Cursor vs Microsoft Visual Studio Code
A data comparison of two developer tools for macOS. Figures come from Homebrew metadata and 30-day install analytics; this page does not contain subjective reviews.
Bottom line: Choose Microsoft Visual Studio Code for a larger user base (36,536 vs 6,983 installs in 30 days), which usually means more tutorials and faster answers.
| Cursor | Microsoft Visual Studio Code | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | GUI app | GUI app |
| Category | Developer Tools | Developer Tools |
| Open source | Not declared | Not declared |
| Licence | Not declared | Not declared |
| Apple silicon | Universal | Universal |
| Latest version | 3.27.14,69b724ebc67ec522c1b5d287a5025f7a7e81be97 | 1.143.1 |
| Dependencies | 0 | 0 |
| Installs (30 days) | 6,983 | 36,536 |
| Install command | brew install --cask cursor | brew install --cask visual-studio-code |
Which one should you install?
- Choose Microsoft Visual Studio Code for a larger user base (36,536 vs 6,983 installs in 30 days), which usually means more tutorials and faster answers.
Install either with one command:
How to read this comparison
Only published Homebrew facts are compared: package type, category, licence, architecture, version, dependency count and 30-day install volume. A larger install count means more people install the app through Homebrew; it is not a quality score. Data updated 2026-10-26.