Cursor vs JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA
| Tagline | AI-first code editor | IDE for Java and Kotlin development |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Developer Tools | Developer Tools |
| Pricing | Freemium | Freemium |
| Upvotes | 0 | 0 |
| Comments | 0 | 0 |
| Page views | 0 | 0 |
| Click-through to site | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Readiness Score | 95/100 | 86/100 |
| Launched | Oct 2, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
| Maker | — | — |
What is Cursor?
Cursor is a code editor built around AI: it autocompletes multi-line edits, answers questions about your codebase and runs agents that make changes across files.
What is JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA?
IntelliJ IDEA is JetBrains' IDE for JVM languages, with smart code completion, refactoring and built-in tools.
Not sold on either? See alternatives to Cursor or alternatives to JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA.
Verdict
Cursor leads on 1 of the measurable metrics above (votes, engagement, click-through and readiness). Choose Cursor if you want aI-first code editor; choose JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA if you want iDE for Java and Kotlin development.
Is Cursor better than JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA?
On AskableHQ's community and engagement data, Cursor currently performs better, but the right choice depends on your use case.
Which is cheaper, Cursor or JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA?
Cursor is Freemium; JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA is Freemium. Check each website for current plans.