Cursor vs Claude Code vs Codex
Claude Code, OpenAI Codex and Cursor side by side: plans, included models, usage limits and the files and tools they share.
- Local servers
- Yes
- runs stdio servers
- Hosted servers
- Yes
- connects by URL
- Config
- CLI + JSON
- how servers are added
- Plugins
- Yes
- plugin marketplaces
Our advice: pick Claude Code if you want Claude models on a Claude plan. Pick Codex if you already pay for ChatGPT or want an open-source CLI. Pick Cursor if you want an editor-first tool with cloud agents and a choice of vendors, and accept that Claude and GPT models cost extra.
All three connect to MCP servers and read AGENTS.md. Cursor's plans changed: its docs now sell Cursor as part of The X Subscription, and third-party models are billed at API list price on top. Prices are as of November 2026.
Good for
- Developers choosing one coding agent to pay for
- ChatGPT or Claude subscribers asking if their plan already covers one
- Teams that want one instruction file and the same MCP servers everywhere
- Anyone confused by Cursor's new plan names
Side by side
Our advice: Use Claude Code for Claude, Codex for ChatGPT subscribers or an open-source CLI, and Cursor for an editor with cloud agents. Cursor's cheapest plan runs only Cursor's own models (Grok and Composer).
| Option | Claude Code | OpenAI Codex | Cursor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No | Yes, limited | Yes, limited |
| Entry paid plan | Claude Pro, $20 | ChatGPT Plus, $20 | Premium, $30 |
| Cheapest paid | Pro, $20 | Go, $8 (limited) | Plus, $8 (own models only) |
| Top personal plan | Ultra, $200 | Pro, $500 | Ultra, $200 |
| Models in the plan | Claude | OpenAI GPT | Grok and Composer |
| Claude or GPT extra cost | Claude in plan | GPT in plan | API price extra |
| Usage limit style | 5-hour and weekly | 5-hour and weekly | Weekly pool |
| Cloud agents | On the web | On the web | Premium and up |
| Open-source CLI | No | Yes, Apache-2.0 | Not stated |
| Instruction file | CLAUDE.md or AGENTS.md | AGENTS.md | Rules or AGENTS.md |
| MCP servers | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Which to pick
Our advice: Paying for ChatGPT? Start with Codex, since it is included. On a Claude plan? Use Claude Code. Choose Cursor for the editor and cloud agents, and check its pay-per-use model costs first. All three read AGENTS.md and use MCP servers, so trying a second costs little.
The main limit on each side: Claude Code has no free plan, Codex runs OpenAI models, and Cursor bills Claude and GPT models separately.
Best for
- Claude Code: people who want Claude models and already pay for Claude
- Codex: ChatGPT Plus, Pro or Business subscribers
- Codex: anyone who wants a free start or an open-source CLI
- Cursor: developers who want an editor-first agent with cloud agents
- Cursor: people who want to mix Grok, Claude and GPT models and pay for each by use
Skip it if
- Claude Code: you need a free plan
- Codex: you want Claude models inside the agent
- Cursor: you want Claude or GPT models covered by a flat plan, since they bill at API list price
Questions
Which is best: Cursor, Claude Code or Codex?
This page names no winner and uses no benchmark. Results depend on your code and the model. Pick by what you already pay for: Claude plan, ChatGPT plan, or an editor-first tool.
How much do they cost?
Claude Code comes with Claude Pro at $20 a month ($17 billed yearly), Max at $100 and Ultra at $200. Codex comes with ChatGPT Plus at $20, with Pro at $100, $200 or $500, and a limited version on Free and the $8 Go plan. Cursor lists Free, Plus $8, Premium $30, Super $100 and Ultra $200 (checked November 3, 2026).
Is Cursor still $20 a month?
Not for new plans. Cursor's docs call Pro, Pro+, Ultra, Start and Teams Standard or Premium seats legacy plans that keep working as they are. New plans are Free, Plus $8, Premium $30, Super $100 and Ultra $200, and Cursor is sold as part of The X Subscription.
Does Cursor include Claude models?
Not in the plan allowance. Cursor's included usage covers its own models, such as Grok and Composer. Claude and GPT models are available on Premium and above at API list price, paid from prepaid credit.
Can I use Claude Code for free?
No. The Claude Free plan does not include Claude Code. You need Pro or higher, or an Anthropic Console account that pays per use.
Is Codex free?
Partly. ChatGPT Free and Go users get Codex with the GPT-6 Luna model in the desktop app, subject to rollout. Codex in the terminal, editor extension, web and iOS starts with Plus.
What are the usage limits?
Claude Code and Codex both use rolling five-hour limits plus weekly limits. OpenAI says Pro plans currently have no five-hour limit, and Claude Ultra has none for verified accounts. Cursor uses one pool of usage that refreshes weekly.
Do all three support MCP servers and AGENTS.md?
Yes to both. Claude Code can read an AGENTS.md in place of its CLAUDE.md, Codex reads AGENTS.md, and Cursor lists AGENTS.md as a plain-markdown alternative to its rules. See what MCP is.
Which is open source?
The Codex CLI is open source under Apache-2.0. Claude Code's repository is public but its license reads all rights reserved. Cursor's pages we checked do not state a license for the app.
Can I compare two of them head to head?
Yes. See Claude Code vs Codex and Claude Code vs Cursor. Client pages: Claude Code, Codex, Cursor.
Information
updated Nov 3, 2026
- Transports
- stdio, SSE, Streamable HTTP
- Config file (all)
.mcp.json (project) or ~/.claude.json (user)- MCP docs
- code.claude.com
Sources
Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from.
Show all 8Hide
- Cursor Models & Pricing · cursor.com
- Claude pricing · claude.com
- Codex pricing · learn.chatgpt.com
- Claude Code overview · code.claude.com
- Custom instructions with AGENTS.md · learn.chatgpt.com
- Cursor Rules · cursor.com
- Claude Code LICENSE · github.com
- openai/codex · github.com