- Compare
- vs Cursor
Plexus
Plexus runs the Claude Code CLI; Cursor, Copilot in VS Code and Claude Code's IDE extensions put an agent in an editor. Compared on models and billing.
Cursor and the other IDE agents put an agent inside an editor. Plexus works the other way around: it runs the Claude Code CLI in real terminals and adds the parts around it, like the session tree, status, review, git and hooks. It keeps an explorer and editor for quick changes, but it is not trying to be your IDE.
If you are looking at Anthropic's own desktop app, see Plexus vs Claude Code. Claude Code Desktop is the closest neighbour to Plexus and gets its own comparison.
Side by side
Claims about Cursor are from its own documentation and site, linked on each row, and were last checked on . Cursor's website.
| Topic | Plexus | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A desktop app that runs and organizes Claude Code CLI sessions. It has an explorer and editor, but it is not a full IDE. Plexus docs | Cursor is an AI code editor. Its Agents Window is a workspace for agents across repositories and environments: local, cloud, remote SSH and more. Source: cursor.com |
| Platforms | macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel), Windows x64, Linux x86_64. Plexus docs | macOS (ARM64, x64, Universal), Windows (x64, ARM64), Linux (.deb, RPM, AppImage on x64 and ARM64). Source: cursor.com |
| Models and billing | Claude Code with your existing Claude login. No API key. Plexus docs | Cursor's own plans, a free Hobby tier and paid tiers with included usage plus on-demand usage. Source: cursor.com |
| Your own API keys | Not used. Sessions run on your Claude Code login. Plexus docs | Your own Anthropic, OpenAI and other keys work for chat models in the model picker. Tab completion keeps using Cursor's built-in models. Source: cursor.com |
| Parallel agents locally | A git worktree per session, with files copied in, a port block and Create hooks. Plexus docs | Local agents in worktrees, each with its own files and dependencies, set up through .cursor/worktrees.json. Bring results back with /apply-worktree or commit from the worktree. Source: cursor.com |
| Cloud agents | None. Agents run on your machine. Plexus docs | Cloud Agents run in isolated cloud VMs, clone from GitHub, GitLab, Azure DevOps or Bitbucket Cloud, and can be started from the web, the desktop app, the iOS app, Slack, Linear, a GitHub issue or pull request, a Bitbucket pull request and the API. Charged at API pricing for the selected model. Source: cursor.com |
| Issue trackers | GitHub issues, GitHub Projects boards and Plnnrly projects (backlog, board and sprints) as tabs in the app, on a paid plan. Start a local session from any issue or work item, linked to it. Plexus docs | Assign a Linear issue to Cursor, or mention @Cursor in it, to start a Cloud Agent that opens a pull request when it finishes. A Cursor admin connects Linear. Source: cursor.com |
| Review | A PR-style diff with comments sent to the agent, AI review, an unattended review-and-fix cycle and the pull request conversation. Plexus docs | Bugbot reviews every pull request update automatically on GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket and Azure DevOps, with project rules in .cursor/BUGBOT.md. Source: cursor.com |
| VS Code with GitHub Copilot | Runs the Claude Code CLI itself. Plexus docs | VS Code offers several agent harnesses, including Copilot, Anthropic Claude and OpenAI Codex, and can hand tasks to cloud agents that return pull requests. Source: code.visualstudio.com |
| Claude inside VS Code's agents | Your Claude Code login. Plexus docs | Third-party Claude sessions use Anthropic's Claude Agent SDK and authenticate through a GitHub Copilot subscription or your own Claude API key. They can run in a new worktree or in the folder directly. Source: code.visualstudio.com |
| Claude Code's own IDE extension | A separate app next to your editor. Plexus docs | Claude Code installs as an extension in VS Code and Cursor, with multiple conversations in tabs, on a paid Claude subscription or a Console account. Source: code.claude.com |
- You want the agent inside a full editor. Cursor and VS Code are complete IDEs, and their agents work where you already edit.
- You are fine with Cursor's billing, or with an API key. Cursor bills model usage through its own plans or your keys, and offers a choice of models.
- You want agents in the cloud. Cursor's Cloud Agents keep working while you are away, can be started from Slack and Linear, and Bugbot reviews every pull request.
- Your agent is the Claude Code CLI, with its slash commands and your existing login, and you want to organize it rather than switch to a different agent.
- You run many sessions across many repositories. A workspace, project and session tree, a dashboard of every session's state and pull request, and a notification when one needs you.
- You want a review loop before anything is pushed. Comments go straight to the agent, an AI review on demand, and a review-and-fix cycle that runs unattended.
- You want the tracker beside the sessions. A repository's GitHub issues, a GitHub Projects board or a Plnnrly project's backlog, board and sprints in a tab, each item a click away from a local session linked to it (paid plan).
- You want worktree setup automated. Env files copied in, a port block per session, and Create, Run and Teardown hooks at global, workspace and project level.
You can use both. Plexus and your editor work on the same repository, and Plexus puts each session in its own worktree, so the agents stay out of the checkout you are editing.
Try it on
Plexus is free to download for macOS, Windows and Linux. It runs the Claude Code you already have, with your existing login.