JetBrains AI vs Zed (2026): $10/mo vs Free
JetBrains AI is $10/mo, Zed is Free. Where they actually differ on the 15 dimensions we track, with prices re-verified against each vendor's own page.
DevTools Review
We track 11 AI coding tools and re-check every price against the vendor’s own pricing page. Where we have not tested something ourselves, we say so.
Where JetBrains AI and Zed actually differ
These are the only dimensions on which the two record different values. Everything else we track, they match on.
| JetBrains AI | Zed | |
|---|---|---|
| Custom models | no | yes |
| Terminal AI | no | yes |
| Free tier | not verified | yes |
| Runs in JetBrains | yes | no |
| Open source | no | yes |
| Self-hosted / on-prem | not verified | no |
| MCP support | not verified | yes |
| Usage model | Flat subscription | Free + flat tiers |
“Not verified” means we have not confirmed it against the vendor — it never means no.
| Feature | J JetBrains AI | Z Zed |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $10/mo | Free |
| Autocomplete | Good | Good |
| Chat | ||
| Multi-file editing | ||
| Codebase context | Full project | Full project |
| Custom models | ||
| VS Code compatible | ||
| Terminal AI | ||
| Free tier | ? | |
| Try JetBrains AI | Try Zed Free |
What each one costs
JetBrains AI — $10/mo, verified 6 September 2026
| Plan | Price |
|---|---|
| AI Pro (personal) | $10/mo ($100/yr) |
| AI Pro (commercial) | $20/user/mo ($200/yr) |
| AI Ultimate (personal) | $30/mo ($300/yr) |
| AI Ultimate (commercial) | $60/user/mo ($600/yr) |
Zed — Free, verified 6 August 2026
| Plan | Price |
|---|---|
| Personal | Free |
| Pro | $10/mo |
| Business | $30/seat/mo |
Full detail: JetBrains AI pricing · Zed pricing
What has changed recently
- JetBrains AI, 6 September 2026 — Restructured into named AI tiers. The flat Personal $10 / Commercial $20 licence split is gone, replaced by AI Pro (personal $10/mo, commercial $20/user/mo) and AI Ultimate (personal $30/mo, commercial $60/user/mo). Verified against the store data on jetbrains.com/ai-ides/buy/ (codes AIP, AIPU).
- Zed, 5 July 2026 — Zed added to tracking — Personal free, Pro $10/mo, Business $30/seat/mo.
JetBrains AI
JetBrains AI
AI assistant built for JetBrains IDEs with Junie coding agent.
AI assistant built for JetBrains IDEs with Junie coding agent. We rate it 3.5/5 in our JetBrains AI review.
Try JetBrains AIZed
Zed
Rust-native, open-source code editor with agent-agnostic AI via ACP and real-time collaboration.
Rust-native, open-source code editor with agent-agnostic AI via ACP and real-time collaboration. We rate it 4/5 in our Zed review.
Try Zed FreeAt a Glance
- Which is better, JetBrains AI or Zed?
- DevTools Review rates JetBrains AI 3.5/5 and Zed 4/5. They differ on 8 of the 15 dimensions we track, listed above.
- Is JetBrains AI cheaper than Zed?
- JetBrains AI is $10/mo and Zed is Free. Both figures were re-checked against each vendor’s own pricing page — JetBrains AI on 6 September 2026, Zed on 6 August 2026.
- Can you use JetBrains AI and Zed together?
- Yes. They are separate tools and many developers run more than one — a completion tool in the editor alongside an agent for larger tasks. You pay for both.
The bottom line
JetBrains AI at $10/mo and Zed at Free differ on 8 of the 15 dimensions we track. The table above lists exactly which, so you can decide against your own constraints rather than ours.
Still unsure? Our 30-second picker narrows all 11 down using four questions.
Disclosure: we earn nothing from the links in this article. We are not enrolled in an affiliate programme for any tool here — most of them do not run one. Nobody pays to be ranked, and where we have not used a tool ourselves we say so.
Written by DevTools Review
We're developers who use AI coding tools every day. Our reviews are based on real-world experience, not press releases. We test with real projects and share what we actually find.