Cursor vs Codex: Pricing, Models and Which to Pick
An AI editor against OpenAI's coding agent, compared on October 2026 prices, which models each plan includes, surfaces, team costs and privacy.
By , research by the BestBots team · Updated Oct 19, 2026
Fact checked against each company's published pricing, documentation and verified user ratings. How we score
Codex is the better value if you want OpenAI's models: it comes with ChatGPT Plus at $20 with GPT 6.1 Sol in plan usage, while Cursor Premium costs $30 and bills GPT at API list price. Cursor wins if you want a full AI editor with Cloud Agents, Automations and Bugbot built in, using Cursor's own Grok and Composer models.
Side by side
| Spec | Cursor | OpenAI Codex |
|---|---|---|
| BestBots Score | 3.9 | 4.3 |
| Starting price | $8 per month | $20 per month |
| Pricing model | per seat subscription plus usage | per seat subscription plus credits |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Price | $30 per month (Premium); Plus $8 is Grok only | $20 per month (ChatGPT Plus); Free and Go get limited desktop access |
| Models | Grok 4.7, 4.6, 4.5 and Composer 2.5 included; Claude, GPT, Gemini at API list price on Premium and up | GPT 6.1 Sol, GPT 6 Sol, GPT 6 Astra, GPT 6 Luna |
| IDE support | Cursor editor (desktop), Cloud Agents, mobile | IDE extension, desktop app, web, iOS |
| Terminal agent | Yes, Cursor CLI | Yes, Codex CLI |
| Usage limits | Weekly usage pool: Premium 4x Plus, Super 15x, Ultra 50x | Plus: about 15 to 160 GPT 6.1 Sol local messages per 5 hours; Pro no 5 hour limit; weekly limits may apply |
| Team plan | Teams $30, $100 or $200 per seat per month | Business $25 per user monthly or $20 annually |
The short answer
- Codex is an agent bundled with ChatGPT. It runs in a CLI, an IDE extension, the desktop app, the web and iOS, with cloud tasks, Slack and automatic GitHub code review on Plus.
- Cursor is an editor bundled with Grok and X. It includes an agent, a CLI, Cloud Agents, Automations, Bugbot and Origin hosting, and its flat fee covers Cursor's own models.
Pick Codex if you use GPT models, already pay for ChatGPT, want mobile or Slack delegation, or want the lowest team seat. Pick Cursor if you want one integrated editor and like Grok and Composer.
Pricing
| Cursor | Codex | |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Limited agent and chat | GPT 6 Luna in desktop app, subject to rollout |
| $8 tier | Plus (Grok and Composer only) | Go (desktop only, rollout) |
| Main plan | Premium $30 ($300 a year) | ChatGPT Plus $20 |
| GPT models | API list price | Included in plan usage |
| Heavy | Super $100, Ultra $200 | Pro $100, $200, $500 |
| Team seat | $30, $100 or $200 | $25, or $20 annually |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom |
| Overflow | Prepaid credit at model rates | ChatGPT credits or API key |
Prices as listed in October 2026.
Solo developer using GPT 5.6 Sol. On Cursor Premium, 20 million input and 2 million output tokens at $4 and $20 per million add $120, so $150 a month. On ChatGPT Plus, GPT 6.1 Sol work comes out of plan usage for $20, and Pro at $100 has no 5 hour limit currently.
Team of 10. ChatGPT Business: $250 monthly or $200 annually. Cursor Teams: $300 plus third party usage.
Models and features
| Cursor | Codex | |
|---|---|---|
| Included models | Grok 4.7, 4.6, 4.5, Composer 2.5 | GPT 6.1 Sol, GPT 6 Luna (Plus); more on Pro |
| Other models | Claude, GPT, Gemini at API list price | OpenAI only |
| Editor | Full standalone editor | IDE extension in your editor |
| Terminal | Cursor CLI | Codex CLI |
| Cloud | Cloud Agents, Automations | Codex Cloud |
| Code review | Bugbot | GitHub code review |
| Mobile | Mobile agents | iOS |
| Chat integrations | Grok Bot | Slack |
| Hosting | Origin | Not applicable |
| VS Code rating | Not on marketplace (own editor) | 2.9 from 722 |
| Trustpilot | 1.5 from 348 | Not used |
Head to head scenarios
Developer who wants GPT models
Winner: Codex. GPT is in plan usage on a $20 plan, not billed per token on top of $30.
Developer who wants one integrated editor
Winner: Cursor. Agent, completions, Cloud Agents, Automations, Bugbot and hosting live in one app with one weekly pool. Codex needs an editor to plug into.
Teams
Winner: Codex. $20 a seat on annual billing with ChatGPT included, against $30 plus usage on Cursor.
Pull request review on a budget
Winner: Codex. Automatic GitHub code review is included on ChatGPT Plus at $20; you tag @Codex on a pull request or turn on automatic reviews for a repo. Cursor's Bugbot needs Premium at $30. Note that Codex reviews draw on Code Review usage within your plan.
Delegating from your phone or Slack
Winner: Codex. iOS and Slack are on Plus, and cloud tasks run while you are away.
Grok users
Winner: Cursor. Plus at $8 a month ($80 a year) gives Grok models in an editor, and the pool is shared with the Grok apps.
Privacy
Cursor. Privacy Mode guarantees code data is not used for training by Cursor or its providers when it is on; admins can enforce it. Enterprise adds audit logs and access controls. Billing runs through X Subscription Corp.
Codex. OpenAI's Codex pricing page says Business has no training on business data by default, with SAML SSO and MFA; Enterprise adds SCIM, EKM, RBAC, audit logs, data retention and residency. Personal plans follow ChatGPT's data controls.
Verdict
Codex is the better pick for most developers comparing these two, winning four of six scenarios on GPT access, team price, budget code review and mobile delegation: $20 covers the agent, the models and ChatGPT. Cursor wins for people who want a single integrated AI editor and for Grok users. If you want Cursor's editor with OpenAI's models, budget for API list price on top of $30, or compare Cursor alternatives. Full detail in our Cursor review and Codex review.
Frequently asked questions
Is Codex better than Cursor?
For developers who want OpenAI models, yes: Codex comes with ChatGPT Plus at $20 and includes GPT 6.1 Sol in plan usage, while Cursor bills GPT at API list price on top of $30. Cursor is better if you want a full graphical editor with Cloud Agents, Automations and Bugbot, and are fine with Cursor's Grok and Composer models.
Is there a free way to try each?
Cursor's Free plan includes limited agent and chat requests. Codex is available on ChatGPT Free and Go with GPT 6 Luna in the desktop app, subject to rollout; the CLI, IDE extension, web and cloud features start at Plus.
How much does GPT cost in Cursor?
On Premium and above, GPT models bill at API list price from prepaid credit. Cursor's docs list GPT 5.6 Sol at $4 input and $20 output per million tokens and GPT 5.6 Luna at $0.20 and $1.20. Teams and Enterprise add $0.25 per million tokens.
Which is cheaper for a team?
ChatGPT Business at $25 per seat monthly or $20 annually, which includes Codex and ChatGPT. Cursor Teams seats start at $30, plus third party usage and the Cursor Token Rate.
Does Codex have an editor like Cursor?
No. Codex is an agent that works in your terminal, an IDE extension, the ChatGPT desktop app, the web and iOS. Cursor is a standalone code editor with an agent inside.
Which has better limits?
OpenAI publishes Plus estimates per 5 hours (15 to 160 GPT 6.1 Sol messages) and Pro currently has no 5 hour limit. Cursor states tiers as multiples of Plus (4x, 15x, 50x) with a weekly refresh, but third party models are always pay as you go.