List your tool

Head to head · 2026

Aide vs Zed

Pricing, free plans, ratings, features, pros and cons, side by side. Where one comes out ahead, we mark it.

Aide

A fully open-source VS Code fork, not just an extension

4.1Free

Visit Aide (opens Aide in a new tab)

Zed

Built by Atom's original creators, native and fast rather than Electron-based

4.5$10/mo

Visit Zed (opens Zed in a new tab)

Who comes out ahead

Based only on the facts in our directory. The right pick still depends on the job you need done.

  • Lower starting price

    Not comparable

    Not comparable: Aide does not list a price

  • Free plan

    Tie

    Both have one

  • Higher rating

    Zed

    4.1 against 4.5

  • Same job?

    Yes

    Both are Coding tools

Side by side

Compared onAideZed
Our rating4.14.5Better
Starts atFree$10/mo
Free planYesYes
CategoryCodingCoding
PlansFreeFrom $10/mo
Key features
  • Full VS Code fork, not an extension
  • Fully open-source codebase
  • Proactive agents that iterate on linter errors automatically
  • AST-based code navigation across files
  • 62.2% reported score on SWE-bench Verified
  • Built natively rather than as an Electron/VS Code fork
  • Built by the original creators of Atom and Tree-sitter
  • Performance-optimized for low-latency editing and AI actions
  • Real-time multiplayer collaborative editing
  • Free tier for standard use
Pros
  • Genuinely open source, unlike most competing AI-native editors
  • Deep editor-level integration rather than extension-level access
  • Strong reported benchmark performance on real-world coding tasks
  • Genuine performance advantage from native, non-Electron architecture
  • Strong technical pedigree from experienced editor-building creators
  • Built-in multiplayer collaboration is a distinctive core feature
Cons
  • Smaller team and community than venture-scale competitors
  • Fork-based editors require migrating away from existing VS Code extensions and settings
  • Less enterprise support infrastructure than commercial alternatives
  • Smaller extension and plugin ecosystem than the VS Code-based competitors
  • Moving away from VS Code means losing familiar extensions and settings
  • Smaller existing user base than dominant fork-based competitors
CompanyCodestory, founded 2024Zed Industries, founded 2021

Prices come from each vendor's pricing page, last checked 20260703. Check the vendor before you buy.

FAQ

Questions people ask

Is Aide better than Zed?

In our reviews Aide scores 4.1 and Zed scores 4.5. The better pick depends on the job. Aide: A fully open-source VS Code fork, not just an extension. Zed: Built by Atom's original creators, native and fast rather than Electron-based.

Which is cheaper, Aide or Zed?

Aide: free. Zed: from $10/mo.

Do Aide and Zed have free plans?

Yes, both have a free plan.

More comparisons

Aide compared with

All Aide alternatives

Zed compared with

All Zed alternatives