Best C++ IDEs in 2026
Updated
In short: Qt Creator is ranked #1 of 22 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of CLion and Arm Keil MDK. The best-ranked option with a free plan is CLion. The lowest first paid tier on this page is CLion at $10.90/mo.
For C++ work, the right IDE depends on your build process, target environments and debugging needs. Compare build systems, compiler toolchains and debugging scope, then consider remote development and supported platforms. A built-in profiler may matter for performance analysis; free-plan availability and paid starting prices help frame cost. The ranking opens with Qt Creator and CLion, with Arm Keil MDK and Visual Studio among the options that follow. PlatformIO IDE and SlickEdit are also included. Use the listed criteria to weigh how each environment fits the way you develop and the platforms you need to support.
22 c++ IDEs ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
#1 Qt Creator Top pick · 8.0 Free plan · Free
#2 CLion Runner-up · 7.5 Free plan · $10.90/mo
#3 Arm Keil MDK Also great · 7.4 Free plan · $99/mo
- Free planFree trial AndroidiOSLinuxmacOSWebWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedPlatformsFree planFree trial - Free planFree trial LinuxmacOSWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedPlatformsFree planFree trial$10.90/mofirst paid tier About CLionVisit site - Free plan apiextensionLinuxmacOSWebWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedPlatformsFree planFree trial$99/mofirst paid tier About Arm Keil MDKVisit site - Free planFree trial Windows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Paid from
- 45 /user/mo
RecognisedDocumentedPlatformsFree planFree trial - Free plan LinuxmacOSWebWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedPlatformsFree planFree trial - Free plan LinuxmacOSWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedPlatformsFree planFree trial - Free plan extensionLinuxmacOSself-hostedWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedPlatformsFree planFree trial$20.75/mofirst paid tier About PlatformIO IDEVisit site - Free trial LinuxmacOSWindows
- Free plan
- No
- Supported platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi
- Build systems
- CMake; integrated custom project build tools
- Compiler toolchains
- GNU; Clang
- Debugging scope
- both
RecognisedDocumentedPlatformsFree planFree trial$125/mofirst paid tier About SlickEditVisit site - Free plan LinuxmacOSWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedPlatformsFree planFree trial - Free plan LinuxmacOSWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedPlatformsFree planFree trialFree About CS+Visit site - Free plan LinuxmacOSWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedPlatformsFree planFree trial - Free plan LinuxmacOSWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedPlatformsFree planFree trial - Free plan LinuxmacOSWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedPlatformsFree planFree trial - LinuxmacOSWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Supported platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux
RecognisedDocumentedPlatformsFree planFree trial - WindowsmacOSLinux
- Free plan
- Yes
- Supported platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux
- Build systems
- GNU make
- Compiler toolchains
- GNU Arm Embedded Compiler, Arm compiler, IAR Embedded Workbench, LLVM ARM
- Debugging scope
- local
RecognisedDocumentedPlatformsFree planFree trial - WindowsmacOSLinux
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedPlatformsFree planFree trial - LinuxmacOSWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Supported platforms
- macOS, Windows, Linux
- Build systems
- CMake, Bazel, Make, Autotools, and custom build systems that can generate compilation database entries
- Compiler toolchains
- Clang; GCC-compatible compilers can be queried for their default configuration; documentation also describes Bear support for GCC, Clang, MSVC, and cross, embedded, and HPC compilers
RecognisedDocumentedPlatformsFree planFree trial - Windows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Supported platforms
- Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10
- Build systems
- Make; Makefile creation
- Compiler toolchains
- MinGW/GCC, Cygwin, TDM-GCC, other GCC-based compilers
- Debugging scope
- local
RecognisedDocumentedPlatformsFree planFree trial - Windows
- Free plan
- No
RecognisedDocumentedPlatformsFree planFree trial - WindowsLinuxRecognisedDocumentedPlatformsFree planFree trial
- LinuxmacOSWindows
- Free plan
- No
RecognisedDocumentedPlatformsFree planFree trial - WindowsLinux
- Free plan
- No
RecognisedDocumentedPlatformsFree planFree trial
Is your tool on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which c++ IDE is ranked first on Specifiction?
Qt Creator is ranked #1 of 22 with a score of 8.0. CLion is second and Arm Keil MDK third.
How many of these have a free plan?
12 of the 22 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, CLion has the lowest first paid tier we found: $10.90/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes, the fullest spec sheet first: how deeply the product is documented, the platforms it runs on, a free tier or trial to test it, and its standing. Paid placements never change a rank.