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Antigravity CLI vs Cursor: which should you start with?

Google's terminal agent versus an AI-first code editor. Same goal, very different places to work, and both have a free way to try.

Antigravity CLI vs Cursor

Verdict

Start with Cursor if you want a visual editor you can use straight away. Pick Antigravity CLI if you're comfortable in a terminal, have a Google account, and want an agent that works alongside any editor. Both have a free plan with limits, so try the one that matches how you like to work.

Both tools let you describe a change in plain English and have an AI make it across your files. The difference is where you work: Antigravity CLI is a terminal tool, while Cursor is a full code editor with AI built in.

The short version

Antigravity CLICursor
What it isTerminal agent from Google (agy)AI-first code editor
Where you workTerminalIts own editor, built on a VS Code foundation
Open sourceNot stated in Google's docsNo
Free planYes, an Individuals plan with basic weekly rate limitsYes, with limited agent and chat requests
Sign-inPersonal Google account, Google Cloud, or Gemini API keyCursor account
MCP serversYes, via mcp_config.jsonYes, via mcp.json
Project instructionsAGENTS.md or GEMINI.md.cursor/rules and AGENTS.md

Prices change often. Check Google's pricing page and cursor.com/pricing.

How they feel to use

Cursor looks like the editors most developers know: files on the left, code in the middle and an AI chat beside it. You see proposed changes right in the editor.

Antigravity CLI is a conversation in a terminal window. You run agy inside your project folder, ask for something, and it reads files, proposes edits and runs commands. By default it shows each edit as a diff and asks you to accept or reject it. It can also run a single prompt from a script with agy -p.

Google also makes an Antigravity IDE and IDE extensions for the same agent. Those are separate from the CLI, so this page compares the CLI only.

Where Antigravity CLI is stronger

  • Keep your own editor. It works alongside any editor you like.
  • Scriptable. It can run non-interactively, which suits automation.
  • A Google account is enough to start. No separate subscription is needed on the free plan.
  • Lightweight. Google describes it as built for speed and low overhead, including over SSH.

Where Cursor is stronger

  • A gentler start. A familiar layout makes it easy to try.
  • Everything in one window. Editing, chatting and browsing files happen in one app.
  • Clear plans. One subscription covers the editor and AI.

What they share

Both support MCP (Model Context Protocol, a standard way to plug extra tools into an AI) and both read a project file with standing instructions, including AGENTS.md. Both have a free plan with limits.

Who should pick what

  • You've never coded and want to try it today: Cursor.
  • You live in the terminal or want to automate things: Antigravity CLI.
  • You work over SSH on remote machines: Antigravity CLI.
  • You want to see every change in an editor: Cursor.

Some people use both: an editor for daily work and a terminal agent for bigger jobs.

Our verdict

For the least friction, start with Cursor. For a terminal agent from Google that you can try on a free plan, choose Antigravity CLI. Our guides can get you going: Antigravity CLI getting started or add an MCP server to Cursor. See also Claude Code vs Cursor and Antigravity CLI vs Claude Code.