What each one actually is
Cursor is an IDE: a fork of VS Code whose whole interface is built around AI — Tab autocomplete that predicts your next edit, inline Cmd+K rewrites, a chat sidebar, and an Agent mode that can run commands and edit multiple files. It talks to several model providers, Claude among them, and you pay Cursor a subscription for a bundle of model usage.
Claude Code is an agent, not an editor. It runs in a terminal (or as a panel in VS Code, JetBrains, the desktop app or the web), reads the repository, proposes a plan, edits, runs your tests, reads the failures and iterates, asking permission before anything destructive. It only speaks to Claude models, through Anthropic's API or any endpoint that implements it. There is no autocomplete and no file tree — you describe outcomes.
What Claude Code can do that Cursor can't
- Run headless.
claude -p "..."in a script, a cron job, a CI step or the GitHub Action — the same agent with no window open. Cursor's agent lives inside the editor. - Subagents and agent teams: split a task across specialised workers with their own context windows, defined in
.claude/agents/. - Hooks: shell commands that fire before and after tool calls, on prompt submit or on stop — lint every edit, block dangerous commands, notify on completion. Deterministic, not prompt-based.
- Skills and plugins: reusable procedures loaded on demand, and a marketplace of them.
- MCP as a first-class citizen:
claude mcp addconnects databases, browsers, ticket trackers and your own tools; resources become @-mentions. - Project memory in CLAUDE.md that the agent maintains, plus
/compactto keep long sessions affordable. - Point it anywhere:
ANTHROPIC_BASE_URLswaps the backend in one variable, so it runs on a gateway, a proxy or an enterprise endpoint unchanged.
What Cursor does that Claude Code doesn't
- Tab completion and inline edits while you type — Claude Code has no keystroke-level assistance at all.
- A visual diff review inside the editor for every change, with accept/reject per hunk (the Claude Code IDE extension does this too, the terminal does not).
- Model choice across vendors in one place; Claude Code is Claude-only by design.
- Codebase indexing and semantic search built into the editor; Claude Code greps and reads instead.
- A single predictable subscription price for light and moderate use.
Pricing: subscription bundle vs metered agent
Cursor is priced per seat per month, with tiers that bundle a quota of model requests and charge for heavy agent use beyond it. Claude Code has no price of its own: it bills whatever is behind it — a Claude Pro/Max subscription with a rolling cap, or the API per token. For a developer who mostly types, Cursor's bundle is usually cheaper. For a developer who mostly delegates long tasks, Claude Code on the API is more capable but more expensive per hour — unless the API behind it is cheaper.
That is where a gateway changes the comparison. Cursor accepts a custom Anthropic-compatible base URL and key in its model settings, and Claude Code reads ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL; the same gateway key serves both, with credits bought at 7.69× face value ($13 for $100 of usage, 87% off) or a flat-rate unlimited plan from $1 for the period. The pricing guide has the arithmetic.
How to use Claude Code in Cursor
The route that always works: open Cursor's integrated terminal and run claude. Cursor is VS Code underneath, so the agent sees the same workspace, and edits it makes appear in the editor immediately with Cursor's own diff view. Keep Cursor's Agent mode for small, interactive changes and hand long, multi-file tasks to Claude Code in the terminal.
export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://aiprimetech.io
export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your_gateway_key
claude # inside Cursor's terminal panelThe Claude Code extension can also be installed into Cursor when your build's extension marketplace carries it, which gives the side panel and inline diffs; if it is not listed, the terminal route loses nothing that matters.
Which one, in one paragraph
If you are choosing one: Cursor for interactive, keystroke-level work across many languages and models; Claude Code for autonomous tasks, automation and anything you would hand to a junior engineer with a brief. If you can have both — and you can, in one window — use Cursor to edit and Claude Code to delegate, on one gateway key.
Frequently asked questions
Is Claude Code better than Cursor?
At autonomous, multi-step work — yes, that is what it is built for. At interactive editing with autocomplete — no, it does not do that at all. They are complementary more than competing.
Can I use Claude Code inside Cursor?
Yes. Run `claude` in Cursor's integrated terminal; the extension also installs where Cursor's marketplace carries it. Both see the same workspace.
Which is cheaper, Claude Code or Cursor?
For light use, Cursor's subscription. For heavy agentic use, Claude Code on discounted API credits or a flat-rate plan; on Anthropic list prices it is the most expensive of the three.
Does Cursor use Claude?
Yes — Claude models are among Cursor's options, and you can point Cursor at an Anthropic-compatible endpoint with your own key.
Run Claude Code on the gateway
Same models, two environment variables, credits at 7.69× face value — or a flat-rate unlimited plan.
Get an API key See unlimited plansAI Prime Tech is an independent API gateway and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Anthropic. “Claude” and “Claude Code” are trademarks of Anthropic. Claude Code features described here follow Anthropic’s public documentation at the time of writing and change frequently; prices and model lists on this page are read from this gateway’s live settings.