Roo Code or Cursor in 2026: Roo Code is shut down, what to pick instead

People search "roo code vs cursor" when they want an AI agent in the editor and need to choose between a VS Code extension and a standalone application. Since 2026 this question comes with an important correction: according to its developers in the Roo Code documentation, the extension was shut down on May 15, 2026. So below we cover what this means for people who used it, what to replace Roo Code with, and how extensions of this kind compare with Cursor on modes, models and price. Check versions and menu items against the tools' own documentation: they change.

What happened to Roo Code

Roo Code was a VS Code extension that branched off from Cline and developed as an open project. The front page of its documentation now says the extension was shut down on May 15. The developers name alternatives there themselves: ZooCode, a fork started by the Roo Code community, and Cline, from which Roo Code originated. Paying users with billing questions are asked to write to the project's billing address.

The practical conclusion: do not build a new workflow on Roo Code. If you already have the extension installed, expect no fixes or new versions, and move your settings to another tool in advance. Your key and models stay the same: the gateway does not care which extension a request came from.

What to replace Roo Code with

If you liked the way of working itself (an extension in familiar VS Code, your own key, paying only for tokens), these options are closest:

• Cline. The original project Roo Code branched off from. It works with the OpenAI Compatible provider, has Plan and Act modes, and project rules in .clinerules/.
• Kilo Code. An open-source extension; according to its documentation it supports custom modes (Custom Modes) and an orchestrator mode, as well as bringing your own key.
• ZooCode. The Roo Code community fork that the Roo developers mention themselves. How closely it matches Roo's settings, check in its repository and documentation.

For Cline and Kilo Code the gateway setup is the same: the OpenAI Compatible provider, Base URL https://api.zukko.pro/v1, a fetch_... key and a model ID from GET https://api.zukko.pro/v1/models. Step by step it is on the VS Code extensions page↗.

What Cursor is

Cursor is a standalone editor based on VS Code with a built-in agent, autocomplete and chat. It works on a subscription and brings its own infrastructure. Cursor plans and limits change, so look at the current plan on the service's website. You can connect your own API key to it, but with caveats (see below).

Work modes

Modes were Roo Code's strong point: each had its own set of allowed actions and its own instruction (code, architecture, questions, debugging, plus custom ones). A "read and discuss only" mode could not edit files, and a coding mode had no extra duties. After Roo's shutdown this approach lives on in its successors: Kilo Code has custom modes, and Cline splits work into planning and execution (Plan and Act).

Cursor offers an agent that edits files and runs commands, and separate modes for questions without changes. The set of modes and their names depend on the version, so check yours. Cursor keeps project rules in the .cursor/rules directory.

Conclusion: if you need to separate roles strictly (the designer does not write code, the reviewer only reads), look at Kilo Code with its modes. If you need shared rules for the whole project, both Cline and Cursor can keep them in the repository.

Your own models

This is the most visible difference.

Extensions (Cline, Kilo Code). Bringing your own key is the standard scenario. The model name is typed by hand, so you can take any model from the catalog, and the price is visible per token in the "Usage" section of the dashboard.

Cursor. Your own key is connected in Cursor Settings → Models: you turn on OpenAI API Key and Override OpenAI Base URL, and the gateway address is https://api.zukko.pro/v1. Instructions: Zukko docs for Cursor↗. Two caveats from them. First, overriding the provider is not available on Cursor's free plan. Second, Cursor does not let you add a model whose name it already knows, so some models need second names, for example cursor-sonnet-5 instead of claude-sonnet-5. In addition, features that run on the editor's own models (such as autocomplete) may not use your key; see the Cursor documentation for the exact list of restrictions.

Customization

Extensions: project rules, MCP servers, configurable auto-approval of actions; Kilo Code adds custom modes. All of it lives in the extension settings and project files, so it moves between machines with the repository.

Cursor: project rules, MCP servers, agent settings. Plus the general experience of the editor itself: if you are used to VS Code, moving extensions and themes is usually simple.

The story of Roo Code shows well what dependence on a single tool costs. With an extension the move takes minutes: remove one, install another, enter the same key, and keep your editor. Keep rules and instructions in plain markdown files in the repository, and switching tools will not lose what you have built up.

Price: counting by tokens

With your own key you pay for tokens, not for a subscription to the tool. Take an illustrative task: 15 agent steps, on average 30,000 input tokens and 1,000 output tokens per step. Total 0.45M input and 0.015M output. Formula without cache: input × input price + output × output price. Zukko prices as of October 18, 2026:

For Claude the cache discount comes only from the Anthropic format, while Cline, Kilo Code in OpenAI Compatible mode and Cursor work in the OpenAI format, where all Claude input is billed at the input price, exactly as in the table. For GPT models cache reads are visible in the OpenAI format too, so the real sum for gpt-6.1-sol may be lower. A Cursor subscription cannot be compared honestly with these numbers: we do not know its price and limits and do not quote them. Calculate your monthly volume of tasks with this formula and compare it with the plan on the service's website.

Other Cursor alternatives

If you are looking for "cursor ai alternatives" beyond extensions, the list is wider: Cline, Kilo Code, Continue, Windsurf, and terminal agents such as Claude Code and Codex. An overview with selection criteria: Cursor alternatives in 2026↗.

How to choose

• You used Roo Code and want the same thing: Kilo Code (custom modes) or Cline (the original project); your key and models carry over unchanged.
• You need maximum freedom in models and payment only for tokens: any of these extensions.
• You need a single editor out of the box with its own autocomplete and you are ready for a subscription: Cursor.
• You work in a team and want shared rules in the repository: any option will do, but check how it fits your process.

To try an extension in practice, create a key in the dashboard↗ and connect it; you can top up the balance via SBP, MasterCard card or cryptocurrency.

FAQ

Does Roo Code still work?

According to its developers in the Roo Code documentation, the extension was shut down on May 15, 2026. Do not expect new versions or fixes, so pick another tool for new work. The developers themselves suggest ZooCode and Cline.

How do I move my settings from Roo Code?

The fetch_... key and the model name carry over as they are. In Cline and Kilo Code choose the OpenAI Compatible provider with the address https://api.zukko.pro/v1. Move mode instructions and rules into the new extension's rule files, checking its documentation.

Can I use an extension and Cursor at the same time?

Yes. The extension runs inside VS Code, Cursor is a separate application, so there is no conflict. One fetch_... key works for both.

What if the agent spends too much?

Limit the context (a new task instead of a long thread), choose a cheaper model for routine work and set a daily limit on the key: how to do it↗.