Zed
Minimal Rust code editor with parallel AI agents and real-time collaboration.
Zed delivers on its promise of native-speed editing and agentic AI with real-time collaboration. The extension ecosystem is still growing, but for Rust, TypeScript, and Python developers who prioritize performance and privacy, it's worth switching. The bring-your-own-key model is a plus for those who want to avoid vendor lock-in.
Verified 17d ago · liveness 95/100 · cite: rightaichoice.com/tools/zed
- Performance-focused developers who value low-latency editing
- Teams needing built-in real-time collaboration for pair programming
- Rust, TypeScript, and Python developers leveraging LSP
- Privacy-conscious users wanting local AI assistance without cloud dependency
- Developers who rely heavily on a mature extension ecosystem like VS Code's marketplace
- Teams using older hardware that may not benefit from multi-core and GPU optimization
- Organizations requiring SSO/SAML/SCIM today (planned but not available)
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Skip Zed if you need a huge plugin marketplace, enterprise SSO today, or a web-based editor you can run in a browser.
Exceeding 2,000 edit predictions on the Personal plan requires switching to Pro or bringing your own keys.
Zed's Personal plan is free forever, competitive with VS Code. Pro at $10/mo is cheaper than Copilot's $10/mo but includes fewer AI credits; heavy AI users may spend more on overage. Business at $30/seat/mo is comparable to Cursor Business but lacks SSO today.
In short
Zed — Minimal Rust code editor with parallel AI agents and real-time collaboration. Best for Performance-focused developers who value low-latency editing, Teams needing built-in real-time collaboration for pair programming, Rust, TypeScript, and Python developers leveraging LSP. Free to start; paid plans from $10/mo.
What's new in Zed
Checked 5 days agoAcross the latest 10 updates: 5 feature updates and 5 news mentions.
Zed 1.11.3 released
1.11.3 adds Staged/Unstaged Changes multibuffers, Git Graph improvements, and preview pane in project symbols picker.
Hidden Gems: Part 4
Blog post highlighting favorite workflows and hidden features from the Zed team and community.
Software Is Made Between Commits
Announces DeltaDB, a version control system built for agent-based development where conversations are the source.
The Community Champions Program
Introduces program to recognize frequent contributors to Zed.
What GitHub Copilot's Usage-Based Billing Means for Zed Users
Explains impact of Copilot's billing change on Zed users who use Copilot via Zed.
Terminal Threads Are Live in Zed
Announces live terminal threads feature in Zed.
Why and How to Run Local Models in Zed
Guide on running local AI models within Zed editor.
Use Your ChatGPT Subscription in Zed
Zed adds support for using ChatGPT subscriptions directly in the editor.
What Anthropic's New Claude Billing Means for Zed Users
Analyzes impact of Anthropic's billing changes on Zed users who use Claude.
Zeta2.1: 3x Fewer Tokens, 50ms Faster
Zed's custom LLM Zeta2.1 reduces token usage by 3x and cuts latency by 50ms.
Viability Score
How likely is Zed to still be operational in 12 months? Based on 4 signals — momentum (how recently it shipped), wrapper dependency, revenue model, and web presence.
Last calculated: July 2026
How we score →Key Features
- Written in Rust for native speed
- GPU acceleration and multi-core CPU support
- Parallel AI agents for editing, navigation, and terminal commands
- Terminal threads (Claude Code, Amp) in sidebar
- Real-time multiplayer collaboration with chat, screen share, and project share
- Built-in terminal and version control (Git)
- Vim mode with surround pairs
- Multicursor support in search and replace
- LSP integration for code intelligence
- DeltaDB version control for agent-driven development
- Extension support with growing ecosystem
- Dark mode toggle
- Worktree creation from sidebar (1.8.2)
- Agent terminal init command (1.8.2)
- Workspace pane reset (1.8.2)
About Zed
Zed is a minimal, high-performance code editor written in Rust that leverages multiple CPU cores and GPU acceleration for blazingly fast editing. Designed for developers who prioritize speed, collaboration, and local-first AI, Zed supports parallel AI agents that can edit files, navigate code, and run terminal commands at native speed. You can bring your own API keys (Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, etc.) or use external agents like Claude Agent and Codex CLI, keeping AI assist private and under your control. Real-time collaboration is built in: chat with teammates, share your screen and project, and code together in multiplayer sessions. The latest 1.8.2 release adds worktree creation from the sidebar, an agent terminal init command, workspace pane reset, and selection actions. Terminal Threads let agents run as sidebar threads for non-blocking workflows. DeltaDB is a new version control system built for agent-driven development, preserving agent conversations alongside code changes. Zed supports Vim mode with surround pairs, multicursor in search and replace, LSP integration for code intelligence, a built-in terminal, Git integration, and an extension ecosystem. It's available on macOS, Linux, and Windows. The Personal tier is free forever, Pro at $10/mo includes unlimited edit predictions and $5 of token credits, and Business at $30/seat/mo adds org-wide AI controls and unified billing. Compared to VS Code, Zed offers dramatically faster native performance and a more integrated AI agent model. Its extension marketplace is smaller, but for developers who value speed, local-first AI, and real-time collaboration, Zed is a compelling daily driver.
Behind the Verdict
Zed is the editor for developers who feel VS Code's Electron foundation is holding them back. Written in Rust and GPU-accelerated, it's genuinely snappy — that's not marketing fluff. The AI integration is thoughtful: you can run parallel agents in side panels, use Terminal Threads for long-running tasks, and everything works locally with your own API keys. Where it excels: team that pair-program or need real-time code sharing. The multiplayer collaboration is seamless — chat, screen share, project share — all built in. Vim mode is first-class, not an afterthought. DeltaDB is a novel approach to version control that preserves agent context, which could be a game-changer for AI-assisted workflows. Where it falls short: extensions. VS Code's marketplace has thousands of plugins; Zed's ecosystem is early. If you rely on niche extensions for your workflow, you may find gaps. Also, SSO/SAML/SCIM are planned but not yet available for Business — larger orgs may need to wait. The AI features require some setup (bring your own keys or pay for Pro), which may not suit everyone. Pricing is reasonable: Personal (free) is fully functional; Pro at $10/mo includes unlimited edit predictions and $5 token credits — usage beyond that bills at API price +10%. Business at $30/seat adds org-wide controls. For most solo devs, Personal with your own keys is the way to go. In practice, Zed is best for developers who can tolerate a smaller extension marketplace in exchange for speed and a more integrated AI agent model. If extensions are your lifeblood, stick with VS Code or try Zed as a secondary editor. But for Rust, TypeScript, and Python work, Zed is seriously fast and the AI agents are genuinely useful.
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Real-world workflow fit
Concrete scenarios for the personas Zed actually fits — and what changes day-one when you adopt it.
Open Zed, clone a repo, and use the Agent Panel (Cmd+Shift+A) to refactor a function across multiple files with a single prompt.
Outcome: Code refactored in seconds with agent-driven parallel edits; no context switching needed.
Share your project with a teammate via the project sharing feature, then collaborate in real-time with cursor following and chat.
Outcome: Seamless remote pair programming session without extra tools.
Use Cases
- Refactoring large codebases with parallel AI agents across multiple files
- Pair programming or ad-hoc collaboration with real-time cursor following
- Debugging by running terminal agents (e.g., Claude Code) in a sidebar thread
- Bringing your own API keys to use your preferred LLM (OpenAI, Anthropic, etc.)
- Customizing themes and keybindings for a personalized workflow
- Using DeltaDB to track agent conversations alongside code changes
- Developing and publishing extensions to extend Zed's capabilities
Models Under the Hood
as of 2026-07-14
Limitations
- Pro plan only includes $5 of tokens; additional usage billed at API list price +10%.
- Business plan does not bundle LLM credits.
- Free trial excludes Claude Opus models.
- SSO/SAML/SCIM are not yet available.
- Zed is desktop-only with no web version.
- The extension ecosystem is smaller than VS Code.
- The free Personal plan has a 2,000 edit prediction cap.
as of 2026-07-02
12-month cost
Project the real annual outlay, including the implied monthly cost when only an annual tier is published.
Vendor list price only. Add-on usage, seat overages, and contract minimums are surfaced under Hidden costs & gotchas.
Plans compared
For each published Zed tier: who it actually fits, and what it adds vs. the previous tier. Cross-reference the cost calculator above for projected annual outlay.
Personal
$0/mo
Ideal for
Solo developers who want a fast, free code editor and are comfortable using their own API keys or disabling AI.
What this tier adds
Free forever; includes 2,000 accepted edit predictions and no hosted AI. Starting tier.
Pro
$10/mo
Ideal for
Individual developers who want unlimited edit predictions and hosted AI without managing their own keys.
What this tier adds
Adds unlimited edit predictions, $5/month token credit, and Zed-hosted AI models. $10/mo.
Business
$30/seat/mo
Ideal for
Teams needing centralized admin controls over AI model policies, data governance, and unified billing.
What this tier adds
Adds org-wide AI model policies, data governance controls, role-based access, and unified spend visibility. $30/seat/mo.
Where the pricing makes sense
The company stage and team size where Zed's pricing actually pencils out — and where peers do it cheaper.
Zed's Personal plan is free forever, competitive with VS Code. Pro at $10/mo is cheaper than Copilot's $10/mo but includes fewer AI credits; heavy AI users may spend more on overage. Business at $30/seat/mo is comparable to Cursor Business but lacks SSO today.
Setup time & first value
How long it actually takes to get something useful out of Zed — broken out by persona, not the marketing-page minute.
Download and open a project in under 2 minutes. AI setup (adding API keys via Settings or visiting LLM providers docs) takes about 5 minutes. Real-time collaboration works instantly once you share a project.
Switching to or from Zed
How to bring data in from common predecessors and how to get it back out — written for the switcher, not the buyer.
- →From VS Code: Import keybindings and settings through the dedicated migration guide. Extensions may need manual replacements as the ecosystem differs.
- ↗To VS Code: Export keybindings manually (no automatic export). Code and project files move directly; settings and extensions must be reconfigured.
Integrations
Resources & Guides
- Quickstartzed.dev
Getting Started | Getting Started with Zed
Get started with Zed, the fast open-source code editor. Essential commands, environment setup, and navigation basics.
- Documentationzed.dev
Overview | AI Code Editor Documentation
Docs for AI in Zed, the open-source AI code editor. Agentic coding, inline edits, AI code completion, and multi-model support.
- Documentationzed.dev
Agent Panel | AI Coding Agent
Use Zed
- Documentationzed.dev
Parallel Agents | Parallel Agents
Run multiple agent threads and terminal threads concurrently using the Threads Sidebar, manage them across projects, and isolate work using Git worktrees.
- Documentationzed.dev
External Agents | Use Claude Agent, Gemini CLI, and Codex in Zed
Run Claude Agent, Gemini CLI, Codex, and other AI coding agents directly in Zed via the Agent Client Protocol (ACP).
- Documentationzed.dev
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Full product docs from zed.dev
Official links
Tools that pair well with Zed
Common stack mates teams adopt alongside Zed, with the specific reason each pairing earns its keep.
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