--- title: Zed canonical: https://saasranked.com/software/zed/ category: Code Editors points: 92 rank: 2 of 12 facts_checked: 2026-10-08 --- # Zed Open-source code editor for Windows, macOS and Linux with a built-in debugger, terminal, git panel and shared projects. 92 points out of 100. #2 of 12 code editors. Vendor: Zed Industries. Website: https://zed.dev/ - The Personal plan is free; Pro costs $10 a month and Business $30 per seat a month [1]. - Source code is licensed mainly under GPL-3.0-or-later, with Apache-2.0 parts [3]. - The stable channel shipped version 1.23.2 on October 7, 2026, after weekly releases through September [12]. - SSH and WSL remote editing work from the Windows app [4][6]. - Official downloads cover Windows, macOS and Linux; the web is not available yet [2][3]. Verdict: Zed suits people who want a free, open-source editor with a debugger, git panel, terminal and shared projects in one program [3][5][9][13]. Extensions live in a public directory [15]. The catch: its docs show no portable Windows build, and dev containers are still in development [6][18]. Best for: People who want a free editor with debugging and collaboration built in. ## Points | Criterion | Line | Value | Points | Note | |---|---|---|---|---| | Systems | Systems besides Windows | macOS, Linux | 6/9 | Downloads for macOS and Linux; the repository lists the web as not yet available [2][3]. | | Systems | Portable Windows build | Not published | 0/5 | Not published on the vendor's Windows docs page, which lists an installer and winget [6]. | | Systems | Remote editing | Yes | 8/8 | Edit on a remote server over SSH; WSL folders open natively on Windows [4][6]. | | Code tools | Language Server Protocol | Yes | 10/10 | Language servers provide completion, diagnostics, go-to-definition and refactoring [7]. | | Code tools | Debugger | Yes | 9/9 | Docs cover gutter breakpoints, conditional breakpoints and stepping; no beta label [5]. | | Code tools | Built-in terminal | Yes | 6/6 | Built-in terminal emulator in a dockable panel [8]. | | Code tools | Git in the editor | Yes | 6/6 | Git panel stages changes and commits from the editor [9]. | | Code tools | Multiple cursors | Yes | 3/3 | Features page says multiple cursors and selections come from alt-clicking or dragging [16]. | | Code tools | Live collaboration | Yes | 3/3 | Docs describe real-time multiplayer editing where people see each other's cursors and edits as they happen in a shared project [13]. | | Extending | Extension directory | Yes | 8/8 | Public extensions directory, and docs for developing and publishing extensions [14][15]. | | Extending | Custom key bindings | Yes | 3/3 | Rebind actions in keymap.json or the keymap editor [10]. | | Licence and price | Free for work use | Yes | 6/6 | Personal plan is free; source is GPL-3.0-or-later, which allows work use [1][3]. | | Licence and price | Price | $0 | 6/6 | Editor is free and open source; Pro at $10 a month is a hosted-service tier, not an editor licence [1][3]. | | Licence and price | Open source | Yes | 6/6 | Repository is mainly GPL-3.0-or-later with Apache-2.0 components [3]. | | Upkeep | Release in the past year | Yes | 8/8 | Stable 1.23.2 dated October 7, 2026 [12]. | | Upkeep | Telemetry off or none | Yes | 4/4 | Settings telemetry.metrics and telemetry.diagnostics can be set to false [11]. | ## Plans | Plan | Price | Per month (USD) | |---|---|---| | Personal | Free [1] | $0 | | Pro | $10/month [1] | $10 | | Business | $30/seat/month [1] | $30 | The editor is open source and free. The paid tiers on the pricing page are for the hosted service, so the editor is scored at $0 [1][17]. ## Strengths - Source is public under GPL-3.0-or-later with Apache-2.0 parts [3]. - Debugger with breakpoints and stepping is documented [5]. - Remote editing over SSH, plus native WSL folders on Windows [4]. - Shared projects let several people work together in real time [13]. - Telemetry has documented off switches for usage metrics and diagnostics [11]. ## Limits - The Windows docs list an installer and winget, with no portable or zip build [6]. - Dev containers are documented as "still in development" [18]. - No web version; the repository lists it as not yet available [3]. ## Sources 1. [Zed pricing](https://zed.dev/pricing), Zed Industries, accessed 2026-10-08 2. [Download Zed](https://zed.dev/download), Zed Industries, accessed 2026-10-08 3. [zed-industries/zed](https://github.com/zed-industries/zed), GitHub, accessed 2026-10-08 4. [Remote Development](https://zed.dev/docs/remote-development), Zed Industries, accessed 2026-10-08 5. [Debugger](https://zed.dev/docs/debugger), Zed Industries, accessed 2026-10-08 6. [Zed on Windows](https://zed.dev/docs/windows), Zed Industries, accessed 2026-10-08 7. [Configuring languages](https://zed.dev/docs/configuring-languages), Zed Industries, accessed 2026-10-08 8. [Terminal](https://zed.dev/docs/terminal), Zed Industries, accessed 2026-10-08 9. [Git](https://zed.dev/docs/git), Zed Industries, accessed 2026-10-08 10. [Key bindings](https://zed.dev/docs/key-bindings), Zed Industries, accessed 2026-10-08 11. [Telemetry](https://zed.dev/docs/telemetry), Zed Industries, accessed 2026-10-08 12. [Stable releases](https://zed.dev/releases/stable), Zed Industries, accessed 2026-10-08 13. [Collaboration overview](https://zed.dev/docs/collaboration/overview), Zed Industries, accessed 2026-10-08 14. [Extensions](https://zed.dev/docs/extensions), Zed Industries, accessed 2026-10-08 15. [Zed extensions](https://zed.dev/extensions), Zed Industries, accessed 2026-10-08 16. [Zed features](https://zed.dev/features), Zed Industries, accessed 2026-10-08 17. [Terms of Service](https://zed.dev/terms), Zed Industries, accessed 2026-10-08 18. [Dev Containers](https://zed.dev/docs/dev-containers), Zed Industries, accessed 2026-10-08