Cursor vs sideOS
Cursor and sideOS are both AI assistants tools. Cursor is aimed at developers and small businesses, while sideOS is aimed at freelancers and developers. Only Cursor has a free plan.
AI-first code editor with agents, now owned by SpaceX
Voice-driven Mac agent in the notch with local dictation and meetings
| Pricing | Freemium · $8 | Paid |
| Starting price | $8/mo | Not published |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Built for | Developers, Small businesses, Enterprise, Freelancers | Freelancers, Developers, Small businesses |
| Platforms | macos, windows, linux, web | macos |
| Country | US · 2022 | — |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Cursor if
Professional developers and engineering teams who want an AI agent built into the editor rather than bolted on.
- Agent workflow is among the most mature in any code editor
- Familiar VS Code interface with near-zero migration effort
- Fast, accurate Tab completion that many developers rate above rivals
Look elsewhere if: Developers who want Tab completion inside JetBrains or Vim, or teams that need predictable flat pricing for Claude and GPT models (GitHub Copilot, Claude Code).
Choose sideOS if
Mac professionals who want a private voice agent, dictation and meeting notes in one app they pay for once.
- One-time licence with all future updates and no subscription
- No account and no sideOS server between you and the model
- Dictation and meeting transcription stay on the Mac
Look elsewhere if: Windows or mobile users and teams that need shared meeting notes or admin controls (Granola, Raycast).
Cursor vs sideOS pricing
Cursor
- Free$0Limited agent and chat requests
- Plus$8/moShared Grok, Cursor and X pool; Grok models only
- Premium$30/mo4x Plus usage, cloud agents, Bugbot code reviews
- Super$100/mo15x Plus usage, priority model access at peak times
- Ultra$200/mo50x Plus usage, earliest access to new models
sideOS
- Lifetime licence$89.90One-time; one Mac at a time, every future update included
- AI model usageVariesPaid to your own provider, about 2 to 5 cents per command
Cursor · Key features
- Tab autocomplete that predicts multi-line edits and the next cursor jump
- Agent mode that edits many files and runs terminal commands
- Cloud agents that work on tasks in parallel in remote sandboxes
- Bugbot automated code review on GitHub pull requests
- Codebase indexing so chat and agents understand the whole repo
- Project Rules, skills and MCP servers to shape agent behavior
Cons
- Third-party models such as Claude and GPT cost extra at API prices
- Plus plan only offers Grok models
- Pricing has changed repeatedly, including a 2025 backlash over Pro limits
sideOS · Key features
- Hold-to-talk agent that reads the screen, clicks, types and runs AppleScript
- On-device dictation into any app in 62 languages at no extra cost
- Meeting recording for Zoom, Meet and Teams with on-device Whisper and speakers
- Background tasks with web search, file access and approved shell commands
- Reminders that can complete a task before they fire
- One-click MCP connections for Gmail, Calendar, Notion, Slack and GitHub
Cons
- Apple Silicon Macs with macOS 14 or later only
- Agent use adds API costs unless you run a local model
- No free trial or refund window stated on the site
Cursor vs sideOS: FAQ
Do Cursor and sideOS have a free plan?
Cursor has a free plan. sideOS has no free plan.