| Gemini Code Assist | GitHub Copilot | Cursor | Antigravity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | IDE extension | IDE extension | Standalone AI IDE | Standalone AI IDE |
| Works in | VS Code, 15+ JetBrains, Android Studio | VS Code, JetBrains, Xcode, others | Cursor editor only | Antigravity editor only |
| Free tier completions | 6,000/day | Limited | Limited | Unlimited Tab |
| Free tier agent requests | 1,000/day | Limited | Limited | Generous daily cap |
| Starting paid price | $19/user/mo (Standard) | $10/mo (Individual) | $20/mo (Pro) | $19.99/mo (Developer) |
| Agent mode | Yes (Copilot agent) | Yes (Composer) | Yes (Agent first) | |
| Models | Gemini only | OpenAI (+ Claude in preview) | Claude, GPT, Gemini, Grok, own | Gemini, Claude, GPT |
| Open source CLI | Yes (70k+ stars) | |||
| Code customization | Enterprise ($45/user/mo) | Codebase indexing | Knowledge base | |
| Google Cloud integration | Deep (BigQuery, Cloud Run, Apigee) | Yes (MCP servers) |
AI coding assistants compared
When to choose Gemini Code Assist
Gemini Code Assist is the strongest choice when you want a free, full featured AI coding assistant inside your existing IDE without switching editors. The free tier (6,000 completions/day, 1,000 agent requests/day) is unmatched. It is especially compelling for JetBrains users (broadest JetBrains support), Google Cloud users (native GCP integration), and teams wanting enterprise code customization. Choose GitHub Copilot if you want the largest community and broadest editor support. Choose Cursor if you want the richest graphical AI coding experience with multi model flexibility. Choose Antigravity if you want an agent first paradigm with multi agent orchestration.
Extension vs. standalone IDE: the fundamental choice
Gemini Code Assist and GitHub Copilot let you stay in your existing editor. You keep your extensions, themes, keybindings, and workflow. The AI is an addition to your environment, not a replacement. Cursor and Antigravity require switching to a new editor. You get deeper AI integration in exchange for leaving your current setup (though both offer VS Code migration). The right choice depends on whether you value keeping your existing workflow (extension) or want the deepest possible AI integration (standalone IDE).