Zed
Fast Rust-based code editor with multiplayer collaboration and agentic AI coding.
Zed is a strong pick for developers who prioritize editor speed and want flexible AI integration without being locked into a single provider. If you live in VS Code's extension ecosystem or need enterprise SSO today, hold off. For Rust, TypeScript, and Python devs who value native performance, Zed is worth trying.
Verified 7d ago · liveness 88/100 · cite: rightaichoice.com/tools/zed
- Developers who demand low-latency editing and native-speed performance
- Teams needing built-in real-time collaboration for pair programming
- Privacy-conscious users who bring their own API keys
- Vim enthusiasts looking for a modern editor with first-class Vim mode
- Developers heavily reliant on the mature extension ecosystem of VS Code
- Teams that require SSO/SAML/SCIM today (planned but not available)
- Users seeking cloud-based AI without managing keys or usage fees
We scan live Reddit threads, YouTube comments, X posts, G2 reviews and other communities — and hand you an honest verdict in under a minute.
- Honest verdict, not marketing
- Real pros & cons from real users
- Attributed quotes with receipts
3 free scans · no card needed
Skip Zed if you rely on a vast extension ecosystem like VS Code's or need enterprise SSO/SAML/SCIM today, since those are still missing.
Pro plan includes only $5 of tokens monthly; beyond that, you're billed at API list price +10%, which can add up fast for heavy AI usage.
Free Personal tier is generous for solo devs; Pro at $10/mo is cheaper than Cursor's $20/mo and includes $5 of tokens. Business at $30/seat is comparable to JetBrains but lacks AI credits.
In short
Zed — Fast Rust-based code editor with multiplayer collaboration and agentic AI coding. Best for Developers who demand low-latency editing and native-speed performance, Teams needing built-in real-time collaboration for pair programming, Privacy-conscious users who bring their own API keys. Free to start; paid plans from $10/mo.
What's new in Zed
Checked 7 days agoAcross the latest 3 updates: 2 feature updates and 1 launch.
Zed 1.17.2
Adds CSV/TSV/PSV/SSV previews with sorting/filtering, new Git blame/stash actions, and lower memory use for large files.
Introducing Delta
Launches Delta, a multiplayer environment for coding with agents, from the creators of Zed.
Sandboxing to restrict agent terminal and fetch tools
Zed now supports sandboxing to restrict what agents can do while using terminal and fetch tools.
What people actually say about Zed — is it worth it?
We ran a structured research pass across product reviews, community discussions, and post-purchase forum threads to surface the patterns vendors won't publish themselves. Below: the recurring strengths, the hidden costs people mention most, and the cohort that consistently regrets adopting this tool.
101 mentions across 7 sources (Hacker News, YouTube, Product Hunt, App Store, Stack Overflow, GitHub, Lemmy) · researched Aug 24, 2026.
Average across the 7 sources that answered — each source counts once, not each post.
- +Exceptionally fast startup and low latency, GPU-accelerated rendering
- +Parallel AI agents with sandboxing and terminal access control
- +Built-in real-time collaboration for pair programming
- +Great Vim mode with surround pairs and multi-cursor search
- +Strong Git integration with staged/unstaged grouping now added
- −Git info can get out of sync with external changes
- −No support for dev containers or remote development
- −Blurry font rendering on LoDPI displays
- −LSP setup requires manual configuration for some languages
- −Small extension ecosystem compared to VS Code
- • Additional costs for AI usage if you use Zed-hosted models beyond included credits
- • Potential costs for running your own API keys depending on usage
Viability Score
How well maintained and how widely used is Zed? Built from what the vendor actually publishes (docs, changelog, tutorials, integrations, pricing), whether the site is live, and how much real users discuss it. How we calculate this
Last calculated: September 2026
How we score →Key Features
- Native Rust core with GPU acceleration
- Parallel AI agents for editing and navigation
- Real-time multiplayer collaboration with cursor sharing
- Built-in terminal with Terminal Threads
- Git integration with Git Panel and blame/stash actions
- Vim mode with surround pairs and multicursor search/replace
- LSP support for code intelligence
- Agent sandboxing to restrict terminal and fetch tools
- Undo/redo for file operations
- DeltaDB version control preserving agent conversations
- Bring your own API keys: Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Bedrock, Copilot, etc.
- CSV/TSV/PSV/SSV previews with sorting and filtering
- Configurable Agent Panel fonts
- Available on macOS, Linux, and Windows
About Zed
Zed is a minimal, open-source code editor written from scratch in Rust, engineered for speed and built around collaboration with both humans and AI. It leverages multiple CPU cores and your GPU to deliver native-speed performance, making it a strong choice for developers who are tired of sluggish editors. With built-in multiplayer collaboration, you can chat, share your screen, and follow cursors in real time. The editor supports macOS, Linux, and Windows, and its weekly releases keep it evolving. Zed's AI capabilities are a major draw. You can run parallel agents that edit files, navigate code, and execute terminal commands at native speed. For AI access, Zed offers flexibility: bring your own API keys from providers like Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Amazon Bedrock, GitHub Copilot, and more, or use Zed-hosted models with usage-based billing. The free trial gives you $20 of token credits to test the waters. Recent releases added agent sandboxing to restrict terminal and fetch tools, undo/redo for file operations, and Terminal Threads for parallel terminal sessions. For teams, the Business plan adds org-wide admin controls, including AI model policies, data governance, and unified spend visibility. SSO, SAML, and SCIM are planned but not yet available. Zed's extension ecosystem is growing, though not as large as VS Code's. It's particularly well-suited for developers who want low latency, native performance, and AI deeply integrated into their editing workflow. Zed positions itself as "your last next editor," and its focus on speed and collaboration makes it a compelling alternative to VS Code or JetBrains for those who value native performance and are willing to manage their own AI keys.
Behind the Verdict
Zed earns its reputation with a Rust-based core that feels instant, and the collaboration features are genuinely useful for pair programming. The AI agent panel is a standout: you can run parallel agents that edit files, navigate code, and execute terminal commands, and you can bring your own keys from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, and more. That flexibility means you're not tied to a single provider. Recent updates like agent sandboxing and Delta's multiplayer environment show steady innovation. However, the extension ecosystem is thin compared to VS Code's, and enterprise features like SSO/SAML/SCIM are still on the roadmap. The Business plan doesn't bundle AI credits, so teams need to plan for token usage. If you live in VS Code's plugin world or need enterprise-grade access control today, wait. But if you value native performance, deep AI integration, and don't mind managing keys, Zed is a compelling daily driver.
Researching Zed? Get your full AI stack in 60 seconds.
Free, no signup — tell us your goal and get tools matched to your budget & existing stack.
Real-world workflow fit
Concrete scenarios for the personas Zed actually fits — and what changes day-one when you adopt it.
You start with Zed Personal, bring your own OpenAI key, and use the Agent Panel to refactor a large codebase.
Outcome: You complete refactoring in parallel with agents, with each file edit tracked in DeltaDB.
You upgrade to Pro for unlimited edit predictions and invite your team to collaborate in real-time on a shared project.
Outcome: You pair program with cursor following and use Terminal Threads for parallel debugging.
You purchase Business seats to enforce org-wide AI model policies and monitor spend across the team.
Outcome: You control which models are allowed, lock data sharing, and get unified spend visibility.
Use Cases
- Refactoring large codebases with parallel AI agents across multiple files
- Pair programming with real-time cursor following and project sharing
- Debugging with terminal agents (e.g., Claude Code) in a sidebar thread
- Bringing your own API keys to use your preferred LLM provider
- 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 2026-08-31
Limitations
- Zed's personal plan is free forever with 2,000 accepted edit predictions, while Pro at $10/month offers unlimited edit predictions and $5 of tokens included with usage-based billing beyond.
- Business at $30 per seat per month does not bundle AI credits; you can use Zed-hosted AI at standard usage rates or bring your own API keys from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, and others.
- Business seats do not include a free trial, and order form contracts are available at 25+ seats.
as of 2026-08-30
Verification history
We have re-verified Zed 17 times since . Each pass re-reads the vendor's own pages and re-checks every listed field against that evidence; passes where nothing had changed are marked as such.
- — re-verified summary, description, our verdict, our analysis, pricing model, pricing tiers, features, integrations, who it suits, who should skip it
- — re-verified summary, description, our verdict, our analysis, pricing model, pricing tiers, features, integrations, who it suits, who should skip it
- — re-verified summary, description, our verdict, our analysis, pricing model, pricing tiers, features, integrations, who it suits, who should skip it
- — re-verified summary, description, our verdict, our analysis, pricing model, pricing tiers, features, integrations, who it suits, who should skip it
- — re-verified summary, description, our verdict, our analysis, pricing model, pricing tiers, features, integrations, who it suits, who should skip it
- — re-verified summary, description, our verdict, our analysis, pricing model, pricing tiers, features, integrations, who it suits, who should skip it
Showing the 6 most recent of 17 verification passes.
Free to cite with attribution — this page re-verifies continuously.
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 developer who wants a fast free editor and is fine using their own API keys without AI extras.
What this tier adds
Free entry point with 2,000 accepted edit predictions per month; unlimited use with your own API keys.
Pro
$10/mo (2-week free trial with $20 token credits)
Ideal for
Active developer who wants unlimited edit predictions and hosted AI models without managing keys.
What this tier adds
Adds unlimited edit predictions, $5 of tokens included, and usage-based billing beyond.
Business
$30/seat/mo
Ideal for
Teams needing org-wide AI governance, data controls, and unified billing across seats.
What this tier adds
Starting tier with admin controls, but no AI credits bundled and no free trial.
Where the pricing makes sense
The company stage and team size where Zed's pricing actually pencils out — and where peers do it cheaper.
Free Personal tier is generous for solo devs; Pro at $10/mo is cheaper than Cursor's $20/mo and includes $5 of tokens. Business at $30/seat is comparable to JetBrains but lacks AI credits.
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.
Personal: download and start coding in under 5 minutes. Pro: add billing and API keys in ~10 minutes. Business: org setup and policy config in ~30 minutes.
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 settings and keybindings, follow the official guide, and install language extensions.
- ↗To VS Code: export settings, and manually reinstall extensions; there's no automated export.
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
Redirecting...
Full product docs from zed.dev
Tutorials & Learning
Official links
Tools that pair well with Zed
Common stack mates teams adopt alongside Zed, with the specific reason each pairing earns its keep.
Alternatives to Zed
View all
Frequently Asked Questions
Categories
Best-of guides
Used Zed? Help shape our editorial sentiment research.