IntelliJ IDEA vs. Visual Studio Code

Comparison of IntelliJ IDEA and Visual Studio Code
Real cost
	IntelliJ IDEA The smartest IDE for Java and Kotlin, with excellent refactoring. It is heavy and the full set costs money.	Visual Studio Code The most popular editor: free, fast enough and extended for almost every language. It needs extensions to do its best.
Price	170 € per year	0 €
Payment	Subscription	Free
Trial	30-day trial	No trial
Free Tier	Free core features for Java and Kotlin	No free tier
Open Source	No	Yes
Features and limits
Main Features	Deep code understanding and refactoring Strong Java and Kotlin support Built-in debugger and test tools Database tools Framework support	Huge extension marketplace Built-in Git Debugger Works over SSH and in containers Support for almost every language
Limits	Heavy on memory The full feature set needs a subscription	Needs extensions for full language support Uses more memory than lighter editors
Compatibility and trust
Supported Operating Systems	WindowsmacOS	WindowsmacOS
Verified on	20 Oct 2026	3 Aug 2026
Where to buy
Vendor	Go to vendor’s site: IntelliJ IDEA (opens in a new tab) Free core features; subscription for the full set. Approximate list price in euros, check the vendor.	Go to vendor’s site: Visual Studio Code (opens in a new tab) Free.

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