Skip to content
Short answer: In the Codex vs Cursor choice, pick Codex if you already pay for ChatGPT or you like working from a terminal, because it is included with ChatGPT plans from Plus at $20 a month. Pick Cursor if you want one app built around a coding agent, with paid plans from $8 a month. Both limit usage, so the plan price is only the starting point.
Both tools take a task, change your code and hand the result back for review. They come from different directions. You can read the details on our Codex page and our Cursor page. This post puts them side by side so you can see what each plan buys.
Codex vs Cursor at a glance
| Codex | Cursor | |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | OpenAI | Cursor |
| What it is | A coding agent that lives inside ChatGPT, with a CLI, an IDE extension and cloud tasks | A coding agent in its own app, with a CLI and cloud agents |
| Free plan | Yes, with ChatGPT Free | Yes, with limited agent and chat requests |
| Cheapest paid plan | Go, $8 a month | Plus, $8 a month (Grok models only) |
| Plan for most people | Plus, $20 a month | Premium, $30 a month |
| Top individual plan | Pro, up to $500 a month | Ultra, $200 a month |
| How usage is measured | Estimated messages per five hours, plus weekly limits | A weekly pool, then prepaid credit |
| Models | OpenAI models | Models from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google and more |
| Open source | The Codex CLI is open source | Not stated |
What is Codex?
Codex is OpenAI’s coding agent. It is not one app. OpenAI lists it on the ChatGPT desktop app, the mobile app, ChatGPT on the web, the Codex CLI, the Codex IDE extension and Codex Cloud. You start with a goal, and Codex can explore a codebase, build a feature, review code or fix a failing test.
The CLI is the part developers talk about most. OpenAI describes it as a tool to inspect code, make changes and run commands without leaving your terminal. It is open source under the Apache-2.0 license. Install it with npm install -g @openai/codex or brew install --cask codex, run codex and choose Sign in with ChatGPT. Codex Cloud runs tasks in parallel cloud environments, and codex cloud lets you send work there from the terminal.
What is Cursor?
Cursor describes itself as a coding agent for building ambitious software. You work in the Cursor app, and its agent can understand your codebase, plan and build features, fix bugs and review changes. Plan Mode helps you scope bigger jobs before it starts. Cloud agents run tasks in the background on paid plans, and Cursor also has a CLI.
Its biggest difference is model choice. Cursor lists models from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Moonshot, Meta and Z.ai, along with its own Composer and Grok models. It connects to GitHub, GitLab, Azure DevOps, Bitbucket, JetBrains, Slack and Linear.
Codex vs Cursor pricing
Neither tool sells a flat, all-you-can-use plan. Read both lists before you subscribe.
Codex pricing
Codex has no separate price. You get it with a ChatGPT plan:
| Plan | Price | What to know for Codex |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Limits are not listed on the pricing page |
| Go | $8 a month | Limits are not listed on the pricing page |
| Plus | $20 a month | Estimated message counts per five-hour window, which vary by model |
| Pro | $100, $200 or $500 a month | OpenAI says there is currently no five-hour limit |
| Business | $20 per user a month billed annually, or $25 per user a month billed monthly | Same estimates as Plus |
| Enterprise and Edu | Contact sales | Usage scales with credits |
OpenAI says the Plus numbers are estimates, not fixed limits. Weekly limits may also apply, and cloud tasks can use more of your allowance than local messages. You can also use Codex with an API key and pay per token.
Cursor pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Limited agent and chat requests |
| Plus | $8 a month | A shared usage pool, Grok models only |
| Premium | $30 a month | 4x the usage of Plus, cloud agents, third-party models at API list price |
| Super | $100 a month | 15x the usage of Plus, priority model access at peak times |
| Ultra | $200 a month | 50x the usage of Plus, earliest access to new products and models |
| Teams | From $30 per user a month | Shared billing and admin controls |
The usage pool refreshes weekly. Third-party models such as Claude or GPT are not part of the pool. On Premium and above they are billed at API list price from prepaid credit. When the pool runs out you can wait for the reset, use prepaid credit or upgrade. Cursor says requests are never downgraded in quality or speed.
Which costs less?
If you already pay for ChatGPT Plus at $20 a month, Codex costs you nothing extra to try. That is the strongest point in its favor. If you do not, the cheapest honest comparison is Codex on ChatGPT Plus at $20 a month against Cursor Premium at $30 a month, because Cursor Plus only includes Grok models. Cursor Premium costs more but lets you choose Claude, GPT or Gemini models. Those are billed on top at API list price. Heavy users on either tool should expect to move up a tier.
Where Codex wins
- Bundled with ChatGPT. One subscription covers chat, research and a coding agent.
- Terminal and automation. The open-source CLI has
codex execfor scripts and CI, subagents and web search. - Many surfaces. The same agent works in the ChatGPT apps, the CLI, an IDE extension and the cloud.
- MCP servers. You can add local or remote MCP servers so it can reach your other tools.
Where Cursor wins
- One focused app. The editor and the agent are the same product, so there is less to wire together.
- Model choice. You pick from several vendors’ models and switch when a better one appears.
- Plan Mode. It is built for scoping a larger change before the agent writes anything.
- Higher ceilings below Pro. Super and Ultra give heavy users a clear way to buy far more usage.
How to test both fairly
Do not judge either tool on one easy prompt. Take one real task from your own work, such as a failing test plus a small feature next to it, and run it in both. Compare how many messages it took, how much of your allowance it used, whether the diff was easy to read and whether the tests passed.
Watch the meter as you go. Codex counts messages in five-hour windows with weekly limits on top, while Cursor draws on a weekly pool. A long agent run can feel cheap on day one and expensive by day five. If one task eats a large share of a plan, that is your real price.
What neither does
Neither tool replaces review. Both can write code that looks right and is wrong, so run the tests and read the diff before you merge. Neither publishes an exact number of tasks per plan, and both change plans often. That is why we link the vendor pages below. If you want to see how each one stacks up against a third option, read our Codex vs Claude Code, Cursor vs Claude Code and Cursor vs GitHub Copilot comparisons.
Which should you choose?
- You already pay for ChatGPT: try Codex first. It is already in your plan.
- You want one app for editing and agents: Cursor, on Premium or above if you want Claude or GPT models.
- You work in the terminal or in CI: Codex, with the open-source CLI.
- You want to switch between models from different vendors: Cursor.
- You are not sure: run one real task through both free plans and compare how much each needed from you.
FAQ
Is Codex better than Cursor?
Neither is better for everyone. Codex suits people who already use ChatGPT or want a terminal agent they can script. Cursor suits people who want a single app built around a coding agent and a choice of models.
Is Codex free?
Codex comes with ChatGPT plans, and the Free plan is $0. Paid plans start with Go at $8 a month and Plus at $20 a month. Check OpenAI’s pricing page for the current limits on each plan.
Is Cursor free?
Yes. Cursor Free is $0 and has limited agent and chat requests. The paid plans start with Plus at $8 a month, which only includes Grok models.
Can I use Codex and Cursor together?
Yes. Nothing stops you from holding both plans, and Cursor can use OpenAI models. You pay for each plan separately, so test them one at a time first.
Does Codex work with MCP servers?
Yes. OpenAI says you can add local or remote MCP servers to Codex and authenticate when needed. Cursor also lets you add MCPs, plugins, skills and rules. Browse our MCP servers directory to find ones to add.
Is the Codex CLI open source?
Yes. The Codex CLI repository is licensed under Apache-2.0.
More to read
Our best AI coding agents page ranks the options by job. Prices here come from Cursor and OpenAI, checked in October 2026. The CLI details come from OpenAI’s Codex CLI docs.