Trae Alternatives: 7 AI IDEs After the TRAE Merge

The right Trae alternatives depend on why you're leaving. If you want the closest all-round AI editor, pick Cursor. If you want agents and an editor in one app, pick Devin Desktop or Google Antigravity. If you want to plan with specs before code, pick Kiro. If you'd rather keep a plain editor, pick VS Code with GitHub Copilot. If you want an open-source, fast editor, pick Zed. If you live in IntelliJ or PyCharm, pick JetBrains with Junie.

Trae, the AI coding app from ByteDance, keeps changing shape. Its coding product was listed as TraeCode, and its docs now say TraeCode and TraeWork have merged into an "all-new TRAE." Add questions about where your code and prompts go, and plenty of people are shopping for Trae IDE alternatives. This guide covers what changed, what Trae's own privacy policy says, and where each kind of Trae user fits best.

Quick Comparison

What Changed at Trae

TRAE's migration notice says TraeWork and TraeCode "have been merged and upgraded into the all-new TRAE." The new app has two modes:

• Agent Mode takes an idea from concept to delivery. You can manage several projects in one workspace, run multiple agents in parallel, and connect to a remote environment over SSH.
• IDE Mode keeps a full AI-powered editor for deep editing and debugging inside one project.

The same notice says TRAE now runs on desktop, web and mobile, and adds Automation, a Marketplace of plugins and skills, and a "My Artifacts" space for code changes, documents, slides and reports. Existing TraeWork users upgrade from inside the app, and their data moves across automatically.

That's a big shift for anyone who chose Trae as a lightweight AI IDE. It's now closer to an agent workspace with an editor attached.

What Trae's privacy policy says

If data handling is part of why you're looking, read Trae's privacy policy yourself. The version last updated May 20, 2026 covers Trae outside the United States and says:

• Who runs it: the platform is provided and controlled by SPRING (SG) PTE. LTD., registered in Singapore.
• What it collects: user content, including your prompts, any text, code and file uploads, and associated metadata.
• How it's used: among other purposes, to review, improve and develop the platform, and to "train and improve technology."
• Where it's stored: on servers in Singapore and Malaysia, with international transfers for the purposes the policy lists.
• Who else processes it: certain entities in its corporate group, for functions including storage, security, analytics, and training and improving the group's technologies.
• How long: account information and user content are generally kept for as long as you have an account.

None of this is unusual for a cloud AI tool, but your company's policy may care where code is stored and whether it can be used to improve models. Compare it with the data terms of whichever alternative you pick.

TRAE is also available only in listed regions. Check its supported countries and regions page before rolling it out to a team.

Where Trae is still the right call

TRAE's own overview describes an IDE window with VS Code extension support, an IDE mode for hands-on control, and a SOLO mode where AI plans and works through code generation, testing and preview. It includes built-in models and lets you add custom models through API keys.

Stay if you like SOLO mode, want one app for code and documents, and the privacy terms work for you. Leave if you wanted a plain AI editor, or if your team needs different data terms.

The Best Trae Alternatives

Cursor: the closest all-round swap

Best for: Trae users who want a polished AI editor with strong agents.

Cursor calls itself a coding agent for building ambitious software. The desktop app has an agent panel, cloud agents run on their own machines to build, test and demo features, and a CLI brings it to the terminal. You can choose models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, SpaceXAI and Cursor.

Ownership changed recently. On August 14, 2026, Cursor announced it is now part of SpaceX, after SpaceX completed its acquisition. The post doesn't announce changes to pricing, accounts or features.

The trade-off: if Trae's ownership was your concern, check whether Cursor's new parent matters to your team too. For more options in this shape, see Cursor alternatives.

Devin Desktop: agents and an IDE, formerly Windsurf

Best for: people who like Trae's Agent Mode and want something similar from another vendor.

Devin Desktop is Cognition's command center for local and cloud agents, with a full IDE. Cognition says it's "the new name for Windsurf," and that the IDE, extensions, settings and in-progress work carry over.

The trade-off: the product is heading toward delegation to Devin's agents. If you want a quiet editor, it may feel like more than you need. Our Windsurf alternatives guide covers the history.

Kiro: plan with specs first

Best for: teams that found Trae's agents fast but hard to steer.

Kiro is built and run by AWS. Its agents plan, build, review and verify work on your machine or in the cloud. The core idea is specs: Kiro captures what you meant before code is written, then checks the result against it. It comes as an IDE, a CLI, a web app, mobile apps, and Kiro Crew, an open-source agent with a desktop app that keeps working while you're away.

The trade-off: specs add steps. For quick edits, it can feel slow. If that bothers you, see Kiro alternatives.

VS Code with GitHub Copilot: keep a standard editor

Best for: people who used Trae mainly for its VS Code feel and AI chat.

Trae's IDE window supports VS Code extensions, so VS Code itself is the obvious fallback. Add GitHub Copilot and you get chat, agent work and a cloud agent you can hand follow-up changes to. Copilot picks models for you or lets you choose, and you can connect your own API keys or run local models through Ollama.

Copilot bills chat and agent work in AI credits, and its feature page says code completions and next edit suggestions don't use credits on paid plans.

The trade-off: you're assembling pieces rather than getting one app. Agent features sit inside a general editor, not around it.

Google Antigravity: many agents at once

Best for: developers who want to run several agents in parallel.

Google Antigravity now comes as several surfaces. The Antigravity App is "your command center to manage multiple local agents in parallel." There's also a full agentic IDE with an agent manager and artifacts, a terminal-first CLI, and an SDK for building custom agents. Desktop downloads cover macOS, Windows and Linux.

The trade-off: there are a lot of surfaces to learn. Decide first whether you want the agent manager or the editor, and start there. If you rely on custom model keys in Trae, check Antigravity's docs for model options before you move.

Zed: fast, open source, bring your own agent

Best for: people who want an editor that stays out of the way.

Zed is written in Rust and licensed primarily under GPL-3.0-or-later, with Apache-2.0 components where marked. Its agent panel lets you delegate work and review changes, and it can host external agents such as Codex or OpenCode through the Agent Client Protocol. It runs on macOS, Linux and Windows.

The trade-off: Zed has its own extension system. If you depend on a specific VS Code extension in Trae, check that Zed has an equivalent first.

JetBrains with Junie: for JetBrains IDE users

Best for: Java, Kotlin and Python developers who'd rather stay in IntelliJ IDEA or PyCharm.

Junie is JetBrains' coding agent. It runs in JetBrains IDEs, in the terminal, and from GitHub and GitLab issues and pull requests. It works with the model you choose, and you can bring your own key at provider rates.

The trade-off: it's built for JetBrains IDEs. If your team uses VS Code-style editors, the switch is bigger than changing an AI assistant.

How to Choose a Trae Alternative

Before you switch:

1. Read the data terms side by side. Check who controls your data, where it's stored, and whether prompts and code can be used to improve models. Use each vendor's own policy, not a summary.
2. List your extensions. Trae's IDE window supports VS Code extensions. VS Code takes them as they are, and Cursor has a VS Code import for extensions, settings and keybindings. Zed and JetBrains IDEs use their own extension systems, so plan replacements.
3. Test on a real task. Give two candidates the same bug and compare the diffs. Every vendor's demo looks good.
4. Check the model. If you used custom model keys in Trae, pick a tool that accepts them, like VS Code with Copilot, Zed or Junie.

For a wider view of the category, our guide to the best AI IDE compares editors, extensions and terminal agents.

Where Taku Fits

Taku isn't an IDE, and it doesn't replace Trae or any editor on this list. If the real goal is running a finished AI tool rather than building one, that's where Taku comes in. Taku Apps and Sites, built by the best AI minds. Find one, run it, and keep it in your Mac Dock. Taku is in Beta, and the Mac app is available now.

FAQ

What is the best alternative to Trae IDE?

Cursor is the closest all-round swap for most people. If you liked Trae's Agent Mode, try Devin Desktop or Google Antigravity. If you want open source, try Zed.

Is Trae still available?

Yes. TRAE's docs say TraeCode and TraeWork have merged into an all-new TRAE with Agent Mode and IDE Mode, across desktop, web and mobile. It's available only in the countries and regions on its supported list.

Is Trae safe to use for company code?

That's your company's call. Trae's privacy policy says it collects prompts, code and file uploads, may use information to train and improve technology, and stores data on servers in Singapore and Malaysia. Compare that with your internal policy and with the terms of any alternative.

Is there an open-source Trae alternative?

Zed is the main open-source editor here, licensed primarily under GPL-3.0-or-later. VS Code's editor is open source too, though GitHub Copilot is a commercial service.

Can I keep my VS Code extensions if I leave Trae?

If you move to VS Code, yes. Cursor can import VS Code extensions and settings too. Zed and JetBrains IDEs use their own extension systems, so you'll need equivalents there.