5 Best AI Tools for Developers in 2025

Choosing the right AI tool for development is a key part of getting maximum acceleration in your dev workflow. A tool that fits your IDE preferences, codebase size, and team structure can mean the difference between marginal gains and transformative productivity.

In this article, we'll examine the top 5 modern AI tools for developers and define exactly which use cases each one excels at. Whether you're working solo on a startup or leading a 50-person engineering team, you'll find a tool that matches your needs.

Cursor — The All-in-One Powerhouse

Best fit for: VSCode users who want a solid, feature-rich, all-in-one solution

Cursor is currently the worldwide leader in AI tools for developers. Built as a fork of VSCode, it comes with its own comprehensive AI ecosystem that integrates deeply at every level.

What makes it stand out:

Automatic code completions that understand your entire project context
Agentic workflows that can execute multi-step refactorings
Extensive tool system with commands and modes for different scenarios
Background agents that work while you focus on other tasks
Bugbot code reviewer for automated quality checks
CLI client for terminal-based workflows

Pros:

Genuinely powerful and feature-rich platform
Supports all major AI models (Claude, GPT-4, Gemini, and more)
All-in-one solution — no need to juggle multiple tools
Stable and high-quality implementation
Enterprise plans include usage dashboards with metrics and insights

Cons:

VSCode-based architecture means steep learning curve for developers coming from JetBrains, Xcode, or Vim
Higher price point compared to nearest competitors

Pricing:

Individual: from $20/month
Business: from $40/month

If you're already comfortable in VSCode and want the most comprehensive AI coding experience available, Cursor is hard to beat. Teams we've trained on Cursor typically see 25-35% velocity improvements within the first quarter.

Claude Code — Maximum Intelligence

Best fit for: Anthropic model users who prioritize quality over cost

Claude Code is Anthropic's extremely popular CLI tool, known for its powerful understanding of workspace context and exceptionally intelligent tool usage.

What makes it stand out:

Works with any IDE — use your preferred editor without compromise
Best-in-class integration with Anthropic's Claude models (Sonnet, Opus, Haiku)
Sub-agents functionality for complex multi-step tasks
Deep codebase understanding through advanced context management

Pros:

IDE-agnostic — keep using whatever editor you're productive in
Unmatched reasoning capabilities with Claude Sonnet and Opus models
Sub-agents can handle complex refactoring across dozens of files
Excellent at understanding architectural patterns and business logic

Cons:

Poor UX compared to GUI-based tools — everything is terminal-driven
Limited to Anthropic models only (GPT or Gemini will only work with reduced functionality)
Can be expensive — uses significant tokens on premium models

Pricing:

Individual: from $17/month
Business: from $150/month

If you value code quality above all else and don't mind the command-line interface, Claude Code delivers the most intelligent AI assistance available. It's particularly valuable for complex refactorings and architectural decisions.

GitHub Copilot — The Pioneer

Best fit for: Developers with non-VSCode IDEs (JetBrains, Xcode, Vim) who want to control spending

GitHub Copilot was the pioneer that brought AI coding assistance to the mainstream. Backed by Microsoft and GitHub, it remains a solid choice — especially for developers outside the VSCode ecosystem.

What makes it stand out:

Works in all popular IDEs — VSCode, Visual Studio,JetBrains, Xcode, Neovim, and more
Wide model selection including GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok and more
Deep integration with GitHub (both web and CLI)
Mature ecosystem with extensive documentation

Pros:

Broadest IDE support in the market
Relatively affordable pricing
Familiar interface for GitHub users
Strong community and extensive learning resources

Cons:

Can be unstable — occasional bugs and glitches
Feature releases often lag behind competitors
Less sophisticated context understanding than Cursor or Claude Code

Pricing:

Individual: from $10/month
Business: from $19/month

If you're committed to IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, or another JetBrains IDE, or if budget is a primary concern, GitHub Copilot offers solid AI assistance at the most competitive price point.

Augment Code — Built for Scale

Best fit for: Teams working with massive codebases (1M+ lines of code)

Augment Code is a VSCode/JetBrains extension with a CLI client, best known for its exceptional ability to efficiently work with larger codebases where other tools struggle.

What makes it stand out:

Advanced indexing that handles codebases with hundreds of thousands of lines
Intelligent context selection that finds relevant code across large projects
Works well in both VSCode and JetBrains IDEs

Pros:

Superior performance on large monorepos and legacy codebases
Dual IDE support (VSCode + JetBrains)
Excellent at finding relevant context in sprawling projects
Strong code navigation and search capabilities

Cons:

Smaller community compared to Cursor or Copilot
No direct enterprise pricing (requires custom quote)
Less feature-rich than Cursor or Claude Code

Pricing:

Individual: from $20/month
Business: Custom pricing

If you're working on a large enterprise codebase or a massive open-source project, Augment Code's specialized indexing can make the difference between an AI tool that helps and one that hinders.

Zed — Maximum Flexibility

Best fit for: Teams using their own models, collaborative development, and cost optimization

Zed is an open-source IDE built from the ground up for modern collaborative work and maximum customizability. It's gaining rapid traction among developers who want full control.

What makes it stand out:

Open-source architecture means full transparency
BYO API keys — use your own OpenAI, Anthropic, or other API accounts
Real-time collaborative editing (like Google Docs for code)
Highly customizable through configuration files

Pros:

Open-source — audit the code, contribute features, or fork it
Use your own API keys to avoid per-seat licensing costs
Excellent for pair programming and mob programming sessions
Lightweight and fast performance

Cons:

Steeper learning curve than established IDEs
Longer onboarding process for teams
Smaller plugin ecosystem compared to VSCode

Pricing:

Individual: from $10/month (for hosted collaboration features)
Business: Custom pricing

If your team wants to maintain control over AI model selection, minimize long-term costs through your own API subscriptions, or needs sophisticated real-time collaboration, Zed offers unmatched flexibility.

Need Help Choosing?

If your company wants to select the best AI tool for your development team — or if you want to train your developers to use these tools effectively — we can help.

Book a FREE consultation and we'll analyze your tech stack, team size, and development workflows to recommend the optimal solution:

Book Free Consultation

Based on experience training 900+ developers across 25+ companies on AI-assisted development workflows.