Why 8/10: Top pick for AI coding: a mature agent-first editor and CLI with cloud agents and code review. Points off because of a big change in October 2026: Cursor is now owned by SpaceX and sold only through The X Subscription, where the $8 plan includes Grok models only and third-party models are billed separately at API prices.
By ToolSift editorial. Last checked . Prices change often; "check site" means verify with the vendor.
What it does
Cursor describes itself as "your coding agent for building ambitious software". Its homepage shows two interfaces: Cursor Desktop, an editor where agents plan, build and hand back work for review, and Cursor CLI, which runs the same agent in a terminal. Higher plans add cloud agents and automations, code hosting via Origin, and AI code review via Bugbot, per the pricing comparison.
Ownership changed in 2026. SpaceX announced a $60 billion all-stock agreement to acquire Anysphere, Inc. on 16 Jun 2026, and its SEC filing of 14 Aug 2026 records the merger as completed, with Anysphere now a wholly owned SpaceX subsidiary. Cursor's own blog post, "Cursor is now a part of SpaceX", confirms it. SpaceX had acquired xAI in February 2026, per Reuters, so Grok and Cursor now sit in the same group.
On 12 Oct 2026, xAI (now branded SpaceXSI) introduced The X Subscription, which bundles Grok, Grok Bot, Cursor and X Premium. Cursor's pricing page now says subscriptions are sold only through X Subscription Corp. Every tier shares one AI usage pool across Cursor and Grok that refreshes weekly. Plus includes Grok models only. Premium and above add third-party models (such as Claude or GPT) at API list price, billed separately through top-ups.
Against our runners-up: GitHub Copilot works across VS Code, JetBrains IDEs and GitHub itself and suits teams that want a model-neutral assistant inside existing tools; Claude Code is a terminal-first agent tied to Anthropic's models and plans. Cursor's edge is an editor designed around agents from the start, now with cloud agents and code review in the same subscription. The ownership and bundling change is new, so we will re-check this pick as plans settle.
Our verdict
Cursor remains one of the most capable AI coding tools: a desktop editor and CLI built around agents that read your codebase, plan, edit many files and run tasks, plus cloud agents and AI code review on higher plans. It changed hands in 2026. SpaceX completed its acquisition of Cursor's maker, Anysphere, on 14 Aug 2026, and since 12 Oct 2026 Cursor has been sold through The X Subscription, bundled with Grok and X Premium. If you are happy to use Grok models, or to pay API rates for others, it is still our pick. If you want a standalone, model-neutral subscription, look closely at the runners-up.
✅ Pick it if You want the most AI-integrated editor and agent workflow and are comfortable with Grok models or paying API rates for others.
⛔ Skip it if You want a standalone, model-neutral coding subscription, you're committed to JetBrains or another editor, or your organisation has concerns about the new ownership or bundling.
Pricing: As of 19 Oct 2026 (USD, excluding tax), via The X Subscription: Free $0 (limited agent and chat requests); Plus $8/month (shared usage pool, Grok models only); Premium $30/month (4x Plus usage, cloud agents, Bugbot code review, third-party models at API list price); Super $100/month (15x Plus); Ultra $200/month (50x Plus); Teams from $30 per user per month; Enterprise custom. Third-party model usage is not included in the monthly price. Check site.
Cursor is made by Anysphere, Inc., which became a wholly owned subsidiary of Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) on 14 Aug 2026, per SpaceX's SEC filing. Subscriptions are sold by X Subscription Corp.
What to watch
Bundle change: since 12 Oct 2026 Cursor is sold as part of The X Subscription with Grok and X Premium. Existing Cursor subscribers can keep their plan or switch, per xAI's announcement.
Model choice costs extra: Plus is Grok-only, and on Premium and above third-party models are billed at API list price on top of the subscription. Set spending caps if you rely on non-Grok models.
Usage is a weekly pool shared with Grok chat, image and voice use, so heavy Grok use elsewhere reduces what's left for coding.
Data: Cursor's pricing FAQ says Privacy Mode guarantees code data is not used for training by Cursor or its model providers; turn it on (or have an admin enforce it) for work code.
Corporate change: the acquisition and bundling are recent, so plans and terms may keep changing. Re-check pricing before annual commitments.