agent for larger, well-defined tasks.
Cost in practice
- Cheapest way to code with Claude models: Claude Pro at $20 a month ($17 billed annually) with Claude Code.
- Cheapest AI editor: Cursor Plus at $8, if Grok models suit you.
- Using other labs’ models inside Cursor: Premium at $30, with third-party usage billed at API list price.
- Heavy daily use: both offer $100 and $200 tiers. Compare the usage multipliers and how close you get to limits on the cheaper plan first.
Usage limits on both tools depend on which model you use and how long your tasks run. Reasoning-heavy models and long agent sessions use limits much faster.
Which should you choose?
| If you | Choose |
|---|---|
| Want AI tab completion and inline edits | Cursor |
| Want models from several labs in one editor | Cursor Premium |
| Work mostly in the terminal or a non-VS Code editor | Claude Code |
| Want Claude models at the lowest monthly price | Claude Pro with Claude Code |
| Want a free plan to try first | Cursor Free |
Also comparing chat assistants for coding? Read ChatGPT vs Claude for coding.
Frequently asked questions
Is Claude Code better than Cursor?
Neither is better for everyone. Cursor is an editor with AI built in; Claude Code is an agent you direct from the terminal. Pick the one that fits how you work, or use both.
Can I use Claude models in Cursor?
Cursor Premium and above include third-party models from other labs, billed at API list price; check Cursor’s model list for which Claude models are available. The $8 Plus plan uses Grok models only.
Is Claude Code free?
No. Claude Code is included with Claude Pro ($20 a month, or $17 billed annually) and higher plans, or you can pay per token through the API. The Claude Free plan does not include it.
How much does Cursor cost?
On October 31, 2026: Free, Plus $8, Premium $30, Super $100 and Ultra $200 a month.
Sources
We run our own WordPress sites on shared hosting and on a VPS, and use AI coding tools every day. We publish what we measured, list every price with the date we checked it and label anything we have not tested ourselves. About us · Editorial policy