Cursor vs OpenAI Codex
Cheapest paid tier each vendor publishes. Free plans are listed above; tiers priced on request are not plotted because there is no figure to plot.
Where they differ
Only on Cursor
- Code editor
- AI chat
- Refactoring
- Also on macOS, Windows and Linux
From the pricing tiers and capability tags we track. A capability missing on one side means we have not recorded it there, not that the tool cannot do it.
At a glance
Cursor and OpenAI Codex both appear in this directory's code listings. Prices below were read from the vendors' own pages, most recently on November 5, 2026. Paid plans start at the same figure on both: $8/mo. We track code editor on Cursor and pair programming on OpenAI Codex; both cover code completion. No score and no winner: the facts do the picking.
Capability tags are factual labels we assign when a tool is added; they describe what a tool does, not how well it does it.
Checked against the vendors. Written from each vendor's own site and last re-checked there: Cursor (under review since November 2, 2026) · OpenAI Codex on November 5, 2026. Vendors change pricing and features without notice, so confirm anything that decides your purchase on the vendor's page.
Cursor
AI-native code editor built on VS Code
Cursor is a code editor forked from VS Code with AI assistance built into the core workflow. It can edit across multiple files from a natural-language prompt, answer questions about a codebase, and apply changes inline.
OpenAI Codex
AI Coding Partner
OpenAI Codex is an AI coding partner accessible through OpenAI's ChatGPT subscription plans. It provides various levels of access, from limited to expanded usage, depending on the chosen plan. The tool assists with coding tasks and supports coding-related research.
Key features
Cursor
- Multi-file edits from a single prompt
- Codebase-aware chat and search
- Inline completions and refactors
- Works with existing VS Code extensions
OpenAI Codex
- AI coding partner functionality
- Variable access levels through ChatGPT plans
- Support for coding-related research
- Integration with advanced GPT models
- Developer API access via monthly credits
What each one does well
Cursor
- ✓ Editing across many files from one natural-language prompt
- ✓ Understanding an unfamiliar codebase through chat
- ✓ Staying in a familiar VS Code environment while adding AI
OpenAI Codex
- ✓ Coding assistance
- ✓ Developer productivity
- ✓ AI-powered code generation
People also ask
Which is cheaper, Cursor or OpenAI Codex?
Neither is cheaper: Cursor and OpenAI Codex both start at $8/mo.
Does Cursor or OpenAI Codex have a free plan?
Both Cursor and OpenAI Codex publish a free plan.
What is the difference between Cursor and OpenAI Codex?
Cursor and OpenAI Codex are both tracked for code-completion. Of the capabilities they do not share, only Cursor is tracked for code-editor, ai-chat, refactoring, codebase-context, and only OpenAI Codex is tracked for pair-programming, developer-api, research.
How much do Cursor and OpenAI Codex cost?
Cursor: free plan, then $8/mo. OpenAI Codex: free plan, then $8/mo.
Answers are generated from the tracked plans and capability tags shown above, so they move when the vendors' pages do.
Full fact sheets, FAQs, and discussion links: Cursor · OpenAI Codex · all code tools