---
title: Visual Studio Code
canonical: https://saasranked.com/software/visual-studio-code/
category: Code Editors
points: 94
rank: 1 of 12
facts_checked: 2026-10-08
---

# Visual Studio Code

Free code editor from Microsoft with a built-in debugger, terminal and git, plus an extension marketplace.

94 points out of 100. #1 of 12 code editors. Vendor: Microsoft. Website: https://code.visualstudio.com/

- VS Code is free for private or commercial use [1].
- It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, and a browser version runs without installing anything [2][5].
- A portable .zip build for Windows is offered on the download page [2].
- Release 1.141 is listed as stable and dated October 7, 2026 [14].
- Setting telemetry.telemetryLevel to off also turns off crash reporting [1].

Verdict: VS Code suits people who want language help, a debugger, a terminal and git in one free editor [4][6][7][8]. Remote editing over SSH, in containers and in WSL comes through Microsoft's extensions [3]. The catch: the download is built under a Microsoft product licence, not the MIT licence used by the source repository [1][15]. Best for: People who want one editor for many languages, with remote editing and an extension marketplace.

## Points

| Criterion | Line | Value | Points | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Systems | Systems besides Windows | macOS, Linux, Web | 9/9 | Download page lists macOS and Linux builds; VS Code for the Web runs in a browser [2][5]. |
| Systems | Portable Windows build | Yes | 5/5 | Windows 'Other Downloads' lists .zip (x64) and .zip (Arm64) [2]. |
| Systems | Remote editing | Yes | 8/8 | Remote - SSH opens folders on a remote machine; Dev Containers and WSL extensions give a container or WSL environment [3]. |
| Code tools | Language Server Protocol | Yes | 10/10 | Extension guide documents Language Server Protocol for completion and diagnostics in VS Code [6]. |
| Code tools | Debugger | Yes | 9/9 | Built-in debugger with breakpoints and stepping for JavaScript, TypeScript and Node.js; others need extensions [4]. |
| Code tools | Built-in terminal | Yes | 6/6 | Docs describe a full-featured integrated terminal, also openable in the editor area [7]. |
| Code tools | Git in the editor | Yes | 6/6 | Source Control view stages changes and creates commits using built-in Git support [8]. |
| Code tools | Multiple cursors | Yes | 3/3 | The docs have a section on multiple selections (multi-cursor) [9]. |
| Code tools | Live collaboration | Yes | 3/3 | Microsoft's Live Share extension edits and debugs together in real time; it is in maintenance mode but available [10]. |
| Extending | Extension directory | Yes | 8/8 | Visual Studio Marketplace lists extensions; the docs describe an Extension API [11][12]. |
| Extending | Custom key bindings | Yes | 3/3 | Keyboard Shortcuts editor and a keybindings.json file are documented [13]. |
| Licence and price | Free for work use | Yes | 6/6 | FAQ says VS Code is free for private or commercial use [1]. |
| Licence and price | Price | $0 | 6/6 | No paid licence; free for private or commercial use [1]. |
| Licence and price | Open source | No | 0/6 | Source repo is MIT, but the product download is a Microsoft-licensed distribution of it [1][15]. |
| Upkeep | Release in the past year | Yes | 8/8 | Updates page lists 1.141 as the latest stable release, dated October 7, 2026 [14]. |
| Upkeep | Telemetry off or none | Yes | 4/4 | FAQ documents telemetry.telemetryLevel set to off, which also stops crash reporting [1]. |

## Plans

| Plan | Price | Per month (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Visual Studio Code | Free [1] | $0 |

## Strengths

- Free for private or commercial use [1].
- Remote SSH, Dev Containers and WSL extensions let you work on a remote machine, in a container or in WSL [3].
- Built-in debugger with breakpoints and stepping for JavaScript, TypeScript and Node.js [4].
- Telemetry can be switched off with one setting [1].
- Documented extension API and a marketplace of extensions [11][12].

## Limits

- The download is released under a Microsoft product licence, not the MIT licence of the source repository [1][15].
- Debugging other languages needs a debugger extension [4].
- Microsoft's Live Share is in maintenance mode, with no further features planned [10].

## Sources

1. [Visual Studio Code FAQ](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/supporting/faq), Microsoft, accessed 2026-10-08
2. [Download Visual Studio Code](https://code.visualstudio.com/download), Microsoft, accessed 2026-10-08
3. [Visual Studio Code Remote Development](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/remote/remote-overview), Microsoft, accessed 2026-10-08
4. [Debugging in Visual Studio Code](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/editor/debugging), Microsoft, accessed 2026-10-08
5. [Visual Studio Code for the Web](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/editor/vscode-web), Microsoft, accessed 2026-10-08
6. [Language Server Extension Guide](https://code.visualstudio.com/api/language-extensions/language-server-extension-guide), Microsoft, accessed 2026-10-08
7. [Terminal Basics](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/terminal/basics), Microsoft, accessed 2026-10-08
8. [Source Control in VS Code](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/sourcecontrol/overview), Microsoft, accessed 2026-10-08
9. [Basic editing](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/editor/codebasics), Microsoft, accessed 2026-10-08
10. [What is Live Share?](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/liveshare/), Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-10-08
11. [Extension Marketplace](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/configure/extensions/extension-marketplace), Microsoft, accessed 2026-10-08
12. [Extension API](https://code.visualstudio.com/api), Microsoft, accessed 2026-10-08
13. [Key Bindings for Visual Studio Code](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/configure/keybindings), Microsoft, accessed 2026-10-08
14. [Visual Studio Code updates](https://code.visualstudio.com/updates), Microsoft, accessed 2026-10-08
15. [microsoft/vscode](https://github.com/microsoft/vscode), GitHub, accessed 2026-10-08