Alternatives to PyCharm
JetBrains' Python IDE
PyCharm ranks #6 of 10 in IDEs, with an Alt Score of 81. It is licensed under Apache-2.0, freemium from €109/year (PyCharm Pro, personal, first year) and available on Windows, macOS and Linux. 11 of 12 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
Python developers, from students to professional engineers, who want a full-featured IDE for application, web, or data-focused development.
An IDE with intelligent code completion, error detection, and refactoring tools tailored to Python; an integrated debugger and test runner; built-in support for web frameworks like Django and Flask; and tooling for scientific and data work including Jupyter notebook integration and package/environment management. It's distributed as a single product with free (Community) and paid (Professional) editions.
You open or create a project, and PyCharm indexes the code to power completion, navigation, and inspections as you write. From there you run and debug code, execute tests, and manage virtual environments and dependencies directly within the IDE.
Why people leave PyCharm
Dashed reasons are sourced facts; the rest are opinions. Vendors can dispute.
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Ranked alternatives
Ordered by Alt Score. Click any score to see the breakdown.
Feature comparison
Rows come from the IDEs checklist (16 rows). Human-verified cells only. ? means the value has not been verified.
| IDEs checklist | PyCharm | Visual Studio | CLion | NetBeans | Rider | WebStorm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | ||||||
| Starts at | ||||||
| License | ||||||
| Platforms | ||||||
| Language server (LSP) support | ||||||
| Debugger built in | ||||||
| Git integration | ||||||
| AI code completion | ||||||
| Remote / SSH development | ||||||
| Extensions marketplace | ||||||
| Refactoring tools | ||||||
| Integrated terminal | ||||||
| Profiler built in | ||||||
| Database tools built in | ||||||
| Free tier / community edition | ||||||
| Startup speed class |
Every fact and feature listed for PyCharm is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
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Pricing model Freemium verified 2026-07-11
Its core functionality, including Jupyter Notebook support, will be free, and a Pro subscription will be available with additional features.
https://blog.jetbrains.com/pycharm/2025/04/unified-pycharm/ -
Starts at €109/year (PyCharm Pro, personal, first year) verified 2026-07-11
prices": {"personal": {"yearly": ["\u20ac109.00", "\u20ac87.00", "\u20ac65.00"]"
https://www.jetbrains.com/pycharm/buy/ -
License Apache-2.0 verified 2026-07-11
OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE SUBJECT TO THE APACHE 2.0 LICENSE (AVAILABLE HERE: https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0).
https://github.com/JetBrains/intellij-community/blob/master/LICENSE.txt -
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux verified 2026-07-11
Windows 10, 11
https://www.jetbrains.com/help/pycharm/installation-guide.html -
Status active verified 2026-07-11
Pyrefly LSP Integration with Type Engine in PyCharm 2026.1.2
https://blog.jetbrains.com/pycharm/2026/05/pyrefly-lsp-integration-in-pycharm-2026-1-2/ -
Language server (LSP) support Partial verified 2026-07-11
The LSP enables language servers to provide code intelligence features, such as: Code completion Information on hover (for example, quick documentation) Go to definition and other actions Error checki
https://blog.jetbrains.com/pycharm/2026/05/pyrefly-lsp-integration-in-pycharm-2026-1-2/ -
Debugger built in Yes verified 2026-07-11
The purpose of the debugger is to interfere with the program execution and provide you with the information on what's happening under the hood.
https://www.jetbrains.com/help/pycharm/debugging-code.html -
Git integration Yes verified 2026-07-11
PyCharm automatically detects if Git is installed on your computer.
https://www.jetbrains.com/help/pycharm/set-up-a-git-repository.html -
AI code completion Yes verified 2026-07-11
Code completion – autocomplete single lines and entire blocks of code, ensuring adherence to your coding style and naming conventions.
https://www.jetbrains.com/help/pycharm/ai-assistant-in-jetbrains-ides.html -
Remote / SSH development Yes verified 2026-07-11
SSH connection from a local machine into a remote server or vice versa (from an already installed IDE on your server to your local machine).
https://www.jetbrains.com/help/pycharm/remote-development-overview.html -
Extensions marketplace Yes verified 2026-07-11
Use the Marketplace tab to browse and install plugins from JetBrains Marketplace or from a custom plugin repository.
https://www.jetbrains.com/help/pycharm/managing-plugins.html -
Refactoring tools Yes verified 2026-07-11
Refactoring helps you keep your code solid and easy to maintain.
https://www.jetbrains.com/help/pycharm/refactoring-source-code.html -
Integrated terminal Yes verified 2026-07-11
PyCharm includes an embedded terminal emulator for working with your command-line shell from inside the IDE.
https://www.jetbrains.com/help/pycharm/terminal-emulator.html -
Profiler built in Partial verified 2026-07-11
Available only in PyCharm Pro: download to start your free trial and explore the full set of Pro features.
https://www.jetbrains.com/help/pycharm/profiler.html -
Database tools built in Partial verified 2026-07-11
Available only in PyCharm Pro: download to start your free trial and explore the full set of Pro features.
https://www.jetbrains.com/help/pycharm/database-tool-window.html -
Free tier / community edition Yes verified 2026-07-11
PyCharm's core functionality, including Jupyter Notebook support, will be free, and a Pro subscription will be available with additional features.
https://www.jetbrains.com/help/pycharm/unified-pycharm.html
FAQ
Yes. Visual Studio, CLion and NetBeans have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.
NetBeans, Eclipse and IntelliJ IDEA — every license claim links its source.