Best IDE Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Replit is ranked #1 of 51 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Qt Creator and Arm Keil MDK. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Qt Creator. The lowest first paid tier on this page is RustRover at $6.90/mo.
Choosing an IDE often depends on the languages you use and the stages of development you want to handle in one environment. Compared on supported languages, build tools, built-in debugging, testing, deployment, mobile development, free plans, and paid-from pricing, these entries give you several practical dimensions to weigh. Consider which development tasks matter for your projects, then compare the tools and access options against them. Replit, Qt Creator, and Arm Keil MDK are among the IDEs to examine across those criteria.
51 IDE software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
25 of the 25 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 | ReplitWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | $18/mo | 6.8 | |
| 2 | Qt CreatorWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | Free | 6.7 | |
| 3 | Arm Keil MDKWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · API · Extension | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | $99/mo | 6.6 | |
| 4 | C2000WareWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 6.6 | |
| 5 | Apache NetBeansWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 6 | BlueJWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 7 | CLionWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | $10.90/mo | 6.5 | |
| 8 | CodeLiteWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 9 | CS+Windows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 10 | Eclipse IDEWindows · Mac · Linux · Extension | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 11 | EricWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 12 | IntelliJ IDEAWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | $8.33/mo | 6.5 | |
| 13 | KDevelopWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 14 | MPLAB X IDEWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 15 | PositronWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 16 | PyCharmWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | $16.67/mo | 6.5 | |
| 17 | RiderWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | $14.08/mo | 6.5 | |
| 18 | RustRoverWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | $6.90/mo | 6.5 | |
| 19 | Theia IDEWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted · Extension | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 20 | WebStormWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 21 | Arduino IDEWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 22 | Code::BlocksWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 23 | ProcessingWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 24 | StackBlitzWeb · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 25 | Visual StudioWindows | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.4 |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which IDE software is ranked first on Freedom251?
Replit is ranked #1 of 51 with a score of 6.8. Qt Creator is second and Arm Keil MDK third.
How many of these have a free plan?
25 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, RustRover has the lowest first paid tier we found: $6.90/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. Paid placements never change a rank.