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Flintr vs Zed
Zed is written from scratch in Rust and draws its interface on the GPU. Flintr is built on Code OSS, the open-source base of VS Code. That one choice decides most of the trade-offs: speed and a lean editor on one side, the VS Code extension ecosystem on the other.
The short answer
Choose Zed if you want the fastest native editor, built-in collaboration and a free plan for your own API keys. Choose Flintr if you rely on VS Code extensions, want Tab completions on the free plan, and want usage beyond your plan at list price with no markup.
Choose Flintr if
- You depend on VS Code extensions, themes or keybindings and don't want to replace them
- You want Tab completions on the free plan
- You want usage beyond your plan at the provider's list price, with no markup
- You want several plans on one account, with each project pinned to one
- You're moving from Cursor, VS Code or Windsurf and want your setup imported
Choose Zed if
- You need something you can use today. Flintr is still in development
- Speed matters most: Zed is native and GPU-rendered, not Electron
- You pair-program a lot and want collaboration built in
- You want a free editor for your own API keys, or external agents like Claude Agent and Codex
- Pro at $10 a month covers what you need
Side by side
Where they differ, and where they don't.
| Feature | Flintr | Zed |
|---|---|---|
| Maker | Independent, funded by backers | Zed Industries |
| Availability | In development, private beta for backers | Available now |
| Built on | Code OSS, the base of VS Code | Native, written in Rust |
| Extensions | VS Code extensions from Open VSX | Zed's own extensions |
| Free plan | 2,000 Tab completions a month | Free with your own API keys |
| Paid plan | Pro $20 with $20 of usage | Pro $10 with $5 of tokens |
| Usage beyond your plan | Provider list price, no markup | List price plus 10% |
| Spend cap | Hard cap, falls back to fast models | Monthly limit that stops usage |
| Real-time collaboration | ||
| macOS, Windows and Linux |
Swipe sideways to see every column.
Details about Zed come from its public pricing and documentation, checked in October 2026, and may change. Prices are in US dollars per month. Flintr plans are planned prices. Zed is a trademark of Zed Industries. Flintr is not affiliated with Zed Industries.
Worth knowing
Zed in October 2026.
Native or Code OSS
Zed isn't an Electron app: it draws its own interface on the GPU. Flintr uses Code OSS, so it runs VS Code extensions, themes and keybindings, at the cost of Electron's memory use.
Edit predictions left Zed's free plan
Since 7 October 2026, Zed's hosted edit predictions need Pro, Student or Business. Free users can switch to another provider, such as GitHub Copilot, or run Zed's open model, Zeta, themselves.
Usage pricing
Zed Pro includes $5 of tokens a month and bills more at list price plus 10%, up to a spend limit you set. Flintr bills usage beyond your plan at list price with no markup.
Sources, checked October 2026
FAQ
Flintr vs Zed, answered.
Is Zed free?
Yes. The editor is free, including AI with your own API keys and external agents. Zed's hosted models and edit predictions need Pro ($10 a month) or Business ($30 a seat).
Do VS Code extensions work in Zed?
No. Zed has its own extension system, with hundreds of extensions for languages and themes. Flintr is built on Code OSS, so VS Code extensions from Open VSX work as they are.
Is Flintr as fast as Zed?
No. Flintr is built on Code OSS and runs on Electron, like VS Code and Cursor. Zed is native and GPU-rendered, so it starts faster and uses less memory.
Can I bring my own API keys to both?
Yes. Both editors work with your own keys from the model providers.
More comparisons: Flintr vs Cursor, Flintr vs Windsurf, Flintr vs GitHub Copilot, Flintr vs Claude Code. See them all side by side.
Your editor. Your models. Your bill.
Flintr is in development and funded by the people who'll use it. Back the launch from €5, or from €25 to get into the private beta.
Coming to macOS 12+ · Windows 10+ · Linux (deb, rpm, AppImage)