# Gemini CLI vs Cursor

> Gemini CLI is Google's terminal agent, open source under Apache-2.0, now sold through Gemini Code Assist or paid keys. Cursor is an editor with an agent built in, and its plans now bundle Grok.

- Page: https://digidle.com/compare/gemini-cli-vs-cursor/
- All comparisons: https://digidle.com/compare/

## Side by side

### Google Gemini CLI

- What it is: Google's open-source (Apache-2.0) coding agent for the terminal: it reads and edits your codebase, runs shell commands, connects MCP servers and runs headless with gemini -p for scripts. Now built for Gemini Code Assist Standard and Enterprise teams and paid Gemini API or Vertex AI keys; free and Google AI Pro/Ultra users moved to Antigravity CLI.
- Category: AI Editors & Agents (https://digidle.com/category/ai-editors/)
- Tags: cli, agent, open-source
- Where It Runs: Terminal on macOS, Windows and Linux. VS Code companion extension, plus JetBrains and Zed through ACP. Preinstalled in Google Cloud Shell.
- Models: Gemini models, through a Code Assist license or a paid Gemini API or Vertex AI key.
- Free Option: None anymore. Free and Google AI Pro/Ultra access moved to Google's Antigravity CLI on June 18, 2026.
- Pricing: Comes with Gemini Code Assist: Standard $19 per user a month on a 12-month term, $22.80 monthly, with 1,500 CLI and agent requests a day. Enterprise is $45 on a 12-month term, $54 monthly, with 2,000. Or a paid API key at API rates.
- Official site: https://geminicli.com
- Listing: https://digidle.com/tools/gemini-cli/ (Markdown: https://digidle.com/tools/gemini-cli.md)
- Alternatives: https://digidle.com/alternatives/gemini-cli/

### Cursor

- What it is: AI coding agent and VS Code-based editor with codebase-aware chat, autocomplete and agent mode.
- Category: AI Editors & Agents (https://digidle.com/category/ai-editors/)
- Tags: editor, agent
- Where It Runs: Its own VS Code-based editor, plus a CLI. Cloud agents start on Premium.
- Models: Plus runs Grok models only. Premium and up add third-party models, billed separately at API list price.
- Free Option: Free plan with limited agent and chat requests.
- Pricing: Plus $8/mo (Grok models only), Premium $30/mo with 4x the usage, Super $100/mo, Ultra $200/mo. Teams from $30 per user a month. Plans also include Grok and X features.
- Official site: https://cursor.com
- Listing: https://digidle.com/tools/cursor/ (Markdown: https://digidle.com/tools/cursor.md)
- Alternatives: https://digidle.com/alternatives/cursor/

Pricing and plan details checked 2026-10-29 on the official pages: Gemini CLI on GitHub (https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli), Gemini CLI quotas (https://geminicli.com/docs/resources/quota-and-pricing), Gemini CLI to Antigravity CLI (https://developers.googleblog.com/an-important-update-transitioning-gemini-cli-to-antigravity-cli/), Code Assist pricing (https://cloud.google.com/products/gemini/pricing), Code Assist quotas (https://developers.google.com/gemini-code-assist/resources/quotas), Cursor pricing (https://cursor.com/pricing). Plans change, so confirm before you buy.

## Which one to pick

- Pick Gemini CLI if: You work in the terminal and your org already pays for Gemini Code Assist, or you want Gemini on a paid key.
- Pick Cursor if: You want chat, autocomplete and an agent in one editor, with a free plan to start.

## On these best-of lists

- [AI coding agents](https://digidle.com/best/ai-coding-agents/)

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Source: Digidle Tools (https://digidle.com/). Full index: https://digidle.com/llms.txt