Alternatives to VSCodium
VS Code builds without Microsoft telemetry
VSCodium ranks #10 of 11 in Code editors, with an Alt Score of 40. It is licensed under MIT, free and available on Windows, macOS and Linux. 6 of 12 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
Developers who want the Visual Studio Code experience but prefer freely-licensed, telemetry-free software without Microsoft branding or tracking.
Community-built binaries compiled from Microsoft's open-source 'Code - OSS' repository under the MIT license, with Microsoft's telemetry and branding stripped out. You get the same core VS Code editor and interface, but configured to use the community-maintained Open VSX Registry for extensions instead of Microsoft's Marketplace. Builds are available for Windows, macOS, and Linux across multiple architectures.
Download and install the VSCodium build for your platform (or via a package manager like Homebrew, Chocolatey, or Flatpak), then use it like VS Code—opening folders, editing code, and installing extensions from Open VSX. Settings and extensions can largely be migrated from an existing VS Code setup.
Why people leave VSCodium
Dashed reasons are sourced facts; the rest are opinions. Vendors can dispute.
Sign in to add a reason — new reasons go through moderation before appearing.
Ranked alternatives
Ordered by Alt Score. Click any score to see the breakdown.
Feature comparison
How VSCodium compares with its alternatives, feature by feature.
| Code editors checklist | VSCodium | VS Code | Zed | Emacs | Cursor | Devin Desktop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ||||||
| Live share / pair programming | ||||||
| Startup speed class | ||||||
| Memory footprint class | ||||||
| Vim/Emacs keybindings |
Every fact and feature listed for VSCodium is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
-
License MIT verified 2026-07-11
MIT License
https://github.com/VSCodium/vscodium/blob/master/LICENSE -
Pricing model Free verified 2026-07-11
Free/Libre Open Source Software Binaries of Visual Studio Code
https://github.com/VSCodium/vscodium/blob/master/README.md -
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux verified 2026-07-11
- [x] macOS (`zip`, `dmg`) macOS 12 or newer x64 - [x] macOS (`zip`, `dmg`) macOS 12 or newer arm64 - [x] GNU/Linux x64 (`deb`, `rpm`, `AppImage`, `snap`, `tar.gz`) - [x] GNU/Linux arm64 (`deb`, `rpm`
https://github.com/VSCodium/vscodium/blob/master/README.md#supported-platforms -
Status active verified 2026-07-11
2026-07-07T13:01:09Z""
datetime=
https://github.com/VSCodium/vscodium/releases/tag/1.126.04524 -
Language server (LSP) support Yes verified 2026-07-11
- [clangd](https://open-vsx.org/extension/llvm-vs-code-extensions/vscode-clangd) for full featured editing (including IntelliSense)
https://github.com/VSCodium/vscodium/blob/master/docs/extensions-compatibility.md#cc -
Debugger built in Yes verified 2026-07-11
- [Native Debug](https://open-vsx.org/extension/webfreak/debug) for Debugging with GDB + LLDB Note that there are many working debugging extensions and specialized ones including for microcontroll
https://github.com/VSCodium/vscodium/blob/master/docs/extensions-compatibility.md#cc -
AI code completion Partial verified 2026-07-11
Unlike Visual Studio Code, in VSCodium, Copilot features are disabled and not configured.
https://github.com/VSCodium/vscodium/blob/master/docs/ext-github-copilot.md -
Remote / SSH development Partial verified 2026-07-11
### Remote Development - [Open Remote - SSH](https://open-vsx.org/extension/jeanp413/open-remote-ssh) (SSH server must be configured with the setting `AllowTcpForwarding yes`.)
https://github.com/VSCodium/vscodium/blob/master/docs/extensions-compatibility.md#remote -
Extensions marketplace Yes verified 2026-07-11
It uses Open VSX for extensions by default instead of the Visual Studio Marketplace
https://github.com/VSCodium/vscodium/blob/master/docs/getting-started.md#basic-usage -
Live share / pair programming No verified 2026-07-11
- [Live Share](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=MS-vsliveshare.vsliveshare)
https://github.com/VSCodium/vscodium/blob/master/docs/extensions-compatibility.md#incompatibility
FAQ
Yes. VS Code, Zed and Emacs have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.
VS Code, Zed and Emacs — every license claim links its source.