Zed

Zed is a minimal code editor for developers who want editing, Git, debugging, and AI tools in one desktop workspace. It suits individual programmers and teams that value flexible AI connections and built-in collaboration. Its free plan is useful, but prediction limits and Pro’s usage-based overage can complicate the cost of regular AI use.

Overview

Zed brings editing, native Git operations, debugging, remote development, language-server support, and collaboration together across Linux, macOS, and Windows. Multi-cursor and column editing plus macro recording provide practical tools for changing code efficiently; the built-in debugger and Git operations can keep routine work in the editor. Hundreds of extensions add language support, themes, and more.

AI is not tied to a single provider: supported options include Amazon Bedrock, Anthropic, GitHub Copilot, Google AI, and OpenAI, among others. Users can also connect API keys or external agents. That choice is a strength for developers with an established AI setup, while hosted usage on Pro requires watching the included token allowance.

Key features

Editing and development: Multi-cursor editing, column editing, macro recording, language-server support, a built-in debugger, and remote development make Zed more than a basic text editor.

Git: Staging, committing, pulling, pushing, and viewing diffs are built in, keeping common version-control tasks close to editing.

AI flexibility: Edit predictions, API keys, external agents, and multiple hosted providers let users choose how to incorporate AI. Personal allows unlimited API-key or external-agent use, but limits accepted edit predictions to 2,000.

Collaboration and administration: Teammates can chat, code together, and share screens and projects. Business adds organization controls, governance, billing visibility, and role-based access controls; admins can restrict hosted models, disable edit predictions, and lock data-sharing settings.

Business has no minimum seat count and is open to organizations of any size. However, SSO, SAML, and SCIM are planned rather than currently available, a material gap for teams that need those identity features now.

Pricing

Personal — $0 forever: A sensible starting point for individual use, with 2,000 accepted edit predictions and unlimited AI use through API keys or external agents. The prediction cap makes it less suitable for anyone who depends heavily on Zed’s included predictions.

Pro — $10 a month: Includes unlimited edit predictions and $5 of tokens. Usage above the included $5 is billed at API list price plus 10%, so the monthly price is a starting point rather than a cap for hosted AI use.

Pro Free Trial — free: Runs for 14 days or until its $5 balance is used, whichever comes first. It includes unlimited accepted edit predictions and $5 of GPT-5.6 Luna usage, with no credit card required. The balance condition can end the trial before 14 days.

Business — $30 a month: Adds organization controls, governance, billing visibility, and role-based access controls. Order forms are available at 25+ seats; no minimum seat count applies to the plan. Choose it for those team controls, but not if SSO, SAML, or SCIM is a present requirement.

Platforms

Zed runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows, covering the main desktop platforms. It supports extensions, remote development, and language servers.

Who it's for

Zed is a strong fit for developers seeking one desktop editor for code changes, everyday Git work, debugging, and optional AI assistance. Personal suits experimentation and API-key or external-agent workflows; Pro fits individuals who want unlimited edit predictions and can monitor token overages. Teams that need collaboration and organization controls can consider Business, while organizations requiring SSO, SAML, or SCIM should look elsewhere for now.

Pros and cons

Pro: Git operations, a debugger, remote development, and language-server support sit alongside editing, reducing the need to split routine development work across tools.

Pro: Multiple hosted providers plus API-key and external-agent support give developers meaningful choice in AI setup.

Pro: Business permits organizations of any size and gives admins controls over hosted models, predictions, and data sharing.

Con: Personal’s 2,000 accepted edit predictions may constrain frequent users of that feature.

Con: Pro’s $5 token inclusion does not cap spending; additional usage incurs API list price plus 10%.

Con: SSO, SAML, and SCIM are not currently available, limiting Business for teams that require them.

Alternatives

For a free editor choice, compare Neovim, which is free under the Apache 2.0 license with Vim-licensed exceptions and runs across a wider set of platforms, including Android and self-hosted environments. CodeDroid is another free option, with no paid plans or usage limits stated and support for mobile, web, and desktop platforms. Visual Studio Code is free and runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, and the web.

IntelliJ IDEA is worth considering for Java and Kotlin: its core functionality is free, while an Ultimate subscription costs $100 a year. Micro is a free option for readers who want a single static binary with no dependencies. VSCodium is another free editor for Linux, macOS, and Windows.

Devin Desktop may suit readers looking for a coding tool with agents: its free plan has a light coding quota and limited model availability, while inline edits and Tab completions are unlimited; Pro costs $20 a month. NumenText is a free, open-source terminal IDE for Linux, macOS, Windows, and self-hosted environments.

Browse Code editors and Text Editors for broader comparisons, or see Pair Programming Software for collaboration-focused options. Developers looking for language-specific tools can compare Go IDEs, Rust IDEs, and PHP IDEs.

Verdict

Choose Zed if you want a desktop code editor that combines capable editing, built-in Git and debugging, flexible AI connections, and teammate collaboration. Its free Personal plan makes it approachable, but heavy users of accepted predictions may prefer Pro, and hosted AI use can push the bill above $10 a month. Teams should weigh Business’s controls against the current absence of SSO, SAML, and SCIM.