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Head-to-head · Integrated Development Environments

Eclipse IDE vs Qt Creator

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 6 checks side by side
Higher score Eclipse IDE #6 in Integrated Development Environments 8.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 5 features Visit Eclipse IDE
Qt Creator #7 in Integrated Development Environments 8.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 5 features Visit Qt Creator

Eclipse IDE leads on 0 checks, Qt Creator on 0, and 6 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 6 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreEclipse IDE · 8.9/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresQt Creator · 5 of 5

Eclipse IDE scores higher on our rubric for integrated development environments: 8.9 against 8.8 out of 10; our editors rank them #6 and #7.

Eclipse IDE is the better fit for free Java and C/C++ development. Qt Creator is the better fit for qt and cross-device C++ teams.

  • Eclipse IDE fits best

    Free Java and C/C++ development

  • Qt Creator fits best

    Qt and cross-device C++ teams

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Side by side

Feature Eclipse IDE 8.9/10 Visit ↗ Qt Creator 8.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.9 8.8
Ranking #6 in Integrated Development Environments #7 in Integrated Development Environments
Best for Free Java and C/C++ development Qt and cross-device C++ teams
Pricing model Free Free plan + paid
Starting price Free plan €546/user/yr
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Desktop Desktop
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux Windows, macOS, Linux
Support Tickets, Community, Docs Docs
Integrations 6 integrations 15 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Eclipse IDE 3/5 · Qt Creator 5/5
Integrated debugger ✓ ✓
Integrated testing tools ✓ ✓
Build tools ✓ ✓
Project management Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Dev container support Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Specs
Supported operating systems Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Free and open source on Windows, macOS, and Linux
  • Integrated debugging, JUnit testing, Git, Maven, and build tools
  • Extensible plug-in architecture for varied development workflows
  • Supports C++, QML, project management, builds, debugging, and testing
  • Works across Windows, macOS, and Linux
  • Covers desktop, mobile, embedded, and remote-device deployment
Cons
  • Its verified feature breadth is below top commercial IDEs
  • Core project management capabilities are not established here
  • Dev container support is not established as a core capability
  • Paid application development starts at €546 per user per year
  • Paid prices cover Qt licenses that include Qt Creator
  • Its broadest value is tied to Qt-centered development workflows
Our verdict

Eclipse IDE is a free, open-source desktop development environment maintained by the Eclipse Foundation. It is aimed at developers working with Java, C, and C++, as well as teams that need an extensible environment for plug-in development.…

Read the review →

Qt Creator is a cross-platform integrated development environment for building desktop, embedded, and mobile applications with Qt. It supports C++, QML, and Python workflows, with project creation and management, code editing, build…

Read the review →
  1. Eclipse IDEIntegrated Development Environments 8.9Free plan
  2. Qt CreatorIntegrated Development Environments 8.8Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Eclipse IDE — where it wins

    • Free and open source on Windows, macOS, and Linux
    • Integrated debugging, JUnit testing, Git, Maven, and build tools
    • Extensible plug-in architecture for varied development workflows

    Where it doesn't

    • Its verified feature breadth is below top commercial IDEs
    • Core project management capabilities are not established here
    • Dev container support is not established as a core capability

  • Qt Creator — where it wins

    • Supports C++, QML, project management, builds, debugging, and testing
    • Works across Windows, macOS, and Linux
    • Covers desktop, mobile, embedded, and remote-device deployment

    Where it doesn't

    • Paid application development starts at €546 per user per year
    • Paid prices cover Qt licenses that include Qt Creator
    • Its broadest value is tied to Qt-centered development workflows

More comparisons

All integrated development environments comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update