Cursor vs JetBrains AI Assistant (2026)

Cursor

by Anysphere

JetBrains AI Assistant

by JetBrains

Pros

• ✓Agent mode plans and implements features autonomously across multiple files, and cloud subagents run in parallel on their own VMs and branches.
• ✓One-click import brings over VS Code settings, keybindings, themes and extensions, and Cursor keeps VS Code's default shortcuts, so switching from VS Code is quick.
• ✓Privacy Mode is available on every plan including the free tier, and is on by default for Teams and Enterprise, where admins can enforce it.
• ✓Self-Hosted Machines runs Cloud Agent tool execution on hardware the team manages, keeping the codebase, build outputs and secrets on internal machines.

Limitations

• –Privacy Mode is off until switched on for individual accounts (it is on by default for teams), and Cursor states it may store and use codebase data, prompts, editor actions and code snippets to improve the product when it is off.
• –Model inference always routes through Cursor's cloud, including when you supply your own API keys, and zero data retention does not apply to those keys. US-only data residency is Enterprise only.
• –Third-party models such as Claude and GPT are not included in X Subscription plans: they are billed per use at API list price (plus the Cursor Token Rate on Teams and Enterprise), and the $8 Plus plan cannot use them or cloud agents at all.

Pros

• ✓Built into eleven JetBrains IDEs plus Android Studio and ReSharper, with code completion from JetBrains' own Mellum model that does not use AI Credits, and a public preview extension for Visual Studio Code.
• ✓Several coding agents in one chat: JetBrains' own Junie, plus Claude Agent, Codex and GitHub Copilot, and any ACP-compatible agent from the registry, with MCP support in both directions.
• ✓Cloud models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and xAI through JetBrains AI, bring-your-own-key for OpenAI and Anthropic, and local models through Ollama or LM Studio.

Limitations

• –AI Free is not available in IntelliJ IDEA without an Ultimate subscription, PyCharm without a Pro subscription, or Android Studio, and it does not include next edit suggestions.
• –Cloud AI features pause when the included credits run out until the quota renews after 30 days or credits are topped up, and unused included credits do not roll over.
• –SSO and SCIM, AI audit logs, organization-wide provider keys and on-premises deployment require AI Enterprise at $60 per user per month billed annually, sold through a demo request.