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Brand ComparisonAI coding

Best AI Coding Assistants 2025

Best AI Coding Assistants 2025: GitHub Copilot, Cursor, and tools changing programming. Are developers being replaced? Job market impact.

Key Findings

Which brand leads in AI visibility and mentions.

GitHub dominates AI visibility outpacing Cursor with massive growth

677AI mentions analyzed
6AI Apps tested
5different prompts evaluated
Last updated:Nov 15, 2025

AI Recommendation

Brands most often recommended by AI models

GitHub

Top Choice

6/6

Models Agree

Popularity Ranking

Overall ranking based on AI brand mentions

GitHub

Rank #1

2/2

Total Analyzed Answers

Trending Mentions

Recent shifts in AI model responses

Node.js

Rising Star

45.8%

Growth Rate

Brand Visibility

Analysis of brand presence in AI-generated responses.

AI Visibility Share Rankings

Brands ranked by share of AI mentions in answers

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AI Visibility Share Over Time

Visibility share trends over time across compared brands

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github
jetbrains
vs code
tabnine
chatgpt

Topics Compared

Key insights from AI Apps comparisons across major topics

"Which AI is better: code completion or full IDE assistance?"

Full IDE assistance is generally favored over code completion alone due to its comprehensive support and integration capabilities, as perceived across most AI models.

chatgpt
chatgpt

ChatGPT shows a stronger inclination towards full IDE assistance with higher visibility for tools like Cursor (6.6%) and JetBrains (4.5%), suggesting a preference for comprehensive development environments over standalone code completion tools like Copilot (0.1%). Its tone is positive, emphasizing robust ecosystem integration.

deepseek
deepseek

Deepseek appears neutral, with balanced visibility for both code completion tools like Tabnine (2.5%) and full IDE solutions like JetBrains (2.8%) and VS Code (2.8%), indicating no clear preference but acknowledging the utility of both approaches.

gemini
gemini

Gemini leans towards full IDE assistance, giving notable visibility to Cursor (2.5%) and JetBrains (2.4%) over narrower tools like Amazon CodeWhisperer (0.1%), with a positive tone highlighting user experience and broader functionality.

grok
grok

Grok demonstrates a slight favor for full IDE assistance, with comparable visibility for VS Code (2.2%) and JetBrains (2.1%) against code completion tools like Tabnine (1.9%), maintaining a neutral-to-positive tone focused on practical developer needs.

perplexity
perplexity

Perplexity tilts towards full IDE assistance, prioritizing JetBrains (2.7%) and Cursor (2.5%) over standalone completion tools like Tabnine (1.9%), with a positive tone centered on adoption patterns and ecosystem support.

google
google

Google's data is inconclusive due to minimal visibility shares (0.1% across all brands) and low question volume, showing a neutral tone with no discernible preference for either code completion or full IDE assistance.

"Which is better: GitHub Copilot or Cursor?"

GitHub Copilot appears to have a slight edge over Cursor based on visibility and model perceptions, primarily due to its higher recognition and association with broader developer ecosystems.

gemini
gemini

Gemini shows equal visibility for GitHub (2.7%) and Cursor (2.7%), indicating a neutral stance with no explicit favor. Its sentiment tone is neutral, focusing on balanced representation in developer tools without deeper reasoning for preference.

chatgpt
chatgpt

ChatGPT exhibits a strong bias toward GitHub (9% visibility) with no mention of Cursor, suggesting a preference for GitHub Copilot due to its established presence in coding ecosystems. The sentiment tone is positive for GitHub, emphasizing its adoption among developers.

grok
grok

Grok assigns equal visibility to both GitHub (2.7%) and Cursor (2.7%), reflecting a neutral perception without favoring one over the other. Its sentiment tone is neutral, lacking specific reasoning to differentiate their utility or user experience.

perplexity
perplexity

Perplexity slightly favors GitHub (3.1%) over Cursor (2.7%) in visibility, indicating a mild preference for GitHub Copilot due to its wider recognition in coding communities. The sentiment tone is neutral to slightly positive for GitHub, with no critical insights on Cursor.

deepseek
deepseek

Deepseek gives equal visibility to GitHub (2.7%) and Cursor (2.7%), but also mentions 'Copilot' explicitly (0.1%), hinting at a marginal lean toward GitHub Copilot due to direct association. The sentiment tone is neutral to slightly positive for GitHub Copilot, lacking critical evaluation of Cursor.

google
google

Google shows minimal visibility for GitHub (0.1%) and no mention of Cursor, suggesting a weak, contextually irrelevant perception of both in relation to the question. The sentiment tone is neutral, with no meaningful data to assess preference for either tool.

"Which AI coding assistant gives better ROI for the price?"

GitHub Copilot emerges as the leading AI coding assistant for ROI based on visibility share and perceived ecosystem integration across models. Its consistent high visibility, especially in ChatGPT's analysis, underscores its value for the price among developers.

gemini
gemini

GitHub Copilot holds the highest visibility share at 2.8%, suggesting a slight favor for its recognition and adoption among developers for coding assistance. The tone is neutral, focusing on visibility without explicit value judgment.

deepseek
deepseek

GitHub Copilot again leads with a 3.1% visibility share, indicating strong recognition as a coding assistant, likely due to its integration and user base; sentiment remains neutral with an emphasis on presence over direct ROI assessment.

perplexity
perplexity

GitHub Copilot and Tabnine tie at 3.1% visibility share, with a neutral tone reflecting equal recognition, though the model does not delve into specific ROI benefits, focusing purely on exposure metrics.

chatgpt
chatgpt

GitHub Copilot dominates with a 9.6% visibility share, far surpassing others, indicating a strong positive sentiment for its perceived effectiveness and integration in coding environments, directly correlating to better ROI for the price.

grok
grok

GitHub Copilot leads with a 3.0% visibility share, with a neutral-to-positive tone suggesting reliability and community adoption, though ROI is indirectly inferred through visibility rather than explicit cost-value analysis.

google
google

GitHub Copilot ties with others at a low 0.3% visibility share, reflecting a neutral-to-skeptical tone due to limited data and focus, with no clear indication of ROI or preference for any specific coding assistant.

"Which AI coding tool is better for junior vs senior developers?"

GitHub emerges as the leading AI coding tool for both junior and senior developers across most models due to its consistent high visibility and strong ecosystem support.

chatgpt
chatgpt

ChatGPT strongly favors GitHub with a 7.6% visibility share, highlighting its robust community and extensive resources ideal for juniors needing guidance and seniors seeking collaboration. Its tone is positive, emphasizing GitHub’s versatility alongside tools like Tabnine (7.3%) for code completion.

perplexity
perplexity

Perplexity also prioritizes GitHub with a 3.3% visibility share, focusing on its broad accessibility for all skill levels, though its limited dataset suggests a cautious, neutral tone. It overlooks specialized tools, indicating a focus on mainstream platforms for general use.

deepseek
deepseek

Deepseek leans toward GitHub and Tabnine equally (both at 2.7%), valuing GitHub for its ecosystem suitable for seniors and Tabnine for AI-driven assistance beneficial to juniors, with a positive tone. It balances community-driven and AI-powered tools as complementary.

gemini
gemini

Gemini favors GitHub (2.4%) for its collaborative features appealing to seniors, while noting VS Code (1.5%) for its lightweight usability for juniors, with a neutral-to-positive tone. Its focus is on practical integration within coding environments.

grok
grok

Grok highlights GitHub, VS Code, Tabnine, and Cursor (each around 1.9%) with a positive tone, praising GitHub and VS Code for user-friendly interfaces for juniors and AI tools like Tabnine for seniors’ productivity. It emphasizes a diverse toolset accommodating varied experience levels.

google
google

Google shows minimal engagement with a 0.1% visibility share for GitHub and others, adopting a neutral-to-skeptical tone due to limited data. Its perception lacks depth, offering little insight into preferences for junior or senior developers.

"Which AI coding tool is better for different programming languages?"

GitHub emerges as the leading AI coding tool across most models due to its consistently high visibility share and perceived versatility across programming languages.

grok
grok

Grok favors GitHub with a visibility share of 2.7%, highlighting its broad utility across multiple programming languages, supported by a positive sentiment tone emphasizing its ecosystem strength. Its focus on tools like JetBrains (2.4%) also suggests a preference for robust development environments.

deepseek
deepseek

Deepseek prioritizes GitHub (2.5%) and Tabnine (2.5%) equally, with a neutral sentiment tone indicating balanced utility for various coding needs. It perceives GitHub as a versatile platform and Tabnine as a strong AI coding assistant across languages.

chatgpt
chatgpt

ChatGPT strongly favors GitHub (9.3%) and Tabnine (8.8%), with a positive sentiment tone rooted in their widespread adoption and user-friendly interfaces for diverse programming languages. It also highlights VS Code (6.7%) as a key tool, underscoring accessibility and integration.

perplexity
perplexity

Perplexity leans toward GitHub (3.3%) with a positive sentiment tone, citing its community support and applicability across programming languages. Cursor (2.8%) also gains attention for its emerging role in AI-assisted coding environments.

gemini
gemini

Gemini supports GitHub (2.5%) as a leading tool with a neutral-to-positive sentiment tone, focusing on its compatibility with multiple languages and strong community ecosystem. It also notes VS Code (1.8%) as a user-friendly option for diverse coding tasks.

google
google

Google shows no clear favorite due to a uniform low visibility share (0.1%) across all tools, including GitHub, with a neutral sentiment tone. Its limited data suggests a lack of strong bias or deep insight into specific language support.

FAQs

Key insights into your brand's market position, AI coverage, and topic leadership.

What is the best AI coding assistant in 2025?

GitHub Copilot (Microsoft/OpenAI) and Cursor are the top two. Copilot integrates into VS Code, costs $10/month ($100/year), and is the most popular with 1M+ paid users. It's great for autocomplete and generating simple functions. Cursor is a full IDE built around AI - it can understand entire codebases, refactor large files, and chat about your code. Cursor costs $20/month and is preferred by serious developers for complex projects. Other contenders: Tabnine (privacy-focused), Codeium (free), Amazon CodeWhisperer, and Replit Ghostwriter. Most developers use multiple tools.

Are AI coding assistants replacing developers?

Junior developers are getting crushed, senior developers are becoming more productive. The harsh reality: entry-level coding jobs have disappeared. Companies that used to hire junior devs for basic tasks now use AI. Bootcamp graduates can't find jobs because AI writes the code they would have written. However, senior developers who use AI are 2-5x more productive - they focus on architecture and problem-solving while AI handles boilerplate. The market is splitting: AI made mediocre coders obsolete while making great developers superhuman. If you're learning to code now, you must be AI-native from day one or you're competing with free AI that works 24/7.

Can AI write production-quality code?

AI can write decent code for common tasks but struggles with complex architecture, security, and edge cases. Copilot is amazing for boilerplate, CRUD operations, and standard algorithms. It fails at: novel algorithms, optimizing performance, understanding business logic, security considerations, and debugging complex issues. The code AI generates often works but isn't maintainable or scalable. Real-world experience: AI writes code that passes tests but has subtle bugs discovered months later. Senior developers use AI to speed up routine tasks but review everything carefully. Shipping AI-generated code without human oversight is asking for disasters.

Should I learn to code in 2025 with AI tools?

Yes, but differently than before. Don't just learn syntax - AI handles that. Learn: problem decomposition, system design, debugging, understanding business requirements, and judging code quality. Use AI from day one but understand what the AI generates. The dangerous path: copying AI code without understanding it. You become dependent and can't solve problems when AI fails. The smart path: use AI to speed up learning by generating examples, but always understand the logic. Companies want developers who can architect solutions and work with AI tools, not developers who just copy-paste AI output. The bar is higher now: you need to be good enough that AI enhances you rather than replaces you.

Is using AI coding assistants cheating or learning?

It's a tool, like StackOverflow was - but way more powerful. The debate: purists say learning with AI creates developers who can't code without help. Pragmatists say refusing AI is like refusing Google. The truth is nuanced: using AI to learn faster is smart. Using AI to avoid learning is career suicide. For students: use AI to understand concepts and see implementations, but code solutions yourself to build muscle memory. For professionals: use AI aggressively to ship faster. The industry moved on - companies expect you to use AI tools. Interviews are getting harder because AI raised the baseline. Everyone can write basic code now, so you need to be exceptional at higher-level skills.

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