Pyyan / Compare / Claude Code vs Codex vs Cursor
Claude Code vs Codex vs Cursor
3 of 5Agentic Tools · verified 24 Sept 2026
| Specification | Claude Code | Codex | Cursor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | Terminal agent with per-subagent model control. | Holds the Terminal-Bench record. | Market leader for day-to-day development. |
| Surface | CLI + IDE + web | CLI + cloud | IDE |
| Price | — | — | $20/mo |
| Subagents | Yes | No | — |
| Category | Agentic Tools | Agentic Tools | Agentic Tools |
| Official | Anthropic ↗ | OpenAI ↗ | Cursor ↗ |
Highlighted rows are where these differ.
Claude Code
- Built as an agent, not an assistant
- Discovers and reads files unprompted
- Strongest on multi-file reasoning
Best for autonomous work.
Cursor
- VS Code foundation
- Owned by SpaceX since 14 August 2026, an all-stock deal valued at $60bn
Best for daily driver.