# Cursor vs Claude Code: pricing and usage limits

Verified 2026-10-14. Every figure from the official vendor page; unknown = not published.

| | Cursor | Claude Code |
|---|---|---|
| Runs in | Cursor (VS Code fork) | Terminal / any editor |
| Cheapest paid plan | Plus $8/mo | Pro $20/mo |
| How limits work | Shared AI usage pool across Cursor and Grok; allowance refreshes weekly; third-party models billed separately at API list price; top-offs available. | Rolling 5-hour session window plus weekly limits on paid plans; Claude Code shares the pool with Claude chat; no fixed message count published; optional usage credits at API rates. |
| Official pricing | https://cursor.com/pricing | https://claude.com/pricing |

## Every plan

| Tool | Plan | Price | Usage | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cursor | Free | $0 | Limited agent and chat requests | https://cursor.com/pricing |
| Cursor | Plus | $8/mo | Basic shared pool; Grok models only | https://cursor.com/pricing |
| Cursor | Premium | $30/mo | 4x Plus; third-party models at API list price; cloud agents | https://cursor.com/pricing |
| Cursor | Super | $100/mo | 15x Plus; priority access at peak | https://cursor.com/pricing |
| Cursor | Ultra | $200/mo | 50x Plus | https://cursor.com/pricing |
| Cursor | Pro (per docs page) | $20/mo | Two pools: Cursor models + third-party at API price. Docs: daily agent users typically $60-100/mo total | https://cursor.com/docs/models-and-pricing |
| Claude Code | Free | $0 | No Claude Code | https://claude.com/pricing |
| Claude Code | Pro | $20/mo | At least 5x Free per 5-hour session; exact tokens unknown | https://claude.com/pricing |
| Claude Code | Max 5x | $100/mo | 5x Pro per 5-hour session; $100/mo API credits | https://claude.com/pricing |
| Claude Code | Max 20x | price unknown | 20x Pro per 5-hour session; $200/mo API credits. Price not shown on card ('From $100'); third-party sources say $200 - unverified | https://claude.com/pricing |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Cursor or Claude Code?

Cursor's cheapest paid plan is Plus at $8/mo (Basic shared pool; Grok models only); Claude Code's cheapest paid plan is Pro at $20/mo (At least 5x Free per 5-hour session; exact tokens unknown). Source: official vendor pricing pages, verified 2026-10-14.

### How do the usage limits differ?

Cursor: Shared AI usage pool across Cursor and Grok; allowance refreshes weekly; third-party models billed separately at API list price; top-offs available. Claude Code: Rolling 5-hour session window plus weekly limits on paid plans; Claude Code shares the pool with Claude chat; no fixed message count published; optional usage credits at API rates.

### Where does each tool run?

Cursor runs in Cursor (VS Code fork); Claude Code runs in Terminal / any editor.

### What does each plan cost?

Cursor: Free $0, Plus $8/mo, Premium $30/mo, Super $100/mo, Ultra $200/mo; Claude Code: Free $0, Pro $20/mo, Max 5x $100/mo, Max 20x price unknown.