Trae vs Cursor
Two AI-native VS Code forks compared across price, models, agents, and extensibility.
Updated August 28, 2026 · Independent comparison — Trae, Cursor are separate products.
Trae
ByteDance's AI-native IDE with autonomous SOLO mode
Trae is ByteDance's AI-native IDE — a fork of VS Code that bakes agentic coding into the editor itself. Its headline feature is SOLO mode, an autonomous builder that takes a natural-language description and generates or edits a multi-file project end to end. Trae gives fair-use free access to frontier models (Claude, GPT, and DeepSeek among them) and, since February 2026, meters heavier use with token-based pricing across Free, Lite, Pro, Pro+, and Ultra tiers. It supports MCP servers and custom agents, and runs as a standalone desktop app on macOS, Windows, and Linux.
Cursor
Anysphere's agent-first AI code editor
Cursor, by Anysphere, is the closed-source AI code editor that popularized agentic editing in a VS Code-style interface, now spanning the editor plus a CLI, SDK, iOS app, and cloud agents. Cursor 2.0 reoriented the product around agents: it runs agents in parallel with git-worktree isolation, delegates long jobs to cloud agents, and drives edits with its own first-party models — Auto, Composer, and Grok 4.6 — alongside third-party Claude, GPT, Gemini, GLM, and Kimi. Paid plans are Pro ($20), Pro+ ($60, ~3x agent limits), and Ultra ($200, ~20x), with team seats at $40 (Standard) and $120 (Premium) per user; usage beyond a plan is billed on-demand in arrears rather than hard-stopped. Bring-your-own-key works, but Cursor still applies a $0.25/Mtok Cursor Token Rate on third-party models even with your own key. It supports MCP, Tab autocomplete, and BugBot review across macOS, Windows, and Linux.
Bottom line
Two AI-native VS Code forks compared across price, models, agents, and extensibility. Choose Trae if you want a genuinely free AI IDE with fair-use access to Claude and GPT, and only pay ($3–$100) when you need more; choose Cursor if you run agents hard and want up to eight in parallel plus cloud Background Agents.
Pricing & Plans
| Feature | Trae | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Free plan with monthly limits | Hobby (free) |
| Entry paid plan | Lite $3/mo; Pro $10/mo | Pro $20/mo |
| Higher tiers | Pro+ $30/mo (3.5x); Ultra $100/mo (20x) | Pro+ $60/mo (3x); Ultra $200/mo (20x) |
| Team plan | Not published | Standard $40/user; Premium $120/user |
| Overage / billing | Token-based since Feb 2026 | On-demand, billed in arrears (no hard stop) |
Models
| Feature | Trae | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| Bundled frontier models | Claude, GPT, DeepSeek (fair-use free) | Claude, GPT, Gemini, GLM, Kimi |
| First-party models | ByteDance Doubao | Auto, Composer, Grok 4.6 |
| Bring-your-own API key | Not stated | Yes — but $0.25/Mtok Cursor Token Rate applies |
| In-editor model switching | ✓ | ✓ |
Agent & Automation
| Feature | Trae | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| Autonomous multi-file agent | SOLO mode | Agent mode |
| Parallel agents | Not stated | Up to 8 (git worktrees) |
| Cloud / background agents | ✗ | Background Agents (cloud) |
| Code review agent | Not stated | BugBot |
| Runs terminal commands | ✓ | ✓ |
Editor & Extensibility
| Feature | Trae | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| Editor base | VS Code fork (standalone IDE) | VS Code fork (standalone IDE) |
| Tab / autocomplete | 5,000 completions/mo (free tier) | Unlimited Tab (paid) |
| MCP support | ✓ | ✓ |
| Custom agents / rules | ✓ | Cursor Rules |
| VS Code extension marketplace | ✓ | ✓ |
Platforms & Openness
| Feature | Trae | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| Desktop platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| Web / mobile / CLI | SOLO web (limited beta) | iOS app, CLI, SDK, cloud agents |
| Source availability | Closed source | Closed source |
| Open-source lineage | VS Code (MIT) fork | VS Code (MIT) fork |
The Verdict
Choose Trae if...
- ✓You want a genuinely free AI IDE with fair-use access to Claude and GPT, and only pay ($3–$100) when you need more.
- ✓You want SOLO mode to scaffold and build whole projects from a prompt.
- ✓You'd rather have models bundled than manage your own API billing.
- ✓You're comparing on price — Trae's paid tiers undercut Cursor's at every level.
- ✓You want MCP and custom agents inside a familiar VS Code layout.
Choose Cursor if...
- ✓You run agents hard and want up to eight in parallel plus cloud Background Agents.
- ✓You want Composer, Cursor's own fast coding model, alongside frontier models.
- ✓You value a mature agent workflow with BugBot review and predictable credit pools.
- ✓You bring your own API keys or need team and enterprise seats with admin controls.
- ✓You want the most battle-tested agentic editor and are fine paying $20+ for it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Trae and Cursor?
Trae is ByteDance's AI-native IDE — a fork of VS Code that bakes agentic coding into the editor itself. Cursor, by Anysphere, is the closed-source AI code editor that popularized agentic editing in a VS Code-style interface, now spanning the editor plus a CLI, SDK, iOS app, and cloud agents.
How much do Trae and Cursor cost?
Trae: Lite $3/mo; Pro $10/mo. Cursor: Pro $20/mo. See the pricing table above for full plan details.
Should I choose Trae or Cursor?
Choose Trae if you want a genuinely free AI IDE with fair-use access to Claude and GPT, and only pay ($3–$100) when you need more. Choose Cursor if you run agents hard and want up to eight in parallel plus cloud Background Agents.
1DevToolPrefer terminal agents to another IDE?
Trae and Cursor both ask you to live in their VS Code fork. 1DevTool takes the opposite approach: it runs Claude Code, Codex CLI, Gemini CLI, Cline, and OpenCode side by side in persistent terminals, so you can drive several coding agents at once without adopting a new editor. Bring your own keys or subscriptions — no lock-in — plus a built-in HTTP client, 13-engine database client, and embedded browser, all wired into Send-to-AI. One-time $29, no subscription.