the best free AI coding agents right now

updated 2026-10-15 · prices checked on vendor pages

quick answer: nine of the ten coding agents we rank have some kind of free way in. the one that doesn't is our #1, Claude Code, which needs a paid Claude plan. for proper $0 use, Google Antigravity has the most generous free tier, GitHub Copilot Free gives you a fixed monthly allowance, and Cline is free open-source software where you only pay for the model.

this list follows our AI coding agents ranking exactly, so the order is about how good the tool is, not how free it is. each entry says what the free tier actually gets you and what paying costs.

at a glance

rank	tool	free tier	paid from	numptr score
1	Claude Code	none: needs a paid Claude plan	Claude Pro $20/mo	9.0
2	Cursor	limited agent and chat requests	Plus $8/mo (Grok models only)	8.5
3	GitHub Copilot	2,000 completions and 50 chat requests a month	Pro $10/mo	8.0
4	Cline	free open-source extension and CLI	no subscription; pay for inference	8.0
5	OpenAI Codex	included in ChatGPT Free (limited)	ChatGPT Go $8/mo	8.0
6	Google Antigravity	$0 individual tier	no standalone plan	7.5
7	Devin Desktop	light agent quota, unlimited Tab	Pro $20/mo	7.0
8	Kiro	50 credits a month	Pro $20/mo	7.0
9	JetBrains Air	Junie Lite free for a limited time	bring your own agent	6.5
10	Grok Build	limited use on the Free plan	Plus $8/mo	not scored

the list, in rank order

1. Claude Code: no free tier

our top coding agent, and the one exception here. there's no free access: Claude Code needs a paid Claude plan. Pro is $20/mo ($17/mo billed annually), with rolling 5-hour sessions plus weekly limits shared with Claude chat. the Max plan starts at $100/mo. if you want Claude models without the subscription, plug an Anthropic API key into Cline (number 4) and pay per token instead. more in Claude Code pricing.

2. Cursor: a free taste of the editor

Cursor's Free plan comes with limited agent and chat requests. it's enough to see whether you like working in it. Plus is $8/mo but covers Grok models only. Premium at $30/mo gives 4x Plus usage, with third-party models billed separately at API list price. see Cursor pricing.

3. GitHub Copilot: a clear monthly allowance

Copilot Free gives you 2,000 completions and 50 chat requests a month. nice and clear, so you know when you'll run out. Pro is $10/mo with unlimited completions and $15 of GitHub AI Credits a month.

4. Cline: free software, you pay the model

the extension for VS Code and the CLI are free and open source. there's no subscription: you pay for inference at cost or bring your own API key. your bill depends on the model you pick and how much you use it, so it's free to install rather than free to run.

5. OpenAI Codex: free with ChatGPT

Codex is included in ChatGPT Free with limited usage, in the desktop app only, on GPT-6 Luna. ChatGPT Go at $8/mo is still desktop only. Plus at $20/mo adds the CLI, IDE, web and iOS. head-to-head: Codex vs Claude Code.

6. Google Antigravity: the most generous $0

the individual tier is $0 with unlimited Tab and Command requests and basic weekly agent limits. there's no standalone paid plan: higher limits come with a Google AI Pro or Google AI Ultra subscription. if you want to spend nothing at all, start here.

7. Devin Desktop: unlimited Tab

the free plan gets a light agent quota plus unlimited Tab completions and inline edits. Pro is $20/mo and Max $200/mo. background: Windsurf pricing.

8. Kiro: 50 credits a month

Kiro's free plan gives 50 credits a month, and it doesn't expire. that won't get you far on a big project. Pro is $20/mo for 1,000 credits, with extra credits at $0.04 each.

9. JetBrains Air: free for now

Junie Lite runs free for a limited time, and you need a JetBrains account. otherwise Air works with your own agent subscriptions or API keys, or JetBrains AI credits at public API rates. it's still early access.

10. Grok Build: limited free use

you get limited Grok Build use on the Free plan of Cursor / the X Subscription. it's included from Plus at $8/mo. it's brand new, so we haven't scored it yet.

which free option suits you

you want to spend nothing: Google Antigravity
you want a fixed, predictable allowance: GitHub Copilot Free
you'd rather pay only for what you use: Cline with your own API key
you already use ChatGPT: OpenAI Codex
you want the best agent and don't mind paying: Claude Code, from $20/mo

every price on one page: the AI coding agent price sheet. want the sums for a team? try the AI coding cost calculator. more: best AI coding agent 2026, best free AI tools for vibe coders, Claude Code alternatives.

FAQ

is Claude Code free?

no. Claude Code needs a paid Claude plan, from Claude Pro at $20/mo ($17/mo billed annually). you can use Claude models without a subscription by putting an Anthropic API key into a tool like Cline and paying per token.

what is the best free AI coding agent?

it depends what you mean by free. Google Antigravity has a $0 tier with unlimited Tab and Command requests and basic weekly agent limits. GitHub Copilot Free gives 2,000 completions and 50 chat requests a month. Cline is free open-source software, but you pay for the model.

is Cursor free?

Cursor has a Free plan with limited agent and chat requests. paid plans start at Plus, $8/mo, which covers Grok models only.

can i use OpenAI Codex for free?

yes, with limits. Codex is included in ChatGPT Free, in the desktop app only, using GPT-6 Luna.

tools in this guide

sources

checked 2026-10-14 to 2026-10-15

Claude pricing: https://claude.com/pricing
Cursor pricing (incl. Grok Build): https://cursor.com/pricing
GitHub Copilot plans: https://github.com/features/copilot/plans
Cline pricing: https://cline.bot/pricing
Codex pricing: https://developers.openai.com/codex/pricing
Antigravity pricing: https://antigravity.google/pricing/
Devin pricing: https://devin.ai/pricing
Kiro pricing: https://kiro.dev/pricing/
JetBrains Air: https://www.jetbrains.com/air/ides/

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