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VS Code AI Plugins: The 2026 Guide for AI Coders and Indie Devs
The best AI plugins for VS Code in 2026 are GitHub Copilot (Agentdex profile), Claude Code (Agentdex profile), OpenAI's Codex (Agentdex profile), Cline (Agentdex profile) and Kilo Code. Several names from older lists are now gone or winding down, including Roo Code (Agentdex profile), Continue, Tabnine (Agentdex profile)'s original plugin, IntelliCode and Gemini Code Assist for individuals. This guide covers which extensions are worth installing in stock VS Code, what each costs, which ones to avoid and how to combine them without slowing your editor down. Install counts and status come from the Visual Studio Marketplace and official vendor pages on October 24, 2026. For Cursor (Agentdex profile)'s extension system, see our separate Cursor extensions guide.
Key Takeaways
- Start with GitHub Copilot for completions, chat and agents. It has a free plan and is the most widely installed AI extension, with nearly 79 million installs of Copilot Chat.
- Add one agent you like: Claude Code if you pay for Claude, Codex if you pay for ChatGPT, or Cline or Kilo Code if you want open source and your own model keys.
- Skip discontinued tools. Roo Code shut down in May 2026, Continue is no longer developed after Cursor acquired it, Tabnine's legacy plugin no longer onboards new users and IntelliCode for VS Code was deprecated in December 2025.
- Check end dates. Gemini Code Assist stopped serving individual accounts on June 18, 2026, and Amazon Q Developer (Agentdex profile)'s IDE plugins lose support on April 30, 2027.
- Two AI extensions are usually enough. More than that leads to clashing shortcuts and duplicate suggestions.
The VS Code AI plugins worth installing
| Extension | Type | Cost | Installs | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GitHub Copilot (Chat) | Completions, chat, agent | Free plan; Pro $10/month | 78.9 million | Everyone, as the default |
| Claude Code for VS Code | Agent | Needs a Claude plan or Anthropic API key | 28.6 million | Claude subscribers who want an agent in the editor |
| Codex (OpenAI) | Agent | Included with ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Business, Edu and Enterprise | 15.9 million | ChatGPT subscribers |
| Cline | Open-source agent | Free; pay for models | 5.7 million | Control over models, cost and approvals |
| Kilo Code | Open-source agent with autocomplete | Free; pay for models | 1.7 million | One open-source tool for completion and agents |
GitHub Copilot
Copilot is the default for a reason. It is built into VS Code's chat and agent experience, gives you inline completions and next edit suggestions, and adds agent mode for multi-file changes. Copilot Free includes 2,000 completions a month; paid plans have unlimited completions plus a monthly AI Credit balance for chat and agents. In VS Code you can also bring your own API keys for extra models. Our Is Copilot good for coding? verdict covers its strengths and limits.
Claude Code for VS Code
Anthropic's extension puts the Claude Code agent in a VS Code panel, with inline diffs you can review and accept. It needs a Claude subscription or an Anthropic API key, so it makes most sense if you already pay for Claude. Our Claude Code IDE guide explains setup and how it relates to the terminal version.
Codex
OpenAI's Codex extension brings its coding agent into VS Code and is included with ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Business, Edu and Enterprise plans. You can work locally or hand tasks to Codex in the cloud. If you already pay for ChatGPT, it is the cheapest way to add a strong agent. See our Codex guide.
Cline
Cline is a free, open-source (Apache 2.0) agent. You choose the model: your own key from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, OpenRouter and others, Cline's own credits, or a local model through Ollama or LM Studio. Plan and Act modes and step-by-step approvals make it easy to see exactly what it is doing. Our Cline guide and Cline examples show it in use.
Kilo Code
Kilo Code is an MIT-licensed agent that also offers inline autocomplete, so it can cover both jobs in one open-source extension. It supports hundreds of models and charges model usage at provider cost through Kilo credits (with a 5% fee on credit purchases), or you can use your own keys. Anaconda acquired Kilo in July 2026 and said existing products and plans would not change. See our Kilo Code guide.
Plugins to avoid or replace
| Extension | Status (October 2026) | What to use instead |
|---|---|---|
| Roo Code | Shut down May 15, 2026; repository archived | Cline, or the community fork Zoo Code |
| Continue | Acquired by Cursor in June 2026; final 2.0.0 release, no longer actively developed | Cline or Kilo Code |
| Tabnine (legacy plugin) | Does not onboard new users; Tabnine was acquired by Tricentis in July 2026 | Copilot or Kilo Code for completions |
| IntelliCode | Deprecated in VS Code in December 2025 | Copilot Free |
| Gemini Code Assist | Stopped serving individual and Google AI Pro/Ultra accounts on June 18, 2026; no new Standard or Enterprise subscriptions after October 9, 2026 | Copilot, or Gemini models through Cline or Kilo Code |
| Amazon Q Developer | IDE plugins lose support on April 30, 2027; AWS points users to Kiro | Kiro, or another agent above |
| Codeium | Became Windsurf, now Devin Desktop (Agentdex profile), a separate editor | Copilot for in-VS Code completions |
Many "best VS Code AI extensions" lists online still recommend these. Old installs may keep working for a while, but you will not get fixes or new models, so plan to move.
Extensions vs AI editors
An extension installs from the Visual Studio Marketplace and runs inside stock VS Code, keeping your settings, keybindings and debugger setup. Cursor and Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) are separate editors based on VS Code. They can offer deeper AI integration, but switching means moving your setup and, for Cursor, installing extensions from Open VSX instead of Microsoft's marketplace. If you are happy in VS Code, start with extensions; consider an AI editor only if a specific feature is worth the move. Our Cursor vs VS Code comparison helps with that decision.
How to pick your setup
| Your situation | Suggested setup |
|---|---|
| $0 budget | Copilot Free, plus Cline or Kilo Code with a free or local model |
| You pay for ChatGPT | Copilot Free for completions, Codex for agent work |
| You pay for Claude | Copilot Free for completions, Claude Code for agent work |
| You want one paid tool | Copilot Pro ($10/month) |
| You need local models or strict data control | Cline or Kilo Code with Ollama or LM Studio |
How to install an AI extension safely
- Open the Extensions view with Ctrl+Shift+X (Cmd+Shift+X on macOS).
- Search for the extension and check the publisher is the official one: GitHub, Anthropic, OpenAI, Cline or Kilo Code. Copycat extensions exist.
- Install, then sign in or add your API key in the extension's settings.
- Give it a small first task, such as "explain this file", and review how it shows changes before it applies them.
- If you add a second AI extension, turn off inline completions in one of them so they do not compete.
Watch-outs
- Agents can run commands. Only auto-approve read-only actions until you trust the workflow.
- Costs add up. Bring-your-own-key agents bill per token. Set a spending limit with your provider.
- Your code leaves your machine with cloud models. Check each tool's data policy, or use a local model for sensitive work.
- MCP servers add risk. Most agents can connect to Model Context Protocol servers for extra tools. Install only servers you trust.
FAQ
What is the best free AI plugin for VS Code?
GitHub Copilot Free, with 2,000 completions a month and limited chat and agent use. For a free agent, Cline or Kilo Code with a free or local model costs nothing beyond your hardware.
Is Copilot built into VS Code?
VS Code's chat and agent features are designed around Copilot, and you sign in with a GitHub account to use them. You still need a Copilot plan, which can be the free one.
Can I use Claude or GPT models in VS Code?
Yes. Copilot offers Claude and GPT models on paid plans, Claude Code and Codex use their makers' models, and Cline and Kilo Code work with almost any provider.
Is Roo Code still available?
No. Roo Code shut down on May 15, 2026 and its repository is archived. Its README points users to Zoo Code, a community fork, and Cline. Our Roo Code guide covers the move.
How many AI extensions should I install?
Usually two: one for completions (Copilot) and one agent. More than that tends to cause duplicate suggestions and keyboard shortcut conflicts.
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.