# JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA vs Visual Studio

**Leader by Vioscale score:** Visual Studio

| Attribute | JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA | Visual Studio |
|---|---|---|
| **Vioscale score** | 47.4 (31% (low)) | 58 (54% (medium)) |
| deployment.options | - | `{"self_hosted":true}` |
| description.long | Desktop IDE that combines advanced code editing, debugging, and analysis tools with native AI integration to help developers write high-quality Java and Kotlin code efficiently throughout the development lifecycle. | Comprehensive integrated development environment for .NET and C++ development with AI-powered assistance, integrated debugging, testing, and CI/CD integration. Available as Visual Studio IDE for Windows and macOS, plus Visual Studio Code for cross-platform web development. |
| features.capabilities | `{"type":"full_ide","lsp_dap":true,"builtin_ai":"native","deployment":"desktop","os_support":"Windows, Mac, Linux","remote_dev":true,"open_source":"closed","base_platform":"original","extensibility":"plugins","pricing_model":"subscription","language_scope":"polyglot","git_integration":true,"code_intelligence":"ide_grade","integrated_debugger":true}` | `{"type":"full_ide","builtin_ai":"native","deployment":"desktop","os_support":"Windows, macOS, Linux","base_platform":"original","extensibility":"marketplace","language_scope":"polyglot","git_integration":true,"code_intelligence":"ide_grade","integrated_debugger":true}` |
| integrations.count | 6 | 2 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"Claude"},{"name":"GPT"},{"name":"Gemini"},{"name":"Grok"},{"name":"GitHub Copilot"},{"name":"Cursor"}]` | `[{"name":"GitHub"},{"name":"Azure"}]` |
| platform.support | `{"mac":true,"linux":true,"windows":true}` | `{"mac":true,"linux":true,"windows":true}` |
| pricing | - | `{"type":"hybrid","plans":[{"free":true,"name":"Community","summary":"Free","features":["Full IDE capabilities for .NET and C++ development"],"description":"Best comprehensive IDE for .NET and C++ developers on Windows","contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Professional standard","summary":"$99.99/user/mo (paid annually), renews at $66.59/user/mo","features":["Visual Studio Professional","Azure DevOps (Basic plan)","$50 Azure credit per month","Basic dev/test software","Training and support"],"commitment":"annual","components":[{"kind":"per_unit","unit":"seat","amount":99.99,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Enterprise standard","summary":"$499.92/user/mo (paid annually), renews at $214.09/user/mo","features":["Visual Studio Enterprise","Azure DevOps (Basic + Test plan)","$150 Azure credit per month","Premium dev/test software","Extended training and support","Power BI Pro"],"commitment":"annual","components":[{"kind":"per_unit","unit":"seat","amount":499.92,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Professional monthly","summary":"$45/user/mo","features":["Visual Studio Professional","Azure DevOps (Basic plan)"],"commitment":"monthly","components":[{"kind":"per_unit","unit":"seat","amount":45,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Enterprise monthly","summary":"$250/user/mo","features":["Visual Studio Enterprise","Azure DevOps (Basic + Test plan)"],"commitment":"monthly","components":[{"kind":"per_unit","unit":"seat","amount":250,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"contactSales":false}],"summary":"Free Community edition; subscriptions from $45/user/mo to $499.92/user/mo","currency":"USD","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://visualstudio.microsoft.com","retrievedAt":"2026-08-03T20:23:24.983Z","startingPrice":{"amount":45,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},"billingPeriods":["month","year"]}` |
| pricing.free_tier | - | yes |
| pricing.model | commercial | commercial |
| pricing.price_level | - | mid |
| pricing.transparent | - | yes |
| reliability.status_page | yes | yes |
| security.disclosure_policy | yes | - |
| security.gdpr | yes | - |
| security.soc2 | yes | - |

## Capabilities (IDEs & Code Editors)

| Capability | JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA | Visual Studio |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Core** |  |  |
| Type | Full IDE | Full IDE |
| Language scope | Polyglot | Polyglot |
| **Deployment** |  |  |
| Deployment | Desktop | Desktop |
| **Platform support** |  |  |
| OS support | Windows, Mac, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Base platform | Original | Original |
| **Extensibility** |  |  |
| Extensibility | Plugins | Extension marketplace |
| **DX** |  |  |
| LSP / DAP support | ✓ | - |
| Remote / dev-containers | ✓ | - |
| Integrated debugger / profiler | ✓ | ✓ |
| Code intelligence depth | IDE-grade | IDE-grade |
| Built-in git integration | ✓ | ✓ |
| **AI** |  |  |
| Built-in AI | Native | Native |
| **Licensing** |  |  |
| Openness | Closed | - |
| **Pricing** |  |  |
| Pricing model | Per-seat subscription | - |

*Source: Vioscale. Generated 2026-09-01T15:20:15.841Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*