AI coding tools in 2026: the top 50, ranked by usage
Which AI coding tools developers use most, ranked from third-party survey, revenue and search data. This is not a test by BestSuperintelligent.
Basis: Editorial composite of third-party survey adoption, reported revenue and user counts, and search-interest direction. Not a test by BestSuperintelligent. How it was made · Our editor's ratings
Key takeaways
What the data says, in four lines.
Key takeaways
- Claude Code's work usage more than doubled from 18% to 39% in six months; Codex grew from 3% to 16%.
- 90% of professional developers use an AI coding agent at least weekly, and 68% daily (JetBrains 2026).
- Copilot has the most paid subscribers (about 4.7 million); Claude Code leads on usage share and search-interest growth.
- The field splits into IDEs, terminal agents, cloud agents, chatbots and prompt-to-app builders.
The top five
Most-used first.
Top five tools
- 1
Claude CodeAnthropicCLI agentOur review → - 2
GitHub CopilotGitHub and OpenAIIDE extensionOur review → - 3
ChatGPTOpenAIChatbot - 4
CursorAnysphereAI IDEOur review → - 5
CodexOpenAICloud agentOur review →
The full table
Ranked 1 to 50, then 10 unranked tools. Filter to narrow the list; the order never changes.
Ranking table
Showing 60 of 60 tools
| Rank | Tool | Category | Usage and search signal | Features | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Claude CodeAnthropicOur review → | CLI agent | Claude Code is Anthropic’s CLI coding agent and the most-used AI coding tool in 2026: 39% of professional developers use it at work (JetBrains, May–July 2026) and 65.5% used it in the past year (Stack Overflow 2026). Google Trends interest peaked about 6x above GitHub Copilot’s. |
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| 2 | GitHub CopilotGitHub and OpenAIOur review → | IDE extension | GitHub Copilot is an AI coding assistant for IDEs, used at work by 29% of developers (JetBrains, January 2026) and backed by about 4.7 million paid subscribers. |
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| 3 | ChatGPTOpenAI | Chatbot | ChatGPT is OpenAI’s chatbot, used for coding at work by 28% of developers (JetBrains, January 2026), more than Cursor or Claude Code at that time. | ||
| 4 | CursorAnysphereOur review → | AI IDE | Cursor is an AI code editor used at work by 18% of developers (JetBrains, January 2026), with reported annual recurring revenue of about $2 billion. |
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| 5 | CodexOpenAIOur review → | Cloud agent | OpenAI Codex is a cloud coding agent whose workplace usage grew from 3% to 16% between January and May–July 2026 (JetBrains), with 79% developer awareness. | ||
| 6 |  GeminiGoogle | Chatbot | Google Gemini is a chatbot used for coding at work by 8% of developers (JetBrains, January 2026). |
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| 7 |  Google AntigravityGoogle | AI IDE | Google Antigravity is an AI IDE used at work by 6% of developers worldwide (JetBrains, January 2026) and by 15% of developers in India (May–July 2026). |
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| 8 |  LovableLovable | App builder | Lovable is an AI app builder with reported annual recurring revenue of $400 million and a $6.6 billion valuation. | ||
| 9 |  ReplitReplit | App builder | Replit is a browser-based AI app builder; its Replit Agent passed 1 million active users. | ||
| 10 |  Bolt.newStackBlitz | App builder | Bolt.new is an AI app builder from StackBlitz with a reported $105 million in annual recurring revenue in its first full year. |
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| 11 |  v0Vercel | App builder | v0 by Vercel is an AI app builder named in every 2026 vibe-coding roundup reviewed. | ||
| 12 |  WindsurfCognition (formerly Codeium) | AI IDE | Windsurf is an AI IDE, formerly Codeium, with reported annual recurring revenue of about $82 million before its acquisition; it now operates inside Cognition and Devin. |
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| 13 |  JetBrains AI AssistantJetBrains | IDE extension | JetBrains AI Assistant is an AI coding extension for JetBrains IDEs, used at work by 9% of developers (JetBrains, January 2026). |
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| 14 |  JunieJetBrains | IDE agent | Junie is JetBrains’ AI coding agent for its IDEs, used at work by 5% of developers (JetBrains, January 2026). |
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| 15 |  Gemini CLIGoogle | CLI agent | Gemini CLI is Google’s open-source terminal coding agent with a free tier; Google is migrating consumer access to Antigravity CLI. |
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| 16 |  Gemini Code AssistGoogleOur review → | IDE extension | Gemini Code Assist is Google’s AI coding extension for IDEs, listed in 2026 developer adoption surveys. |
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| 17 |  ClaudeAnthropicOur review → | Chatbot | Claude is Anthropic’s AI chatbot, used for coding at work by 7% of developers (JetBrains, January 2026). | ||
| 18 |  Amazon Q DeveloperAmazon Web Services | IDE extension | Amazon Q Developer is AWS’s AI coding extension; its CLI users are migrating to Kiro. |
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| 19 |  KiroAmazon Web Services | AI IDE | Kiro is AWS’s AI IDE, listed in 2026 developer adoption surveys. |
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| 20 |  TabnineTabnine | IDE extension | Tabnine is an IDE extension from Tabnine. Available as CLI. |
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| 21 |  ClineCline | IDE extension | Cline is an open-source AI coding extension rated a top free option in 2026 comparisons. |
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| 22 | AiderAider-AI | CLI agent | Aider is an open-source terminal coding agent rated a top free option in 2026 comparisons. |
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| 23 |  Devin AICognition AI | Cloud agent | Devin is Cognition’s cloud coding agent; Windsurf pricing now sits under Devin. |
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| 24 |  WarpWarp | Terminal | Warp is an AI terminal: 4% of developers named it their primary tool and 19% were aware of it in one 2026 survey. |
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| 25 |  Google JulesGoogle | Cloud agent | Google Jules is a cloud coding agent, listed in 2026 developer adoption surveys. |
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| 26 |  Roo CodeRoo Code | IDE extension | Roo Code is an open-source AI coding extension rated a top free option in 2026 comparisons. |
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| 27 |  Kilo CodeAnaconda | IDE extension | Kilo Code is an open-source AI coding extension that supports 500+ models. |
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| 28 |  OpenCodeAnomaly Innovations | CLI agent | OpenCode is an open-source terminal coding agent and a new entrant in 2026 CLI roundups. |
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| 29 |  ContinueContinue Dev | IDE extension | Continue is an IDE extension from Continue Dev. It is open source. Available as CLI. |
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| 30 |  Augment CodeAugment Code | IDE extension | Augment Code is an IDE extension from Augment Code. Available as CLI. |
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| 31 |  QodoQodo | IDE extension | Qodo is an IDE extension from Qodo. Available as CLI. |
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| 32 |  AmpAmp Frontier Corporation (originally Sourcegraph) | CLI agent | Amp is a CLI agent from Amp Frontier Corporation (originally Sourcegraph). |
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| 33 |  TraeByteDance | AI IDE | Trae is ByteDance’s AI IDE, with a free tier and strong adoption in China. |
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| 34 |  Zed AgentZed Industries | AI IDE | Zed Agent is an AI IDE from Zed Industries. It is open source. Available as desktop app. |
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| 35 |  Base44Wix | App builder | Base44 is an app builder from Wix. Available as web app. | ||
| 36 |  Firebase StudioGoogle | App builder | Firebase Studio is an app builder from Google. Available as IDE, web app. |
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| 37 |  Factory (Droid)Factory AI | CLI agent | Factory’s Droid is a CLI coding agent: 2% of developers named it their primary tool and 6% were aware of it in one 2026 survey. |
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| 38 |  Kimi CodeMoonshot AI | CLI agent | Kimi Code is a CLI agent from Moonshot AI. It is open source. Available as desktop app, mobile app. |
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| 39 |  GrokSpaceXAIOur review → | Chatbot | Grok is SpaceXAI’s chatbot; its Grok Build CLI coding agent launched in 2026. | ||
| 40 | gooseAgentic AI Foundation (originally Block) | CLI agent | goose is a CLI agent from Agentic AI Foundation (originally Block). It is open source. Available as IDE extension, desktop app, mobile app. |
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| 41 |  OpenHandsAll Hands AI | Cloud agent | OpenHands is a cloud agent from All Hands AI. It is open source. Available as IDE extension, web app, CLI. |
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| 42 |  Blackbox AIBlackbox AI | IDE extension | Blackbox AI is an IDE extension from Blackbox AI. Available as web app, CLI. |
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| 43 |  CodySourcegraph | IDE extension | Sourcegraph Cody is an AI coding assistant for IDEs, succeeded by Amp. |
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| 44 |  Qwen CodeAlibaba | CLI agent | Qwen Code is a CLI agent from Alibaba. It is open source. |
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| 45 |  Mistral CodeMistral AI | IDE extension | Mistral Code is an IDE extension from Mistral AI. |
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| 46 |  CodeRabbitCodeRabbit | Code review | CodeRabbit is a code review tool from CodeRabbit. Available as IDE extension, web app, CLI. |
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| 47 |  Google AI StudioGoogle | App builder | Google AI Studio is an app builder from Google. Available as IDE, web app. |
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| 48 |  CrushCharm | CLI agent | Crush is a CLI agent from Charm. It is open source. |
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| 49 |  Hermes AgentNous Research | CLI agent | Hermes Agent is a CLI agent from Nous Research. It is open source. Available as IDE extension, mobile app. |
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| 50 |  QoderAlibaba | AI IDE | Qoder is an AI IDE from Alibaba. Available as desktop app, CLI. |
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| – |  BobIBM | Other | Bob is an AI coding tool from IBM. Available as IDE, IDE extension, CLI. |
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| – |  Codex CLIOpenAI | Other | Codex CLI is an AI coding tool from OpenAI. It is open source. Available as mobile app, CLI. |
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| – |  Command CodeCommand Code AI | Other | Command Code is an AI coding tool from Command Code AI. It is open source. Available as desktop app, CLI. |
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| – | DeepSeek HarnessDeepSeek | Other | DeepSeek Harness is an AI coding tool from DeepSeek. It is open source. Available as web app, mobile app, CLI. |
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| – | MakiTony Solomonik | Other | Maki is an AI coding tool from Tony Solomonik. It is open source. Available as CLI. |
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| – |  Muse CodeMeta | Other | Muse Code is an AI coding tool from Meta. Available as CLI. |
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| – |  PiEarendil | Other | Pi is an AI coding tool from Earendil. It is open source. Available as mobile app, CLI. |
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| – | Oh My PiStencil Labs | Other | Oh My Pi is an AI coding tool from Stencil Labs. It is open source. Available as mobile app, CLI. |
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| – | toPromptThe NineHertz | Other | toPrompt is an AI coding tool from The NineHertz. Available as web app. |
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| – |  ZCodeZ.AI | Other | ZCode is an AI coding tool from Z.AI. It is open source. Available as desktop app, mobile app. |
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Tools with no number are other tools from Wikipedia's list, shown for completeness and not ranked. Feature chips show only what is confirmed: a missing chip means the feature is absent or unverified. Hover Open source for the license.
How this ranking was made
Methodology
Ranks 1–50 are an editorial composite of 2026 developer-survey adoption (JetBrains Developer Ecosystem Survey, Stack Overflow Developer Survey), reported revenue and user counts, and search-interest direction. Per-tool monthly search volume was not available from a primary source, so it is not quantified. Open source means the tool's code is published under an open or source-available license; hover a cell for the exact license. Tools not on Wikipedia's list were added with best-effort feature flags; unknown means unverified. App Store links were checked against Apple's listings.
Third-party survey figures and reported revenue are as supplied and linked in the table. BestSuperintelligent did not run or reproduce them. Product names are trademarks of their owners.
Keep going
Related pages
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular AI coding tool in 2026?
Claude Code. In the JetBrains Developer Ecosystem Survey 2026 (May–July), about 39% of professional developers used it at work, up from 18% in January, and 31% named it their most-used tool. GitHub Copilot was at 29% in January 2026 and OpenAI Codex reached 16% by mid-2026.
Which AI coding tools are open source?
15 of the top 50 are open source or source-available: Gemini CLI, Cline, Aider, Warp, Roo Code, Kilo Code, OpenCode, Continue, Zed Agent, Kimi Code, goose, OpenHands, Qwen Code, Crush and Hermes Agent.
Which AI coding tools have an iPhone app?
13 of the top 50 have a verified App Store listing: Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, Codex, Gemini, Lovable, Replit, v0, Claude, Kilo Code, Base44, Kimi Code and Grok. Claude Code and Codex are reached through the Claude and ChatGPT apps.
Which AI coding tools run in the terminal?
33 of the top 50 have a command-line interface, including Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Gemini, Google Antigravity, Junie, Gemini CLI, Amazon Q Developer, Kiro and Tabnine.
Which AI coding tools build full apps from a prompt?
The top-50 app builders are Lovable, Replit, Bolt.new, v0, Base44, Firebase Studio and Google AI Studio.
How was this ranking made?
Ranks combine 2026 developer-survey adoption (JetBrains, Stack Overflow), reported revenue and user counts, and search-interest direction. Per-tool monthly search volume was not available from a primary source, so it is not quantified. Feature flags for tools outside the Wikipedia list are best-effort; unknown means unverified.