Gray vs Cursor: agent harness or AI editor?

Last updated

Short answer

Choose Cursor if you want a complete AI-first editor — a VS Code fork with autocomplete, inline diffs and agent mode in a GUI. Choose Gray if you want a minimal open-source terminal harness on any provider that works beside whatever editor you already use.

GrayCursor
What it isMinimal, always-on AI harness: one Rust binary, open source (MIT)Proprietary AI-first code editor (a VS Code fork) by Anysphere
InterfaceTerminal REPL and headless mode; Discord and other apps through pluginsDesktop editor: autocomplete, inline edit, agent mode and background agents
Source / licenseOpen source (MIT)Proprietary, closed source
ModelsAny OpenAI-compatible provider with your own API key; local models through Ollama; Claude Pro/Max and ChatGPT plans through official pluginsCursor's own model plus a curated set of frontier models behind its plans
Runs 24/7Yes — the gateway runs Gray as a user service, with cron and app connectionsDesigned for interactive editing; background agents run on Cursor's infrastructure
PriceFree (MIT); you pay your model provider. Hosted Voyager plan $77/month, not yet openFree Hobby tier; paid plans (Pro, Ultra) for heavier use

Is Gray an alternative to Cursor?

Only partly — they're different categories. Cursor replaces your editor; Gray is a terminal agent harness that runs beside any editor. People who leave Cursor usually want terminal-first tools like Gray, Claude Code, Aider or OpenCode, or want to stop paying for a closed tool.

Can I keep my editor and still use an AI agent?

Yes. Gray runs in the terminal next to any editor, so you keep your setup and add an agent instead of switching IDEs. In-editor options that keep your current editor include Cline and Continue for VS Code and JetBrains.

When should you choose Cursor instead?

Choose Cursor if you want one polished package — editor, completions and agent in a GUI — and don't mind proprietary software with plan-gated models.

Sources

Competitor details are taken from the sources above as of the date at the top of this page. Products change quickly — if something here is out of date, open an issue on GitHub.