Codex vs Cursor

Codex is OpenAI's coding agent, with a CLI, an IDE extension and a cloud agent inside ChatGPT. Cursor is an AI code editor with its own agent, a choice of models from several vendors, and cloud agents that run on Cursor-managed VMs. Both are cloud coding agents that keep working after you close your laptop and come back with changes for you to review.

The biggest difference is the product around the agent. Codex is part of a ChatGPT plan and runs OpenAI models only, and its cloud tasks start from ChatGPT, the CLI or the mobile app. Cursor is an editor plan: the cloud agent sits next to the editor, can drive a full desktop to test what it changed, and can use Cursor, Grok, Claude, GPT or Gemini models.

If you already pay for ChatGPT and want OpenAI models, choose Codex: its cloud agent is included from $20 a month. If you want an editor with the agent built in, more model choice or GitLab support, choose Cursor, from $30 a month for cloud agents.

At a glance

What is Codex?

Codex is OpenAI's coding agent. It runs on the web, in the CLI, in the IDE extension and on iOS and is included in ChatGPT plans; locally you can also use it with an API key at API rates.

Codex cloud is the cloud agent, under Work in > Cloud in ChatGPT. Each cloud task runs in a VM started from a published cloud environment, which Codex prepares by inspecting your GitHub repositories, installing dependencies and testing the workflow. You start tasks from ChatGPT on the web or desktop, the mobile app or codex cloud exec, and Enterprise workspaces can delegate from Slack or Teams with @ChatGPT. You review changed files and test results, then commit or open a pull request, or apply the diff locally with codex apply.

What is Cursor?

Cursor is an AI code editor. Its cloud agents, formerly called Background Agents, run the editor's agent in isolated VMs in the cloud with full development environments. Each VM is an Ubuntu machine with a desktop the agent can drive, so it can test the running app and attach screenshots, videos and logs to the pull request. You can take over the remote desktop, and the agent tries to fix CI failures on its own PRs with GitHub Actions.

You start a cloud agent from the editor, cursor.com/agents, the iOS app, @cursor in Slack, Linear or a GitHub or Bitbucket comment, the API or Automations.

Key differences

Models

Codex runs OpenAI models only, and the cloud agent requires a ChatGPT sign-in, not an API key. Cursor's cloud agents use a curated selection of models: Cursor and Grok models from your plan's weekly pool, plus Claude, GPT, Gemini and others at API list price on Premium and above, with your own API keys allowed. If you want OpenAI's agent on OpenAI's models, Codex is the direct route. If you want to pick a vendor per task, Cursor offers more.

Setting up the cloud environment

Codex sets up the environment for you: it installs dependencies, tests the workflow and saves the result as a script you review and publish. Codex cloud also supports Tailscale for private networks and short-lived cloud credentials through OIDC. Cursor offers agent-led setup, a saved snapshot, or a Dockerfile, and builds run the install step in the background so agents start from the last successful build. Both let the agent do the setup work, and Cursor adds the Dockerfile route for teams that already have one.

Testing what it built

Cursor's VMs include a full desktop with computer use, so the agent can click through a UI and attach a recording to the PR. Codex cloud lists computer and browser use as not yet supported. On the other hand, Codex publishes its VM sizes (2 vCPUs and 8 GiB of RAM on Plus, 4 vCPUs and 16 GiB on Pro, Business and Enterprise) and keeps each task's VM state, including uncommitted changes, for up to seven days. Cursor doesn't publish its default VM size.

Source control and team surfaces

Codex cloud works with GitHub; GitLab and self-hosted GitHub Enterprise Server are on its not-yet-supported list. Cursor's cloud agents work with GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket and Azure DevOps. Cursor also takes tasks from Slack, Linear and GitHub or Bitbucket comments on plans with cloud agents, while Codex's Slack and Teams delegation is for Enterprise workspaces.

Pricing compared

As of October 2026, Codex cloud is included in ChatGPT Plus at $20 a month, Pro from $100 a month and Business at $25 per user per month billed monthly ($20 billed annually). Cloud tasks share the plan's usage with local messages and may use more of it, and you can buy credits beyond the limits. Cursor's cloud agents need Premium at $30 a month or higher (Super $100, Ultra $200), or a Teams seat at $30, $100 or $200 per month. They draw on the plan's weekly usage pool at the selected model's rate, and third-party models are billed at API list price.

For one developer, the cheapest plan with a cloud agent is $20 a month for Codex and $30 a month for Cursor. For a team of five on monthly billing, ChatGPT Business is 5 × $25 = $125 a month and Cursor Premium seats are 5 × $30 = $150 a month.

When to choose Codex

• You already pay for ChatGPT, or want OpenAI's models with OpenAI's agent.
• You want a cloud agent at $20 a month.
• You want the agent to prepare and test the cloud environment, with Tailscale or OIDC access to private systems.
• You work from the terminal or ChatGPT more than from an editor.

When to choose Cursor

• You want an AI code editor with the cloud agent built in.
• You want to choose between Cursor, Grok, Claude, GPT and Gemini models, or bring your own keys.
• You want the agent to test UI changes on a desktop and attach screenshots and videos.
• Your code is on GitLab, Bitbucket or Azure DevOps.

Run Codex from Slack

If your team wants to hand work to an agent in Slack, OpenComputer runs Codex, and Claude Code, in its cloud and opens pull requests from a Slack thread. It does not run Cursor's agent. It can sign in with your existing ChatGPT subscription, and each Slack workspace gets one cloud Linux machine where every thread works on its own branch. See OpenComputer vs Codex cloud and OpenComputer vs Cursor.

FAQ

Is Codex or Cursor better?

It depends on what you want around the agent. Codex is the simpler pick if you already pay for ChatGPT and want OpenAI models, with a cloud agent from $20 a month. Cursor is the better fit if you want an editor with the agent built in, more model choice or GitLab support.

Can I use Codex inside Cursor?

Cursor's own agent can use OpenAI GPT models at API list price on Premium and above. That is Cursor's agent, not Codex. Codex itself is a separate tool with its own CLI, IDE extension and cloud agent, billed through ChatGPT or an API key.

Do Codex and Cursor run in the cloud?

Both have cloud agents. Codex cloud runs each task in an OpenAI VM inside ChatGPT. Cursor cloud agents run on Cursor-managed Ubuntu VMs with a desktop. Each also has a local tool: the Codex CLI and IDE extension, and the Cursor editor.

How much do Codex and Cursor cost?

As of October 2026, Codex cloud is included in ChatGPT Plus at $20 a month and Business at $25 per user per month billed monthly. Cursor cloud agents need Premium at $30 a month or a Teams seat from $30 a month. Cursor's Free and Plus plans don't include cloud agents.

Sources

• Codex cloud
• Codex cloud environments
• Codex pricing
• Cursor cloud agents
• Cursor cloud agent setup
• Cursor cloud agent capabilities
• Cursor pricing