You don’t have to pay to start using AI coding tools seriously. Between genuinely generous free tiers on commercial products and fully free open-source options, it’s possible to build real projects without a subscription - you just need to know where the free limits actually are.
The best free options
| Tool | What’s free | Main limit |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub Copilot | 2,000 completions + 50 chat/month | Limited agent mode usage |
| Cline | The tool itself, fully | You pay your own model API usage |
| Aider | The tool itself, fully | You pay your own model API usage |
| Windsurf (Devin Desktop) | Generous daily/weekly quota + Cascade agent | Quota resets, not unlimited |
| Cursor (Hobby) | Limited Agent requests + Tab completions | Tight usage caps |
| Lovable | ~30 build credits/month + free Visual Edits | Build credits run out fast on complex apps |
| Bolt.new | 1M tokens/month | Tokens scale with project size |
| v0 | $5 monthly credits | Small allowance for heavier use |
Free-tier limits as of July 2026 - verify current allowances on each vendor’s site, as these change often.
Fully free, forever: Cline and Aider
Cline and Aider are the only tools on this list with no paid tier at all - they’re open source, and your only cost is the model API usage you choose to pay for directly. If you already have API credits with a model provider, or want to experiment with a local model, these are the closest thing to a genuinely free, unrestricted AI coding tool.
Best free tier from a commercial product: GitHub Copilot
Among tools with a paid tier, Copilot’s free plan is the most usable for daily work - 2,000 completions a month covers a meaningful amount of everyday coding, and it works across VS Code, JetBrains, and GitHub.com without a credit card.
Best free agentic experience: Windsurf
If you specifically want to try autonomous agentic editing (not just completions) for free, Windsurf’s free tier includes real Cascade agent access with a daily/weekly quota, making it the most generous free entry point into full agentic coding.
When it’s worth paying
- You’re running out of daily/monthly quota consistently - not just occasionally.
- You need faster, priority access during busy periods.
- Your project has grown large enough that free-tier limits (tokens, credits) no longer fit a full working session.
- You need team features - shared billing, centralised admin, SSO.
Key takeaways
- Cline and Aider are fully free and open source - you only pay for your own model API usage.
- GitHub Copilot has the most usable free tier among commercial products for everyday completions.
- Windsurf offers the most generous free access to real agentic (not just autocomplete) coding.
- Upgrade only once you’re consistently hitting free-tier limits, not just occasionally.
Cline, the bring-your-own-key option, is costed in Cline pricing explained.
Common questions
Is there a completely free AI coding tool?
Cline and Aider are both fully free and open source with no paid tier - your only cost is the model API usage you choose to pay your provider directly, and you can even use free or local models with both.
What is the best free AI code completion tool?
GitHub Copilot’s free tier (2,000 completions and 50 chat requests per month) is the most usable free option among commercial tools, and it works across VS Code, JetBrains, and GitHub.com.
Can I build a full app for free with AI tools?
Yes, for small projects. Lovable, Bolt.new, and v0 all have free tiers sufficient for a small first project, though build credits or tokens run out faster on larger or more complex apps.
Do free AI coding tools require a credit card?
No - GitHub Copilot’s free tier, Cursor’s Hobby plan, Windsurf’s free plan, and the open-source Cline and Aider all work without providing payment details upfront.
Paid plans at three usage levels are compared in best AI code editor.