Best First Coder Alternatives in 2026
The top First Coder alternatives are Baidu Comate, Tongyi Lingma and Tencent CodeBuddy: 15 AI coding assistant extensions for VS code our editors would look at instead of First Coder, in our ranking order.
First Coder: A free VS Code extension that brings Bedrock-powered chat and completions into the editor. Where it falls short: requires AWS bedrock access and account credentials.
Switching from First Coder? For most ai coding assistant extensions for vs code buyers the best First Coder alternative is Baidu Comate, built for teams wanting a broad IDE assistant. On a budget, GitHub Copilot starts at $10/user/mo.
Why People Look for a First Coder Alternative
- Requires AWS Bedrock access and account credentials
- AWS usage charges may apply separately
- Limited to Visual Studio Code
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallBaidu Comate9.3
Teams wanting a broad IDE assistant
Visit Baidu Comate - Lowest priceGitHub Copilot8.9
Paid plans from $10/user/mo
Visit GitHub Copilot - Best free optionBaidu Comate9.3
Has a free plan
Visit Baidu Comate
All 15 First Coder Alternatives, Ranked
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. How we rank.
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Best forTeams wanting a broad IDE assistant
- Better than First Coder:
- Editor score 9.3 vs 5.1
A broad IDE assistant spanning completions, agents, testing and multi-file edits.
9.3/10★★★★★Visit Baidu Comate -
Best forDevelopers needing project-aware agent workflows
- Better than First Coder:
- Editor score 9.2 vs 5.1
A broad coding toolkit for developers who want project-aware assistance and agent tasks.
9.2/10★★★★★Visit Tongyi Lingma -
Best forTeams seeking broad IDE coverage and agent features
- Better than First Coder:
- Editor score 9.1 vs 5.1
A cross-IDE coding assistant combining project-aware completion, chat, and coding agents.
9.1/10★★★★★Visit site -
Best forVS Code users wanting a mature, widely integrated tool
- Better than First Coder:
- Editor score 8.9 vs 5.1
A broad VS Code coding assistant, with a free tier and paid plans from $10 per month.
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit GitHub Copilot -
Best forEnterprise teams using CodeArts and agent workflows
- Better than First Coder:
- Editor score 8.8 vs 5.1
A CodeArts-centered assistant with agent workflows, indexing, and a free edition.
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit Huawei Cloud -
Best forTeams delegating complex coding tasks from VS Code
- Better than First Coder:
- Editor score 8.6 vs 5.1
Delegate coding tasks from VS Code, with codebase context, terminal access, and cloud work.
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit OpenAI Codex -
Best forDevelopers wanting open-source, configurable agent tooling
- Better than First Coder:
- Editor score 8.5 vs 5.1
A configurable coding agent with project context, multi-file edits, and broad model choice.
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit Cline -
Best forDevelopers who prefer open-source terminal agents
- Better than First Coder:
- Editor score 8.4 vs 5.1
An open-source terminal agent for code changes, reviews, and scripted workflows.
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Qwen Code -
Best forEnterprise teams needing private deployments and controls
- Better than First Coder:
- Editor score 8.3 vs 5.1
Completions, chat, and coding agents for teams that need flexible deployment.
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Tabnine -
Best forDevelopers wanting model choice and long-running agents
- Better than First Coder:
- Editor score 8.2 vs 5.1
Qoder pairs code assistance with multi-step agents, indexed search, and selectable models.
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Qoder -
Best forTeams wanting open-source agents and cloud workflows
- Better than First Coder:
- Editor score 8.1 vs 5.1
A flexible coding assistant with free access, model choice, and paid team controls.
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit Kilo Code -
Best forTeams prioritizing indexed code and workflow automation
- Better than First Coder:
- Editor score 8.0 vs 5.1
Codebase indexing, agents, and workflow tools, with paid plans starting at $20 per month.
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Augment Code -
Best forEnterprise teams needing codebase-aware assistance
- Better than First Coder:
- Editor score 7.9 vs 5.1
Codebase-aware chat, completion, editing, and debugging for enterprise teams.
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Sourcegraph -
Best forTeams needing multi-repo agents and test workflows
- Better than First Coder:
- Editor score 7.8 vs 5.1
Multi-repo agents and test workflows, with paid plans starting at $45 per user monthly.
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit Zencoder -
Best forDevelopers wanting free completion across many IDEs
- Better than First Coder:
- Editor score 7.7 vs 5.1
Free code completion, chat and code help across a wide range of IDEs.
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit CodeGeeX
First Coder Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to First Coder?
Baidu Comate: #1 in our AI Coding Assistant Extensions for VS Code ranking, with an editor score of 9.3 out of 10. A broad IDE assistant spanning completions, agents, testing and multi-file edits.
Is there a free alternative to First Coder?
Yes. Baidu Comate, Tongyi Lingma, Tencent CodeBuddy, GitHub Copilot and Huawei Cloud CodeArts Agent have a free plan or a free tier (11 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
What is the cheapest paid alternative to First Coder?
Of the alternatives here that publish a price, GitHub Copilot starts lowest, at $10/user/mo.
Why do people look for First Coder alternatives?
Requires AWS Bedrock access and account credentials; AWS usage charges may apply separately; Limited to Visual Studio Code.
How do I switch from First Coder?
Export your data from First Coder (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel First Coder.
How to Switch from First Coder
- Export your data from First Coder (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel First Coder.
First Coder vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Codebase context | Inline completions | Model choice | Editor chat | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | First Coder | Yes | None | Yes | Yes | Multiple | Yes | 5.1 |
| 1 | Baidu Comate | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | 9.3 |
| 2 | Tongyi Lingma | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | 9.2 |
| 3 | Tencent CodeBuddy | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | 9.1 |
| 4 | GitHub Copilot | Yes | $10/user/mo | — | — | — | — | 8.9 |
| 5 | Huawei Cloud CodeArts Agent | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | 8.8 |
| 6 | OpenAI Codex | No | — | — | — | — | — | 8.6 |
| 7 | Cline | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | 8.5 |
| 8 | Qwen Code | — | None | — | — | — | — | 8.4 |
| 9 | Tabnine | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8.3 |
| 10 | Qoder | Yes | $20/mo | — | — | — | — | 8.2 |
| 11 | Kilo Code | Yes | $15/user/mo | — | — | — | — | 8.1 |
| 12 | Augment Code | No | $20/mo | — | — | — | — | 8.0 |
| 13 | Sourcegraph Cody | No | — | — | — | — | — | 7.9 |
| 14 | Zencoder | Yes | $45/user/mo | — | — | — | — | 7.8 |
| 15 | CodeGeeX | Yes | None | — | — | — | — | 7.7 |
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update