Short answer: keep one paid coding surface as the default. Copilot if you want inline completions in the editor you already use. Cursor if you want an AI-native IDE. Claude Code if the job is terminal/agent work on a repo. Paying for two or three for the same weekly job is overlap.
The split
- GitHub Copilot: completions and chat inside VS Code / JetBrains / GitHub.
- Cursor: AI-first editor. Test Composer on a real multi-file change.
- Claude (Claude Code): terminal agent for repo-scale tasks. Confirm current bundling on Anthropic plan pages. Claude Code is a workflow, not a separate directory listing.
45-minute protocol
- Pick one real bugfix or small feature from your repo.
- Run it in Copilot, Cursor, and Claude Code on the plan you actually pay for (or trial).
- Score first-output acceptance, edit burden, and whether you needed extra repo access.
- Read training and retention terms before annual billing.
- Keep one primary. Add a second only if it owns a different weekly job.
Related: Cursor vs Copilot, team rollout checklist, Cursor vs GitHub Copilot.
If you already pay for two coding seats, use Premium coding shortlist and stack audit. 7-day trial; code LAUNCH50 for 50% off the first paid month (new users).