OpenAI Codex vs Cursor (Oct 2026)
Short answer: these two aren't really rivals any more. Codex is OpenAI's coding agent, and ChatGPT Plus ($20) includes GPT-6.1 Sol in it. Cursor is an AI editor whose $8 Plus plan runs Grok models only, and whose model list doesn't include any GPT-6 model at all: the newest OpenAI model it lists, GPT-5.6 Sol, costs twice GPT-6.1 Sol's API price. The twist: OpenAI officially supports the Codex extension inside Cursor, so many people should just run both for $28 a month.
Prices and model lists verified on official pricing pages and docs Oct 26, 2026. Prices change often; confirm with the linked sources.
Side by side
| OpenAI Codex | Cursor | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Coding agent in the ChatGPT desktop app, on the web (Codex cloud), in the CLI, an IDE extension (VS Code, Cursor, Windsurf; plus Xcode and JetBrains integrations) and on iOS | AI-first code editor with Agent, a CLI, Cloud Agents and Automations. Sold as part of The X Subscription, so the same plan also covers Grok and X perks |
| Free tier | ChatGPT Free: GPT-6 Luna at Standard speed in the desktop app, subject to rollout | Free: limited Agent and Chat requests |
| Cheapest paid | Go $8/mo: GPT-6 Luna in the desktop app only | Plus $8/mo ($80/yr): Grok 4.7, 4.6, 4.5 and Composer 2.5 at fixed settings. No third-party models, no own API keys, no Cloud Agents or Bugbot |
| The plan most people need | Plus $20/mo: GPT-6.1 Sol and GPT-6 Luna on web, CLI, IDE extension and iOS, plus cloud tasks, automatic GitHub code review and Slack | Premium $30/mo ($300/yr): 4x Plus usage, Cloud Agents, Bugbot code review, Origin code hosting, and third-party models at API list price from prepaid credit |
| Heavy use | Pro $100, $200 or $500/mo. Pro plans currently have no five-hour limit (weekly limits apply). Ultrafast mode on Pro $500 only. New Pro $200 subscriptions get a lower allowance than before | Super $100/mo (15x Plus, $1,000/yr) or Ultra $200/mo (50x Plus, $2,000/yr) |
| OpenAI models | GPT-6.1 Sol, GPT-6 Sol and GPT-6 Luna in plan usage; GPT-6 Astra too (OpenAI estimates 5 to 45 messages per five hours on Plus) | Newest listed: GPT-5.6 Sol at $4 in / $20 out per million tokens (promo through Nov 21, 2026), GPT-5.6 Terra and Luna. No GPT-6 models listed. Premium and up only, paid per token |
| Other vendors' models | None on ChatGPT plans (OpenAI only) | Claude Opus 5.5 ($4 / $20), Sonnet 5.5 ($2 / $10), Gemini 4 Argon ($2 / $10) and more, at API list price on Premium and up |
| Usage limits | Rolling five-hour window plus weekly limits on Plus, shared with ChatGPT Work. OpenAI estimates 15 to 160 local GPT-6.1 Sol messages per five hours | One weekly pool for Cursor's own models, shared with Grok chat, Imagine and Grok Bot. Third-party models don't use the pool; they're paid from credit |
| When you run out | Wait, buy ChatGPT credits, upgrade to Pro, or run local chats on an API key at API prices | Wait for the weekly reset, top up prepaid credit at per-model rates, or upgrade. Cursor says requests are never downgraded |
| API-key mode | Yes: CLI, SDK and IDE extension at API prices (no cloud features) | Not on Plus. Bring-your-own-key usage on Teams and Enterprise pays the Cursor Token Rate |
| Teams | ChatGPT Business: Standard seat $25/mo ($20 billed annually), Premium seat $125 ($100 annually) with 5x usage and no five-hour limit. 2+ seats | Teams: Premium, Super or Ultra seats at $30, $100 or $200 per seat, mixable. Third-party models add a $0.25 per million token Cursor Token Rate |
Sources: Codex pricing · Codex IDE extension · OpenAI API pricing · ChatGPT Pro tiers · ChatGPT Business overview · cursor.com/pricing · Cursor models and pricing. All checked Oct 26, 2026. OpenAI's message ranges are its own estimates, not fixed limits. Cursor doesn't publish its weekly pool as a number.
The detail most comparisons miss: GPT-6.1 Sol isn't in Cursor
On Oct 26, 2026, Cursor's models and pricing page lists GPT-5.6 Sol, Terra and Luna as its newest OpenAI models. It lists no GPT-6 model. OpenAI's API page prices GPT-6.1 Sol at $2 per million input tokens and $10 per million output; GPT-5.6 Sol in Cursor is $4 and $20, and that's a promotional price that runs at least through Nov 21, 2026.
So if OpenAI models are why you're shopping, Codex is the direct route: GPT-6.1 Sol is included in ChatGPT Plus usage, and with an API key it runs at the $2 / $10 rate. Inside Cursor, you'd pay per token for an older OpenAI model, and only on Premium ($30) or higher. Cursor adds models often, so check its page if you're reading this later.
You can run Codex inside Cursor
OpenAI's Codex IDE docs list Cursor next to VS Code and Windsurf as supported editors. Install the Codex extension, sign in with ChatGPT, and Codex opens in Cursor's sidebar. Codex usage comes out of your ChatGPT plan, not Cursor's weekly pool.
| Setup | Monthly cost | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Cursor Free + ChatGPT Plus | $20 | Cursor's editor with limited Agent use, plus full Codex with GPT-6.1 Sol in the sidebar, CLI and cloud |
| Cursor Plus + ChatGPT Plus | $28 (or about $26.67 with Cursor billed yearly) | Grok 4.7 and Composer 2.5 for everyday edits in Cursor's pool, Codex with GPT-6.1 Sol for bigger tasks. Two separate limits, so one running out doesn't stop you |
| Cursor Premium only | $30 + per-token OpenAI use | 4x Plus usage on Cursor's models, Cloud Agents and Bugbot. GPT-5.6 Sol, Claude and Gemini paid per token |
| Cursor Premium + ChatGPT Plus | $50 | Everything above, plus GPT-6.1 Sol through Codex without paying per token |
Cursor Plus is $80 a year, which works out to about $6.67 a month. ChatGPT Plus is listed at $20 a month on the Codex pricing page. The "Cursor Plus + ChatGPT Plus" combo is our suggestion, not a bundle either company sells.
Estimated cost of one agent task, by route
These are our estimates, using the same medium agent task as our usage limits guide: 1.5 million input tokens (90% of them cache reads) and 25,000 output tokens, at each vendor's published per-token price. We ignore cache-write charges and long-context surcharges, so real bills can run higher.
| Route | Published rates (per 1M tokens) | Estimated cost per task |
|---|---|---|
| GPT-6.1 Sol in Codex with an API key | $2 in, $0.10 cached, $10 out | about $0.69 |
| GPT-6.1 Sol in Codex on ChatGPT Plus | Included in plan usage; beyond it, 50 / 2.5 / 250 credits | $0 extra inside your limits; about 17 credits after |
| Grok 4.7 in Cursor, inside the weekly pool | Included | $0 extra |
| Grok 4.7 in Cursor, after the pool runs out | $2 in, $0.50 cached, $6 out | about $1.13 |
| Claude Opus 5.5 in Cursor (Premium+) | $4 in, $0.20 cached, $20 out | about $1.37 |
| GPT-5.6 Sol in Cursor (Premium+) | $4 in, $0.40 cached, $20 out | about $1.64 |
| GPT-5.6 Sol on Cursor Teams | Same, plus $0.25 Cursor Token Rate on every token | about $2.02 |
Math for GPT-5.6 Sol in Cursor: 150,000 uncached input × $4 + 1,350,000 cached × $0.40 + 25,000 output × $20 = $0.60 + $0.54 + $0.50. The Teams row adds 1,525,000 tokens × $0.25 per million. Credit prices for ChatGPT credits depend on your plan, so we don't convert credits to dollars. Model quality differs, so a cheaper task isn't automatically a better deal.
What a team of 5 pays
| Setup | Per month | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT Business, 5 standard seats, billed monthly | $125 | Codex, ChatGPT and ChatGPT Work, SAML SSO, no training on business data by default |
| ChatGPT Business, 5 standard seats, billed annually | $100 ($1,200/yr) | Same seats, 12-month commitment |
| ChatGPT Business, 4 standard + 1 premium, annual | $180 | The premium seat gets 5x usage and no five-hour limit, for your heaviest user |
| Cursor Teams, 5 Premium seats | $150 + usage | Centralized billing, SSO, usage analytics. GPT, Claude and Gemini billed at API price plus $0.25 per million tokens |
| Cursor Teams (5 Premium) + ChatGPT Business (5 standard, annual) | $250 + Cursor usage | Shared AI editor plus Codex with GPT-6.1 Sol for everyone |
Cursor's docs don't list an annual price for team seats, so we show monthly. ChatGPT Business needs at least 2 seats. Since June 24, 2026, new ChatGPT Business workspaces can't add the old Codex-only seat type; only workspaces that already had it keep it.
Where Codex wins
- OpenAI's newest models at a flat price. GPT-6.1 Sol is in ChatGPT Plus usage. Cursor doesn't list it at all.
- Agent work that runs without you. Cloud tasks, automatic GitHub PR reviews and Slack hand-offs are in the $20 plan.
- No five-hour cap at $100+. ChatGPT Pro plans currently have no five-hour Codex limit, only weekly ones.
- Works in your editor of choice, including Cursor, VS Code, Windsurf, JetBrains and Xcode, plus a CLI with API-key mode for CI.
- Cheaper team seats. $20 per seat billed annually vs $30 for Cursor's cheapest team seat.
Where Cursor wins
- A full AI editor for $8. Cursor Plus gets you Agent with Grok 4.7 and Composer 2.5 for $8 a month or $80 a year.
- Every vendor in one place. On Premium and up you can switch between Claude Opus 5.5, Gemini 4 Argon, GPT-5.6 Sol and Grok in the same editor, paying API list price for the outside models.
- No five-hour windows. Cursor's own models draw from one pool that refreshes weekly, and you can top up with prepaid credit at listed per-model rates.
- Built-in review and hosting. Premium adds Bugbot code review, Cloud Agents, Automations and Origin code hosting.
- One bill for Cursor, Grok and X. Cursor is now sold as part of The X Subscription, so if you already pay for Grok or X perks, your coding tool is in the same plan.
Verdict: who should pick which
Pick Codex if…
- You want GPT-6.1 Sol and don't want to pay per token for it.
- You hand off whole tasks and want them done in the cloud or reviewed on GitHub automatically.
- You're a team that wants the cheapest seat with SSO: $20 per seat billed annually.
Skip Codex if you want Claude or Gemini models (ChatGPT plans run OpenAI models only), or you mostly want fast inline editing in a full IDE rather than an agent you delegate to.
Pick Cursor if…
- You want an AI editor at the lowest price ($8) and you're happy with Grok and Composer models.
- You like switching between Claude, Gemini and OpenAI models in one editor and don't mind per-token billing.
- You already use Grok or X and want your coding tool on the same subscription.
Skip Cursor if OpenAI's newest models are the reason you're buying: GPT-6 models aren't on Cursor's list, and on Plus you get no OpenAI models at all.
Our pick for most solo developers
Run both: Cursor Plus ($8) as your editor and ChatGPT Plus ($20) for Codex inside it. $28 a month gets you Grok for quick edits, GPT-6.1 Sol for big tasks, and two separate limits. If $28 is too much, start with ChatGPT Plus and Cursor Free for $20. Both cancel monthly, and Codex reads AGENTS.md, so trying it costs you almost nothing. Comparing Claude instead? See Claude Code vs Codex and Claude Code vs Cursor, or let the quiz decide.
Ready to try one?
Every tool here can be cancelled monthly and has a free tier, so the fastest way to decide is a real task on each.
OpenAI Codex
FAQ
Is Codex or Cursor cheaper?
Cursor is cheaper to enter and Codex is cheaper for OpenAI's newest models. Cursor Plus is $8/month ($80/year) but runs Grok and Composer models only. Codex starts free (ChatGPT Free, desktop app, GPT-6 Luna, subject to rollout) or $8 on Go, and ChatGPT Plus at $20/month includes GPT-6.1 Sol across the CLI, IDE extension, web and iOS. In Cursor, OpenAI models need Premium ($30/month) and are billed on top at API list price. Prices checked Oct 26, 2026.
Can I use Codex inside Cursor?
Yes. OpenAI's Codex IDE docs list Cursor, VS Code and Windsurf as supported editors for the Codex extension. You sign in with your ChatGPT plan, so Codex usage comes out of your ChatGPT limits, not Cursor's weekly pool. That means Cursor Plus ($8) plus ChatGPT Plus ($20) gives you Cursor's editor and Grok models plus GPT-6.1 Sol in Codex for $28 a month.
Can I use GPT-6.1 Sol in Cursor?
Not according to Cursor's models and pricing page on Oct 26, 2026. The newest OpenAI model it lists is GPT-5.6 Sol at $4 per million input tokens and $20 per million output tokens (promotional pricing through Nov 21, 2026), available on Premium and up at API list price. GPT-6.1 Sol is $2 and $10 on OpenAI's API and is included in ChatGPT Plus for Codex. Cursor adds models often, so check its page before you decide.
Does Cursor Plus include OpenAI or Claude models?
No. Cursor Plus ($8/month) includes only Cursor's own models: Grok 4.7, Grok 4.6, Grok 4.5 and Composer 2.5, at fixed settings, and doesn't allow your own API keys. Third-party models such as GPT, Claude and Gemini start on Premium ($30/month) and are paid from prepaid credit at API list price from the first request.
Which is cheaper for a team of 5?
ChatGPT Business: 5 standard seats cost $125/month billed monthly or $100/month billed annually, with Codex, SAML SSO and no training on business data by default. Cursor Teams starts at $30 per seat, so 5 Premium seats are $150/month, and OpenAI, Claude or Gemini usage is billed on top at API price plus a $0.25 per million token Cursor Token Rate on most third-party models. Many teams run both: about $250/month for Cursor Teams plus annual ChatGPT Business.
Do Codex and Cursor have free plans?
Both have limited free tiers. ChatGPT Free includes Codex with GPT-6 Luna at Standard speed in the desktop app, subject to rollout. Cursor Free includes limited Agent and Chat requests. Neither free tier includes cloud agents or automatic code review.
What happens when I run out of usage?
In Codex on Plus, there's a rolling five-hour window plus weekly limits; OpenAI estimates 15 to 160 local GPT-6.1 Sol messages per five hours. You can wait, buy ChatGPT credits, upgrade to Pro (no five-hour limit right now, weekly limits apply) or run local chats on an API key. In Cursor, your pool refreshes weekly; you can wait, top up prepaid credit at the listed per-model rates, or upgrade. Cursor says requests are never downgraded in quality or speed.
Ship your app: the rest of the stack
Picked your AI coding tool? These are the usual next costs. Free tiers first, and prices checked Oct 20, 2026 on each vendor's pricing page.
Code review
- CodeRabbitAI review on every pull request, in GitHub or GitLabFree for public repos; Essentials $24/user/mo billed annually ($30 monthly)
Hosting
- VercelNext.js and front-end appsHobby free (personal, non-commercial); Pro $20/mo per developer seat
- NetlifyStatic sites and front ends, unlimited Pro membersFree; Personal $9/mo; Pro $20/mo with unlimited members
- RailwayBack ends, workers and databases with no server setupFree trial $5 credit; Hobby $5/mo incl. $5 usage; Pro $20/mo
- RenderHeroku-style web services, cron jobs and PostgresHobby $0 + compute; Pro $25/mo + compute
Database and auth
Domain name
- Cloudflare RegistrarDomains at cost with no markupWholesale price per TLD
- PorkbunCheap domains with free WHOIS privacyVaries by TLD
- NamecheapPopular registrar with hosting and email add-onsVaries by TLD
Editorial disclosure
Rankings are not for sale. Sponsored placements and affiliate links are always labeled, and they never change our recommendations, quiz results, prices, or comparison data. None of the links on this page are affiliate links: no vendor here pays us, and pricing source links are never affiliate links. Editorial policy.