AgentdexBlog · · Agentdex Editorial
AI Code Completion Tools (2026): Copilot, Cursor and More Compared
AI code completion tools suggest the next line, block or edit as you type, and you accept with Tab. Almost every AI coding product now includes completion, but the free allowances, paid prices and editor support differ a lot. This guide compares the main options as of October 24, 2026, using each vendor's official pricing and docs, and explains where completion ends and agents begin.
Key Takeaways
- GitHub Copilot (Agentdex profile) is the default choice if you want to keep your current editor: Copilot Free includes 2,000 completions a month, and every paid plan from Pro at $10/month includes unlimited completions.
- Cursor (Agentdex profile), Devin Desktop (Agentdex profile) (formerly Windsurf) and Google Antigravity are AI-first editors with their own completion engines. Devin Desktop and Antigravity both advertise unlimited Tab completions on their free plans.
- Zed (Agentdex profile) Pro ($10/month) includes unlimited edit predictions, and JetBrains IDEs can run a local completion model without the AI Assistant plugin.
- Tabnine (Agentdex profile) is no longer an option for new buyers: it was acquired by Tricentis in July 2026 and tabnine.com now redirects to Tricentis.
What AI code completion does
A completion model reads the code around your cursor, plus other open files and project context, and predicts what you are about to write. Suggestions appear as grey "ghost text." Press Tab to accept, keep typing to ignore. Modern tools go beyond the next line: they suggest multi-line blocks, whole functions and "next edit" predictions that jump to the next place you are likely to change.
Completion is different from chat and agents. Chat answers questions and writes code on request. Agents plan and apply changes across many files, run commands and open pull requests. Many vendors now price these separately: GitHub, for example, says code completions and next edit suggestions don't use AI credits on paid plans, while chat and agent work do.
AI code completion tools compared
Tool | Where it runs | Free completion | Paid from (Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
GitHub Copilot | VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains, Xcode, Neovim, Eclipse, Zed | 2,000 completions/month | Pro $10/month, unlimited completions |
Its own VS Code-based editor | Free plan with limited usage | Plus $8/month (Grok models only); Premium $30/month | |
Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) | Its own editor | Unlimited Tab completions and inline edits | Pro $20/month |
Google Antigravity | Its own AI-first IDE | Unlimited Tab completions on the Individual plan | Individual plan is free |
Zed | Zed editor | Personal plan with your own keys | Pro $10/month, unlimited edit predictions |
IDE plugins and CLI | Free tier (50 agentic requests/month) | Pro $19/user/month |
GitHub Copilot
Copilot is the easiest way to add completion to the editor you already use. It works in VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains IDEs, Xcode, Neovim, Eclipse and Zed. Copilot Free gives you 2,000 completions a month and limited chat and agent use. Pro ($10/month), Pro+ ($39/month) and Max ($100/month) all include unlimited completions; the higher tiers mainly add AI credits for chat, agents and code review. For teams, Business is $19 per seat and Enterprise $39 per seat.
One trade-off to know: on individual plans, GitHub may use your interaction data to train models unless you opt out in your Copilot settings. Copilot also offers an optional filter that blocks suggestions matching public code.
Cursor
Cursor is a standalone editor built on VS Code, and its Tab completion is one of the main reasons people switch. It predicts multi-line edits and the next location to change, not just the next token. The Free plan lets you try it. Plus at $8/month includes only Grok models. Premium at $30/month adds third-party models at API list price, cloud agents and Bugbot code reviews, and Super ($100) and Ultra ($200) raise usage. Most VS Code extensions carry over through the Open VSX registry. See our Cursor vs Copilot comparison for the full picture.
Devin Desktop and Google Antigravity
If you want generous free completion in a dedicated AI editor, these two stand out. Devin Desktop, the editor formerly called Windsurf, includes unlimited inline edits and Tab completions on its Free plan, with Pro at $20/month for more agent usage. Google Antigravity's free Individual plan includes unlimited Tab completions, with weekly rate limits on agent use. The trade-off with both is that you move to a new editor, and each is increasingly built around its maker's agents.
Zed, JetBrains and Amazon Q Developer
- Zed: a fast native editor. Personal is free forever with your own API keys or external agents. Pro costs $10/month and includes unlimited edit predictions plus $5 of tokens for hosted models.
- JetBrains IDEs: AI Assistant's cloud completion uses Mellum, JetBrains' own completion model, and you can point it at an OpenAI-compatible provider instead. JetBrains IDEs can also run a local completion model when the AI Assistant plugin is not installed, which keeps suggestions on your machine.
- Amazon Q Developer: AWS's assistant for IDEs and the command line. The free tier includes 50 agentic requests a month, and Pro costs $19 per user per month with higher limits and IP indemnity. It makes most sense if you already build on AWS.
Security and privacy
Every cloud completion tool sends code context to a model. Before you turn one on for work code, check three things: whether your data can be used for training (and how to opt out), whether the vendor offers a public-code filter or reference tracking, and whether your company needs admin controls such as SSO, allowlists or audit logs. If code must never leave your machine, use a local model, such as JetBrains' local completion, or pair an open-source agent with a model you run yourself through Ollama.
Treat suggestions like code from a new teammate. They can be confidently wrong, use outdated APIs or introduce insecure patterns. Keep tests, linters and code review in place. Our AI code analyzer guide covers tools that catch problems before they merge.
How to choose
- You want to keep your editor: GitHub Copilot. Start on Free and move to Pro if 2,000 completions a month is not enough.
- You want the strongest completion in an AI-first editor: Cursor, or Devin Desktop if you want unlimited free Tab completions.
- You want it free: Google Antigravity's Individual plan, Devin Desktop Free or Copilot Free.
- You use JetBrains IDEs: JetBrains AI Assistant or GitHub Copilot.
- You build on AWS: Amazon Q Developer.
Completion is only part of the job. If you mostly want an AI to write whole features, compare AI coding agents instead, or see our free AI code generator roundup.
FAQ
What is the best free AI code completion tool?
Devin Desktop Free and Google Antigravity's Individual plan both include unlimited Tab completions. GitHub Copilot Free gives you 2,000 completions a month inside the editor you already use.
Do AI code completions use up my credits?
It depends on the tool. On GitHub Copilot's paid plans, code completions and next edit suggestions don't use AI credits; chat and agents do. Other tools pool completion with the rest of your usage, so check each vendor's pricing page.
Is AI code completion safe for proprietary code?
It can be, if you choose the right settings. Opt out of training where offered, use business plans with data protection terms, or use a local model so code never leaves your machine. Always review suggestions before committing them.
Is Tabnine still available?
Not for new buyers through tabnine.com. Tabnine was acquired by Tricentis in July 2026, and the old site now redirects to Tricentis.
What is the difference between code completion and an AI coding agent?
Completion suggests code as you type, one line or block at a time. An agent takes a task, plans it, edits many files, runs commands and reports back, so you review results instead of individual suggestions.
Written by Agentdex Editorial. Agentdex is an independent directory reviewing AI coding tools; we are not affiliated with the companies mentioned. Prices and features are as of October 24, 2026, from official sources linked above. Always confirm on the vendor's site.