Top 10 Free AI Tools Every Developer Should Try in 2025
AI tools have become an essential part of every developer’s workflow. From writing code and generating tests to debugging and deploying, there’s likely an AI tool that can save you hours of work. And the best part is — many of them are completely free to start using.
Here’s a curated list of the top 10 free AI tools that every developer should try in 2025.
1. GitHub Copilot
Powered by OpenAI Codex, GitHub Copilot is one of the most widely used AI pair programmers in the world. It offers intelligent code completions, entire function suggestions, and even helps with boilerplate code in real-time as you type.
While the Pro version is paid, students and open-source contributors can get free access.
Why You Should Try It
- Works directly inside VS Code, Neovim, and JetBrains
- Supports dozens of programming languages
- Reduces time spent writing repetitive code
2. ChatGPT (Free Plan)
Even without subscribing to GPT-4, the free version of ChatGPT (using GPT-3.5) is incredibly capable. You can use it to generate code snippets, explain complex concepts, build regex, or brainstorm project ideas.
Why You Should Try It
- Great for debugging and documentation
- Explain code in plain English
- Use it as a coding buddy to unblock you
3. Cursor
Cursor is an AI-powered code editor built on top of VS Code. Unlike GitHub Copilot, Cursor adds deep conversational capabilities that let you ask follow-up questions, get edits across your whole codebase, and refactor intelligently.
It comes with a generous free tier for solo developers.
Why You Should Try It
- Search and edit across files with AI context
- Ask questions about your own codebase
- Instantly refactor or convert code to another language
4. Tabnine
Tabnine offers fast, AI-powered code completions that run locally on your machine. It’s ideal for privacy-focused developers or teams who want intelligent suggestions without sending data to the cloud.
The free plan supports several languages and editors.
Why You Should Try It
- Great for offline or air-gapped environments
- Fast and lightweight autocomplete
- Supports VS Code, IntelliJ, Atom, and more
5. Codeium
Codeium is a completely free AI code assistant with support for 70+ languages. It rivals Copilot and Tabnine in terms of speed and accuracy, and it’s available as a VS Code extension or browser plugin.
Why You Should Try It
- No credit card required
- Blazing fast autocomplete
- Works well for both frontend and backend projects
6. Phind
Phind is like ChatGPT but trained on programming documentation, developer Q&A, and code. It's specifically built for developers who want accurate answers without switching tabs or Googling.
The interface feels like a hybrid between Stack Overflow and ChatGPT.
Why You Should Try It
- Great for learning new frameworks or APIs
- Gives citations to actual docs
- Free to use with high-quality results
7. Claude by Anthropic
Claude is an alternative to ChatGPT with a strong focus on safety and long-context reasoning. Claude 3 is capable of ingesting and processing entire codebases, making it great for code reviews or architecture questions.
Claude 3 Haiku is free to try via tools like Poe or Notion AI.
Why You Should Try It
- Processes large context windows
- Cleaner and less verbose answers
- Great for code cleanup or learning patterns
8. Replit Ghostwriter (Free Tier)
Replit’s Ghostwriter is a powerful in-browser AI assistant. On the free plan, you get real-time code suggestions, explanations, and even the ability to generate whole programs inside the browser IDE.
Great for quick prototyping and solo projects.
Why You Should Try It
- No setup required — just open your browser
- Works for web dev, Python, C++, and more
- Offers real-time feedback and corrections
9. Stack AI
Stack AI helps you integrate OpenAI and other LLM APIs into your own applications visually, without writing too much backend logic. You can connect it with Google Sheets, Notion, or APIs to automate complex tasks.
The free plan is generous enough for basic internal tools or experiments.
Why You Should Try It
- Build AI workflows visually
- Integrate data sources with drag-and-drop
- No need to write complex glue code
10. OpenDevin
OpenDevin is an open-source autonomous dev agent that acts like a junior developer. You can describe a feature or task, and it will clone repos, generate code, and make pull requests for you.
Still in early stages but promising — especially for solo developers.
Why You Should Try It
- Runs on your machine (open-source)
- Experimental agent-based programming
- Helps with automation and refactoring