IntelliJ IDEA vs Visual Studio

IntelliJ IDEA9.4Visit Visual Studio9.3Visit

Higher score IntelliJ IDEA #1 in Integrated Development Environments 9.4/10 Free plan · 30-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 5 of 5 features Visit IntelliJ IDEA

vs

Visual Studio #2 in Integrated Development Environments 9.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 5 features Visit Visual Studio

• IntelliJ IDEA fits best

  Java and Kotlin teams

• Visual Studio fits best

  Windows-focused .NET and C++ teams

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Side by side

Feature	IntelliJ IDEA 9.4/10 Visit ↗	Visual Studio 9.3/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.4	9.3
Ranking	#1 in Integrated Development Environments	#2 in Integrated Development Environments
Best for	Java and Kotlin teams	Windows-focused .NET and C++ teams
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	Free plan · 30-day trial	$499.92/user/yr
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	30 days	—
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows
Support	Docs	Docs, Community
Integrations	11 integrations	8 integrations
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features IntelliJ IDEA 5/5 · Visual Studio 3/5
Integrated debugger	✓	✓
Integrated testing tools	✓	✓
Build tools	✓	✓
Project management	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Dev container support	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Specs
Supported operating systems	Not checked yet	Windows
Our review
Pros	Deep Java and Kotlin support with completion, refactoring, and inspections Integrated debugging, testing, coverage, and JVM build-tool workflows Docker, Kubernetes, Dev Containers, databases, and remote development tools	Broad support for .NET, C++, Python, JavaScript, and TypeScript Integrated debugging, testing, builds, Git, CI/CD, and containers Free Community plan for eligible individual, student, and open-source use
Cons	Advanced Spring, web, database, profiling, and HTTP tooling requires Ultimate The broad feature set may be more than smaller Java or Kotlin projects need Desktop installation is required on Windows, macOS, or Linux	The IDE itself is supported only on 64-bit Windows Enterprise monthly pricing is $250 per user per month Advanced paid editions add substantial cost beyond Community
Our verdict	IntelliJ IDEA is a desktop integrated development environment from JetBrains for Java and Kotlin software development. It suits professional teams that want code completion, navigation, inspections, refactoring, debugging, testing, build… Read the review →	Visual Studio is Microsoft's full-featured integrated development environment for professional developers and teams. It brings code editing with IntelliSense and extensions together with debugging, testing, project and solution builds, Git… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• IntelliJ IDEA — where it wins

  • Deep Java and Kotlin support with completion, refactoring, and inspections
  • Integrated debugging, testing, coverage, and JVM build-tool workflows
  • Docker, Kubernetes, Dev Containers, databases, and remote development tools

  Where it doesn't

  • Advanced Spring, web, database, profiling, and HTTP tooling requires Ultimate
  • The broad feature set may be more than smaller Java or Kotlin projects need
  • Desktop installation is required on Windows, macOS, or Linux

• Visual Studio — where it wins

  • Broad support for .NET, C++, Python, JavaScript, and TypeScript
  • Integrated debugging, testing, builds, Git, CI/CD, and containers
  • Free Community plan for eligible individual, student, and open-source use

  Where it doesn't

  • The IDE itself is supported only on 64-bit Windows
  • Enterprise monthly pricing is $250 per user per month
  • Advanced paid editions add substantial cost beyond Community

• IntelliJ IDEA9.4/10 · Free plan · 30-day trial

  A full-featured, cross-platform IDE for Java and Kotlin teams.

  Visit IntelliJ IDEAFull verdict →
• Visual Studio9.3/10 · Free plan

  A full-featured Windows IDE for .NET and C++ teams with broad tooling.

  Visit Visual StudioFull verdict →