Trae
ByteDance's AI IDE (now TraeCode) with an agent-first SOLO mode. Free plan with limited usage; paid plans from $20/month.
Quick answers
- How much does Trae cost?
- Pro is $20/month, Pro+ $60/month and Ultra $200/month, with a free plan (checked October 5, 2026). Each paid plan includes the same amount in token usage ($20, $60 or $200) and yearly billing saves about 17% (Pro $200/year). A Lite plan at $8/month is sold only in 12 countries such as India, Brazil and Turkey.
- Is Trae free?
- Yes, there is a free plan, but it is limited. It includes Auto mode only (no model choice), limited usage and 5,000 autocompletions a month, and no SOLO mode in TraeCode. When the usage runs out, AI chat stops until you upgrade.
- Did Trae raise its prices?
- Yes. Trae announced new plans to subscribers on September 17, 2026: Pro went from $10 to $20/month, Pro+ from $30 to $60 and Ultra from $100 to $200, with access to newer models such as GPT-6. Existing monthly subscribers keep their old price as long as they don't cancel.
- Does Trae support BYOK (your own API key)?
- Yes. In Settings > Models > Add Model you pick a preset provider and paste its key, or add a custom model with an OpenAI Chat Completions or Anthropic Messages endpoint, model ID and key. That is how you use Claude, since it is not among the built-in models.
- Who makes Trae and what happens to my data?
- ByteDance, through its Singapore company SPRING (SG) Pte. Ltd. Its privacy policy for non-US users says data is stored in Singapore and Malaysia. Chats and code snippets may be used for training unless you turn on Privacy mode; your codebase files are not used for training.
- Trae vs Google Antigravity: which one?
- Antigravity is Google's agent-first IDE with a free individual plan that has weekly rate limits, and more usage through Google AI subscriptions. Trae's free plan is tighter, but it has a broader model menu, your own API keys and TraeWork on web and mobile. Pick Antigravity for Gemini and a free start, Trae for model choice.
Description
Trae is the AI coding IDE from ByteDance, operated by its Singapore entity SPRING (SG) Pte. Ltd. It is built on VS Code and now ships as TraeCode, with a classic IDE mode and SOLO, an agent-first mode, plus TraeWork, a separate agent workspace for desktop, web and iOS that runs cloud tasks. TraeCode runs on macOS (Apple Silicon), Windows and Linux. On September 17, 2026 Trae rebuilt its pricing: the Free plan gives Auto mode only, limited usage and 5,000 autocompletions a month, and paid plans cost $20, $60 or $200 a month, each including the same amount in token usage. Requests are billed by tokens at each model's list price. Built-in models include GPT-6, Gemini 3.1 Pro, Kimi, DeepSeek V4 and ByteDance's Seed, but no Claude. You can bring your own API key for any OpenAI- or Anthropic-compatible model. Privacy mode stops chats being used for training. It competes with Cursor, Windsurf and Google Antigravity.
Preview
Detailed Evaluation
Key strengths
Familiar VS Code base
TraeCode is built on VS Code, so the layout, shortcuts and most habits carry over, and SOLO mode sits one switch away from the classic editor.
Bring your own key
Add models from preset providers or any OpenAI Chat Completions or Anthropic Messages endpoint, including Claude, DeepSeek and OpenRouter.
Wide built-in model menu
Paid plans can pick GPT-6, GPT-5.6, Gemini 3.1 Pro, Kimi, DeepSeek V4, GLM and Seed models, with published per-token prices.
Clear dollar-based usage
Each plan includes its own price in usage, requests are billed at listed token rates, and you can turn on pay-as-you-go when it runs out.
TraeWork across devices
Run agent tasks in the cloud (2 to 20 at once depending on plan) and check them from the desktop app, the web or the iOS app.
Limitations to consider
No longer the cheap option
Since September 2026, Pro costs $20/month instead of $10, the same as Cursor. The $8 Lite plan is only sold in 12 countries.
Free plan is tight
Free is Auto mode only, with limited usage and no SOLO mode in TraeCode. Once the allowance runs out, AI chat stops until you pay.
No built-in Claude
The built-in list has no Anthropic models. To use Claude you add your own API key.
ByteDance ownership and data use
Chats and code snippets can be used for training unless you turn on Privacy mode. Some companies rule out ByteDance tools altogether.
Region limits
Paid plans are sold only in listed countries, and Seed, MiniMax and GLM models are not available to US users.
Standout Feature
One account covers a VS Code-based IDE, an agent-first SOLO mode and TraeWork, which runs agent tasks in the cloud that you can follow from desktop, web or phone, with a broad model menu and your own API keys on top.
Comparison with Alternatives
Versus Cursor, Pro now costs the same ($20/month), with a wider model menu but no built-in Claude. Versus Google Antigravity, which has a free individual plan with weekly rate limits, Trae's free plan is more limited but its paid plans are simpler dollar allowances. Versus Windsurf, both are VS Code-based agent IDEs; Trae adds TraeWork on web and mobile.
Alternatives to consider
Sources
Ideal User
Individual developers and small teams who like VS Code, want an agent-first mode and a cloud agent workspace, are fine paying around $20/month or bringing their own API keys, and have no company rule against ByteDance software.
Learning Curve
If you use VS Code, the IDE mode feels familiar in minutes. SOLO mode, TraeWork cloud tasks, custom models and the usage-based billing take a few sessions to understand.
Best For
- VS Code users who want an AI IDE without relearning their editor
- Developers who want to try an agent-first IDE on a free plan before paying
- People who want to plug in their own API keys (OpenAI, Anthropic, DeepSeek, OpenRouter)
- Users who want to start agent tasks on desktop and follow them on web or mobile with TraeWork
- Developers in Asia and Latin America who can use the low-cost Lite plan ($8/month)
Not Ideal For
- Companies with policies against software from ByteDance or Chinese-owned vendors
- People who want Claude as a built-in model without managing their own key
- Heavy daily agent users looking for the cheapest option, now that Pro costs $20/month
- US users who need Seed, MiniMax or GLM models (not available in the US)