Zed
Zed is a native Rust editor from the Atom / Tree-sitter people. The editor itself stays usable on Free. Zed Pro is the collaboration / hosted-AI seat, not "the editor is $10". This page used to say only "optional Zed AI, unspecified".
Compare Cursor ($20 / $40) if you want an AI-first VS Code fork, and GitHub Copilot if you want to stay in VS Code / GitHub.
Key Features
- Native Rust UI: Not Electron. Speed is the product.
- Edit prediction: Docs still mention Zeta and other providers. Confirm the in-app list.
- External agents: ACP / agent threads are documented. Do not freeze a 2025 agent roster as the catalog.
- Paid seats on top: Pro $10 and Business $20 / user for hosted AI and org features.
Use Cases
- People leaving VS Code for speed, who will BYOK for models.
- Small teams that will pay $10–$20 instead of Cursor Pro $40.
- Pairing if you actually use Zed's multiplayer, which sits on the paid plans.
Limitation: we did not re-verify every included model on Pro. BYOK still exists and is the honest Free path.
Pricing
zed.dev/pricing on 2026-08-17:
| Plan | Price | Notes from that page |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Editor. BYOK for models. |
| Pro | $10 / month | Hosted AI and collaboration extras. |
| Business | $20 / user / month | Org features on top of Pro. |
Getting Started
- Download from zed.dev.
- Stay on Free and add your own API key if you only want a fast editor.
- Pay Pro only if you want Zed-hosted models or the billed collab features.
- Confirm agent integrations in-app. Names move.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the editor paid?
No. Free is a full editor. Pro is $10 for extras.
Is it cheaper than Cursor?
The seat is $10 vs Cursor Individual $20 / Pro $40. They are not the same product.
Do I need Zed AI?
No. BYOK is documented.
Alternatives
- Cursor: AI-first IDE, $20 / $40.
- GitHub Copilot: Stay in VS Code.
- Claude Code: Terminal agent if you do not want another GUI.
Tips
- Quote $10 / $20 from zed.dev/pricing, not "optional AI".
- Keep Free vs Pro distinct. The editor is not the SKU.
- Confirm Zeta. Open-weight prediction is a feature, not the whole bill.
Conclusion
Zed is still the fast Rust editor, now with a public $0 / $10 / $20 grid. Start at zed.dev/pricing, then compare Cursor if you wanted an AI IDE more than a native editor.
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