Best C++ IDEs in 2026
Updated
In short: Qt Creator is ranked #1 of 24 as of 5 October 2026, ahead of Arm Keil MDK and C2000Ware. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Arm Keil MDK. The lowest first paid tier on this page is CLion at $10.90/mo.
A C++ IDE can bring project-building and debugging work into a development environment. Compared on build systems, compiler toolchains and debugging scope, these options also vary by supported platforms and remote development capabilities. A built-in profiler may be useful for performance work; free-plan availability and the listed paid-from price are additional factors to weigh. Qt Creator, Arm Keil MDK and C2000Ware are among the IDEs named here. Consider the toolchains and target platforms your projects require, then compare the development features that align with your day-to-day work.
24 c++ IDEs ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
16 of the 24 here have a free tier you can use, 0 have open-source code on record, and 0 have full bars: free, open, on most of your devices and documented.
| # | App | Signal | Free tier | Open code | Devices | From | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Qt CreatorWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | Free | 6.7 | |
| 2 | Arm Keil MDKWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · API · Extension | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | $99/mo | 6.6 | |
| 3 | C2000WareWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 6.6 | |
| 4 | KDevelopWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.6 | |
| 5 | CLionWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | $10.90/mo | 6.5 | |
| 6 | CodeLiteWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 7 | CS+Windows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 8 | e² studioWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 9 | Eclipse IDEWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 10 | GeanyWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 11 | MPLAB X IDEWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 12 | PlatformIO IDEWindows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted · Extension | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | $20.75/mo | 6.5 | |
| 13 | STM32CubeIDEWindows · Mac · Linux · Extension | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 14 | Code::BlocksWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 15 | IAR Embedded WorkbenchWindows · Linux · Extension | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | — | 6.4 | |
| 16 | Visual StudioWindows | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 17 | Infineon ModusToolboxWindows · Mac · Linux | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.5 |
| 18 | clangdWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 19 | Sensory TrulySecureWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 20 | Dev-C++Windows | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 21 | SlickEditWindows · Mac · Linux | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | $125/mo | 5.2 |
| 22 | Green Hills MULTI IDEWindows · Linux | No signal | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 23 | SEGGER OzoneWindows · Mac · Linux | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 24 | C++BuilderWindows | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 4.8 |
Compare all 24 in a table
| # | App | Score | Free plan | From | Free plan | Paid from | Supported platforms | Build systems |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Qt Creator | 6.7 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 2 | Arm Keil MDK | 6.6 | Free plan | $99/mo | Yes | — | — | — |
| 3 | C2000Ware | 6.6 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 4 | KDevelop | 6.6 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 5 | CLion | 6.5 | Free plan | $10.90/mo | Yes | — | — | — |
| 6 | CodeLite | 6.5 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 7 | CS+ | 6.5 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 8 | e² studio | 6.5 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 9 | Eclipse IDE | 6.5 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 10 | Geany | 6.5 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Windows, macOS, Linux | — |
| 11 | MPLAB X IDE | 6.5 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 12 | PlatformIO IDE | 6.5 | Free plan | $20.75/mo | Yes | — | — | — |
| 13 | STM32CubeIDE | 6.5 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 14 | Code::Blocks | 6.4 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 15 | IAR Embedded Workbench | 6.4 | No | — | No | — | — | — |
| 16 | Visual Studio | 6.4 | Free plan | — | Yes | 45 /user/mo | — | — |
| 17 | Infineon ModusToolbox | 5.5 | No | — | Yes | — | Windows, macOS, Linux | GNU make |
| 18 | clangd | 5.3 | No | — | Yes | — | macOS, Windows, Linux | CMake, Bazel, Make, Autotools, and custom build systems that can generate compilation database entries |
| 19 | Sensory TrulySecure | 5.3 | No | — | Yes | — | — | — |
| 20 | Dev-C++ | 5.2 | No | — | Yes | — | Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 | Make; Makefile creation |
| 21 | SlickEdit | 5.2 | No | $125/mo | No | — | Windows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi | CMake; integrated custom project build tools |
| 22 | Green Hills MULTI IDE | 5.1 | No | — | — | — | — | — |
| 23 | SEGGER Ozone | 5.1 | No | — | No | — | — | — |
| 24 | C++Builder | 4.8 | No | — | No | — | — | — |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored, and a sponsored row is labelled as paid.
Questions about this list
Which c++ IDE is ranked first on Freedom251?
Qt Creator is ranked #1 of 24 with a score of 6.7. Arm Keil MDK is second and C2000Ware third.
How many of these have a free plan?
15 of the 24 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, CLion has the lowest first paid tier we found: $10.90/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked free-and-open first: a usable free tier and open-source code, then the platforms it runs on and its documentation.