Cursor's new bundle: should you switch to Claude Code or Copilot?
Cursor is now sold as part of The X Subscription, bundled with Grok and X Premium. The big catch for many developers: Claude and GPT models inside Cursor now cost extra. Here's what changed and who should actually switch.
Verified on official pricing pages Oct 16, 2026. Prices change often; confirm with the linked sources.
What changed with Cursor's pricing
- New tiers: Free $0, Plus $8/mo, Premium $30/mo, Super $100/mo, Ultra $200/mo. Annual: $80, $300, $1,000, $2,000 per year. Usage is 4x, 15x and 50x of Plus, from one weekly pool shared across Cursor and Grok.
- Plus is Grok-only. Cursor's pricing page says "Only Grok models are available on this plan."
- Claude, GPT and other third-party models cost extra. On Premium and above, they're available "at API list price," billed separately by usage, and xAI's docs say they draw on paid credits "from the first use." No third-party allowance is included in any tier.
- Premium adds cloud agents and automations, code hosting, AI code reviews (Bugbot), and Grok Bot. Super adds priority access at peak times.
- Old plans aren't forced off. Existing Cursor plans continue unless you change or cancel them; switching is optional, with a prorated refund if you do.
Sources: cursor.com/pricing, docs.x.ai/x-subscription/pricing. We couldn't verify the current price or limits of legacy Cursor Pro/Pro+ on an official page, so we don't list them.
Cursor vs Claude Code vs GitHub Copilot (Oct 2026)
| Cursor (X Subscription) | Claude Code | GitHub Copilot | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Yes, limited agent/chat requests | No. Claude Free doesn't include Claude Code | Yes, Copilot Free (limited AI credits, auto model only, 2,000 completions/mo) |
| Entry paid | Plus $8/mo (Grok models only) | Pro $20/mo ($17/mo billed annually) | Pro $10/mo (1,500 AI credits/mo) |
| Mid tier | Premium $30/mo (4x Plus) | Max 5x from $100/mo | Pro+ $39/mo (7,000 credits) |
| Top individual | Super $100 (15x), Ultra $200 (50x) | Max 20x (exact price not shown on claude.com/pricing, which lists Max "from $100") | Max $100/mo (20,000 credits) |
| Claude models | Premium+ only, billed extra at API list price | Included in plan usage (Sonnet, Opus; Fable limited) | Included in credits on paid plans (Claude Sonnet/Opus/Haiku listed) |
| GPT models | Premium+ only, billed extra at API list price | No | Included in credits (GPT-5.x/6 family listed) |
| Form factor | Own desktop IDE + cloud agents | Terminal / IDE agent | Extension for VS Code, JetBrains and more, plus GitHub, CLI and app |
| Teams | From $30/seat | Team plan (see claude.com/pricing); Enterprise $20/seat + API usage | Business $19/seat, Enterprise $39/seat |
| Extras | Grok chat/Imagine, X Premium perks, Grok API access | Shares usage with Claude chat; Max adds $100–$200/mo API credits | Unlimited completions on paid plans; overage $0.01/credit (orgs) |
Sources: Cursor pricing · X Subscription pricing docs · Claude pricing · GitHub Copilot plans. All checked Oct 16, 2026.
Who should switch, and who shouldn't
Stay on Cursor if…
- You like Cursor's IDE and are happy with Grok or Cursor's own models for most work. Plus at $8 is the cheapest paid entry of the three.
- You want cloud agents, Bugbot reviews and code hosting in one place, and you'd use the Grok/X extras anyway.
- You're on a legacy Cursor plan that still works for you. You don't have to switch.
Switch to Claude Code if…
- Claude models are your daily driver. Paying API list price for Claude inside Cursor on top of $30+/mo can cost more than a Claude plan that includes Claude Code.
- You're comfortable in the terminal, or with an agent next to your existing editor.
- Watch out: Claude Code usage is shared with Claude chat and has 5-hour and weekly limits.
Switch to GitHub Copilot if…
- You want Claude and GPT for the lowest price. Pro at $10/mo includes a selection of models in its credits.
- You want to stay in VS Code or JetBrains, or your team already lives on GitHub (Business $19/seat).
- Watch out: heavy agent use burns credits fast, and Pro+ ($39) or Max ($100) may be needed.
Still unsure? The CodeToolPicker quiz gives one pick plus a runner-up in about a minute, and the full comparison table covers Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf), Lovable and Bolt too.
FAQ
How much does Cursor cost now?
As of Oct 16, 2026, new self-serve Cursor customers buy The X Subscription: Free $0, Plus $8/month, Premium $30/month, Super $100/month, Ultra $200/month (annual: $80, $300, $1,000, $2,000 per year). Team seats start at $30/user/month. Prices exclude tax.
Do Claude and GPT models cost extra in Cursor?
Yes. Plus includes Grok models only. Premium and above can use third-party models such as Claude and GPT in Cursor, but they are not part of included usage and are billed separately at API list price from the first use.
Do I have to switch from my old Cursor Pro plan?
No. xAI's docs say existing Cursor, SuperGrok, and X Premium plans continue unless you change or cancel them, and switching is optional. Switching cancels eligible plans with a prorated refund.
Is Claude Code cheaper than Cursor for Claude models?
If you mostly want Claude, often yes: Claude Pro ($20/month, or $17/month billed annually) includes Claude Code with usage limits, while Claude usage in Cursor is billed at API list price on top of a $30+ plan. Heavy users may still hit Claude plan limits.
What is the cheapest alternative to Cursor?
GitHub Copilot Pro is $10/month with 1,500 monthly AI credits and a selection of models including Claude and GPT, inside VS Code, JetBrains, and other editors. Cursor Plus is $8/month but Grok-only.
Editorial disclosure
Rankings are not for sale. Sponsored placements and affiliate links are always labeled, and they never change our recommendations, quiz results, or comparison data. None of the links on this page are affiliate links: Cursor, Anthropic and GitHub don't pay us. Editorial policy.