Best Zed Alternatives (2026)

Zed is a free ide tool (desktop). High-performance code editor designed for collaboration with humans and AI. We found 12 alternatives worth considering.

Quick verdict

Most similar: Cursor
Best free option: Cursor

Why look for Zed alternatives?

Feature gaps — while Zed is free, paid alternatives may offer more polish or support.
Workflow fit — every team is different; the best tool depends on your stack and preferences.

Top 12 Alternatives to Zed

AI-powered IDE designed to replace VS Code with predictive editing and project context

Both Desktop ide toolsShared: ide, desktop

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Agentic IDE where developers and AI flow together (formerly Codeium)

Both Desktop ide toolsShared: ide, desktop

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Google Antigravityfree

Google's agent-first IDE with mission control and multi-agent workflows

Both Desktop ide toolsShared: ide, desktop

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Amazon Kiropaid

AI IDE from AWS for prototype to production

Both Desktop ide toolsShared: ide, desktop

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Visual Studio Codefree

Free source-code editor with rich extension ecosystem

Both Desktop ide toolsShared: ide, desktop

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Orchidsunknown

The Vibe Coding IDE

Both Desktop ide toolsShared: ide, desktop

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Firebase Studiofree

Google's agentic cloud-based dev environment for full-stack AI apps

Both in IDEShared: ide

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Free personal AI assistant running locally

Both DesktopShared: desktop

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AI dictation app for speech-to-text coding

Both DesktopShared: desktop

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Repo Promptpaid

Repository-wide code generation and editing via AI prompts

Both DesktopShared: desktop, ide

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Dyadopen-source

Free local open-source AI app builder

Both DesktopShared: desktop

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Prompt Toweropen-source

Tool that helps build prompts with many code blocks

Both DesktopShared: desktop

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Alternatives by type

Web-Based alternatives

Firebase Studio

Frequently asked questions

What are the best alternatives to Zed?: The top alternatives to Zed include Cursor, Windsurf, Google Antigravity. All are ide tools that support desktop workflows.
Is there a free alternative to Zed?: Yes. Cursor is available for free. AI-powered IDE designed to replace VS Code with predictive editing and project context
Is Cursor better than Zed?: Cursor and Zed serve similar purposes as ide tools. Cursor: AI-powered IDE designed to replace VS Code with predictive editing and project context Zed: High-performance code editor designed for collaboration with humans and AI The best choice depends on your workflow and requirements.
How many alternatives to Zed are there?: We track 12 alternatives to Zed across categories including IDE, AI Assistant, Productivity.

Related alternatives pages

Alternatives to Cursor Alternatives to Windsurf Alternatives to Firebase Studio Alternatives to Google Antigravity Alternatives to Visual Studio Code Alternatives to Amazon Kiro Alternatives to Orchids

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