This comparison is part of our MCP comparisons, within The MCP Guide. Facts are checked against each vendor's own documentation and pricing pages on the date shown.
Pick Zed if you want an open-source editor, MCP servers installed as extensions, and fine-grained per-tool permission rules. Pick Cursor if you need broader MCP feature support, such as resources, elicitation and MCP Apps, plus team allowlists and enterprise audit logs. Both run local and remote MCP servers with OAuth sign-in.
Checked against: Zed's MCP docs and Cursor's MCP docs on 28 October 2026. eSEOspace did not test either product.
Key Takeaways
- Zed's docs say it "currently supports MCP's Tools and Prompts features"; discovery, sampling and elicitation are not yet supported.
- Cursor's docs list tools, prompts, resources, roots, elicitation and MCP Apps.
- Zed asks for confirmation before any tool action by default, and you can set rules per MCP tool with keys like
mcp:<server>:<tool_name>. - Cursor Teams admins can allowlist commands, URLs and tools; Zed says SSO, SAML and SCIM are "planned but not currently available."
- Zed's Personal plan is $0 with your own API keys; Cursor's Free plan is $0, and Plus is $8 a month.
At a glance
| Item | Zed | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| Maker | Zed (open-source editor) | Anysphere, Inc. (acquired by SpaceX, August 2026) |
| MCP features in docs | Tools, prompts | Tools, prompts, resources, roots, elicitation, MCP Apps |
| Local servers | command with args and env | stdio |
| Remote servers | url with optional headers | SSE and Streamable HTTP |
| Remote sign-in | Standard MCP OAuth flow if no auth header is set | OAuth with PKCE, dynamic or static client ID |
| Config | context_servers in Zed settings | .cursor/mcp.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json |
| Server catalog | Zed extensions | Cursor Marketplace and cursor.directory |
| Default approval | Confirm before any tool action | Asks before using MCP tools |
| Team admin for MCP | Not documented | MCP allowlist for commands, URLs and tools |
| Entry price | Personal $0; Pro $10/month | Free $0; Plus $8/month |
Where Zed is stronger
Open source and bring-your-own-key
Zed is an open-source editor. Its pricing page says the free Personal plan includes "Unlimited use with your API keys or external agents like Claude Agent, Codex CLI, and more." If you already pay a model provider, you can use Zed's agent and its MCP servers without another AI subscription.
Precise tool permissions
Zed's MCP docs describe an agent.tool_permissions.default setting with three values: confirm, allow or deny. Confirm is the default, which "Prompts for approval before running any tool action, including MCP tool calls." You can then set rules for single MCP tools using the key format mcp:<server>:<tool_name>. That lets you auto-allow a read tool while still confirming a write tool.
Profiles that limit what the agent sees
Zed lets you create a custom profile that disables built-in tools and enables only one server's tools. This keeps the agent focused and reduces the chance it picks the wrong tool. Our guide to MCP tool design explains why fewer, clearer tools help.
Several agent paths
The docs say the Zed Agent uses Zed-configured servers directly. External agents receive those servers over ACP (the Agent Client Protocol) and can also read their own MCP config. That suits developers who switch between Zed's agent and a command-line agent.
Where Cursor is stronger
Wider MCP feature support
Cursor's MCP docs list resources, roots and elicitation as well as tools and prompts. Cursor also supports MCP Apps, so "MCP tools can return interactive UI along with standard tool output." Zed's docs say discovery, sampling and elicitation are not yet supported. If a server you rely on uses resources or elicitation, Cursor can use those features and Zed, per its docs, cannot yet.
Team controls
Cursor's docs describe an MCP Allowlist where admins approve local commands and remote URLs, plus tool allowlists. Each local server can be given a network mode. Cursor's pricing page lists SAML/OIDC SSO on Teams and Enterprise, and audit logs on Enterprise. Zed's Business plan offers org-wide AI model policies and role-based access controls, but its MCP docs do not describe a team server allowlist.
Marketplace installs
Cursor's docs say to "Click 'Add to Cursor' on a marketplace entry to install it and authenticate with OAuth." Zed offers many servers as extensions, but some need extra setup, such as a GitHub personal access token.
Pricing
Prices below come from the official pricing pages on 28 October 2026.
| Plan | Zed (pricing) | Cursor (pricing) |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Personal $0 "forever" | Free $0/month |
| Entry paid | Pro $10/month, includes $5 of tokens, usage billing beyond | Plus $8/month |
| Mid and high | Not offered | Premium $30; Super $100; Ultra $200 per month |
| Team | Business $30/seat/month | Teams $30+/user/month |
| Enterprise | Order forms at 25+ seats | Custom |
Zed's pricing page does not mention MCP. Cursor's lists "Repository, model, and MCP access controls" under Enterprise only.
Security and admin controls
| Control | Zed | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| Default tool approval | Confirm before any tool action | Asks before using MCP tools |
| Per-tool rules | mcp:<server>:<tool_name> allow, confirm or deny | Tool allowlists |
| Server allowlist for a team | Not documented | Commands and URLs in Team Settings |
| Network sandbox for local servers | Not documented | Allow all, Allowlist, Deny all, No sandbox |
| SSO and SCIM | "Planned but not currently available" | SSO on Teams; SCIM on Enterprise |
| Org AI policies | Business: model policies, data governance, RBAC | Enterprise access controls |
| Audit logs | Not listed | Enterprise |
Zed's pricing page notes that, because Zed is open source, its admin controls "govern Zed's hosted services specifically." For a company rollout, confirm with Zed which settings the Business plan can enforce on each machine. Read our MCP security checklist before you approve servers for either editor.
Ownership note: Cursor's post Cursor is now a part of SpaceX (14 August 2026) says "Cursor has officially been acquired by SpaceX."
Which to choose
- Pick Zed if you want an open-source editor and already pay a model provider directly.
- Pick Zed if you want exact allow, confirm or deny rules for each MCP tool.
- Pick Cursor if your servers use resources, elicitation or MCP Apps.
- Pick Cursor if you need SSO today, team server allowlists or enterprise audit logs.
- Use both if you like: MCP servers work in each. Only the config format differs (
context_serversin Zed,mcpServersin Cursor).
Compare more editors in our best MCP clients list and the comparisons hub.
Next step
If you are choosing an editor for a whole team, start with the servers and permissions, not the editor. eSEOspace's Claude Code consulting team helps developers set up AI coding tools and MCP servers safely.
Frequently asked questions
Does Zed support MCP resources?
Zed's docs say it "currently supports MCP's Tools and Prompts features." Resources are not mentioned, and discovery, sampling and elicitation are listed as not yet supported.
Can Zed connect to remote MCP servers?
Yes. Zed's docs say you set a remote server with a url and optional headers. If no Authorization header is set, Zed prompts you to sign in with the standard MCP OAuth flow.
Does Zed need a restart when a server's tools change?
No. Zed's docs say it reloads a server's tool list when the server sends a notifications/tools/list_changed message.
Is Cursor or Zed cheaper for MCP?
Both have $0 plans. Zed's Personal plan allows unlimited use with your own API keys. Cursor's Plus plan is $8 a month and Zed Pro is $10 a month, with different usage terms.
