JetBrains AI Review 2026: Now JetBrains Air, vs GitHub Copilot
VerifiedJetBrains AI was rebranded to JetBrains Air in September 2026 -- a multi-agent system (Claude Agent, Codex, Junie, Copilot) built into JetBrains IDEs, with Free/$10/$30 tiers.
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JetBrains AI Overview: Now JetBrains Air, Agentic Coding Across IDEs
JetBrains rebranded its AI offering to JetBrains Air in September 2026, repositioning it as "one system for building software with agents" rather than a single IDE plugin -- jetbrains.com/ai now redirects to jetbrains.com/air. Air lets developers run agents they already use (Claude Agent, Codex, Junie, GitHub Copilot, OpenCode, or any ACP-connectable agent) across JetBrains IDEs, web, CLI, and mobile. For business use, JetBrains Air should be judged on how well it fits a JetBrains-centric workflow, since it is built around JetBrains IDEs first.
Table of Contents: JetBrains AI Review Guide
Jump to the pricing, features, pros and cons, comparisons, FAQs, and alternatives.
JetBrains AI Quick Summary for AI Workflow Buyers
Overall Rating: 4.2/5 | Free Plan: Yes -- AI Free includes the Junie agent on Lite, fair use applies
Best For: JetBrains IDE users who want agent-driven development without leaving IntelliJ, PyCharm, WebStorm, or similar
Pricing: Free / Pro $10/month / Ultimate $30/month, plus Business and Enterprise tiers | Ease of Use: 4.1/5 | Business Value: 4.2/5
Last Tested: June 2026 | Version: Latest
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What Role Does JetBrains AI Play in a Modern AI Workflow Stack?
JetBrains Air is positioned as one system for building software with agents, unifying agent-driven development across JetBrains IDEs, web, CLI, and mobile. It works with agents users already use—Claude Agent, Codex, Junie, Copilot, OpenCode, and any connectable via ACP—and lets users choose where they work. For developers, Air supports running any agent and reviewing every change in IDEs, tracking parallel work, connecting compatible agents with a click, reviewing diffs in context, and flexible AI access via existing subscriptions, API keys, or JetBrains AI credits billed at public API rates. For teams, Air Teams offers shared projects in dedicated cloud environments, automations for repeatable tasks, environment controls, and centralized MCP server setup. For organizations, Air Governance provides rules and permissions, cost control, any-vendor key support (Amazon Bedrock, OpenAI, Anthropic, or others), and analytics. Junie is now part of JetBrains Air, and Air Context provides semantic indexing to reduce exploration overhead.
Who Is JetBrains AI Best For in 2026?
JetBrains AI is filed in theaitoolsbox.com's AI Coding Tools category alongside other developer-focused AI platforms.
- Individual developers in JetBrains IDEs Install the plugin and run agents inside JetBrains IDEs, connecting compatible agents found on your machine with a click, or adding new ones from the agent registry.
- Teams running shared agent projects Collaborate and run agent tasks in dedicated cloud environments, invite others, manage access from one place, and connect MCP servers once so the team and their agents securely use the same external tools.
- Organizations adopting AI at scale Set rules and permissions for the whole organization or specific teams and individuals, control AI spend with flexible limits, and track which tools teams use and where AI contributes the most.
- Developers who want to bring their own AI access Bring an existing provider subscription or API keys, or even a base URL, use JetBrains AI with credits billed at public API rates, and switch between subscriptions even mid-session.
Professional reality: Cloud runs are already available for some customers in JetBrains IDEs and the browser, while rollout to all remaining customers will happen gradually over the coming months.
Specialist JetBrains AI Features That Matter for Business Growth
Works With the Agents You Already Use
JetBrains Air supports Claude Agent, Codex, Junie, Copilot, OpenCode, and any agent you can connect via ACP. Air finds compatible agents on your machine and lets you connect them with a click, and you can add new ones from the agent registry.
Keep your existing agent workflow without switching tools
Choose Where You Work
Air runs across JetBrains IDEs, the web at air.jetbrains.cloud, the CLI, and mobile. Agents run in the cloud, so work isn't tied to one machine or team member.
Move between IDE, browser, terminal, and phone without losing your work
Track Parallel Work Across Projects
Keep several projects open, each with its own sessions, and track unread updates, changed files, and outgoing commits in all of them. Open diffs directly from an agent session, validate changes with your IDE tools, and leave comments on specific lines for the agent to act on.
Review every change in context instead of losing track of parallel sessions
Automate Repeatable Tasks
Delegate repeatable tasks to coding agents with automations triggered by events like merge to main, branch behind main, PR created, issue created, and commit pushed. Examples shown include an Agents.md updater, auto-rebaser, code-reviewer, documentation update, issue triage, and lint checker.
Hand off code review, release notes, and fixes to agents
Shared Projects in Dedicated Cloud Environments
Air Teams lets teams collaborate and run agent tasks in dedicated cloud environments, invite others, and manage access from one place. Each project gets a dedicated cloud environment where you can set the VM size, control internet access, and securely manage variables and secrets, plus connect MCP servers once so the team and their agents share the same external tools.
Bring your team and agents together in one controlled setup
Adopt AI at Scale With Air Governance
Set rules and permissions for the whole organization or tailor them to specific teams or individuals, control AI spend with flexible limits, bring your own keys from Amazon Bedrock, OpenAI, Anthropic, or any other provider, and track which tools your teams use with analytics.
Direct AI spend where it adds the most value
How Much Does JetBrains AI Cost in 2026?
JetBrains Air has 4 plan tiers: AI Free (Junie agent included on Lite, fair use applies), AI Pro at $10/month, AI Ultimate at $30/month, plus Business and Enterprise tiers for organizations (Business includes governance, access control, and analytics at $20/seat/month; Enterprise is custom-quoted). Many existing JetBrains subscribers already have paid AI access bundled into the All Products Pack or dotUltimate subscription. Usage is metered in credits billed at public API rates for bring-your-own-key or base-URL setups, with individual agent actions metered down to fractions of a credit.
| Plan | Price | What You Get |
|---|
Visit the official JetBrains AI website to check the latest pricing and plans.
JetBrains AI Pros and Cons for AI Tool Buyers
- One system for building software with agentsJetBrains Air is presented as one system for building software with agents, working with the agents you already use including Claude Agent, Codex, Junie, Copilot, OpenCode, and any you can connect via ACP.
- Choose where you workAir is available across JetBrains IDEs, Web (air.jetbrains.cloud), CLI, and Mobile, so you can pick the surface that fits your workflow.
- Flexible AI accessYou can bring your existing provider subscription or API keys, or even a base URL, use JetBrains AI with credits billed at public API rates, and switch between subscriptions — even mid-session.
- Governance for organizationsAir Governance lets you set rules and permissions for the whole organization or tailor them to specific teams or individuals, control AI cost with flexible limits, bring your own keys from Amazon Bedrock, OpenAI, Anthropic, or any other provider, and optimize with analytics that track which tools your teams use and where AI contributes the most.
- Cloud runs are still rolling outCloud runs are already available for some customers in JetBrains IDEs and the browser, and rollout to all remaining customers will happen gradually over the coming months.
- Air Teams is early accessThe teams offering — with shared projects, dedicated cloud environments, automations, and centralized MCP server setup — is framed as early access to Air Teams.
- Some agents are marked coming soonIn the agent list, Gemini 3 Flash is marked as coming soon, so not every listed agent is available today.
- Junie is now part of JetBrains AirJunie is described as now part of JetBrains Air and positioned as the most cost efficient coding agent, with a link to learn more about Junie.
When Does JetBrains AI Deliver the Most Business Value?
For the wider AI coding landscape, see our roundup of the best AI coding tools in 2026.
Run any agent inside JetBrains IDEs
Air works with the agents you already use — Claude Agent, Codex, Junie, Copilot, OpenCode, and any agent you can connect via ACP. Air finds compatible agents on your machine and lets you connect them with a click, or you can add new ones from the agent registry. Install the plugin and run agents inside JetBrains IDEs, then open diffs directly from an agent session, validate changes with your IDE tools, and leave comments on specific lines for the agent to act on. If you already work in another agent-first editor, see how Cursor or Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) approach the same problem.
Track parallel work across multiple projects
Keep several projects open, each with its own sessions, and track unread updates, changed files, and outgoing commits in all of them. Agents run in the cloud, so work isn't tied to one machine or team member — cloud runs are already available for some customers in JetBrains IDEs and the browser, with rollout to all remaining customers happening gradually over the coming months. Teams can also collaborate and run agent tasks in dedicated cloud environments, inviting others and managing access from one place.
Automate repeatable coding tasks
Delegate busywork to coding agents by setting up automations for code review, release notes, fixes, and more. Automations are triggered by events like merge to main, branch behind main, PR created, issue created, or commit pushed — the site shows examples including an Agents.md updater, auto-rebaser, code-reviewer, documentation update, issue triage, and lint checker, each with run counts and AI credits spent. For teams that want to compare this with other automation-oriented coding tools, Aider and Cline are worth a look.
Govern AI adoption across an organization
Air Governance lets organizations set rules and permissions, giving developers access to the models and agents they need while setting permissions for the whole organization or tailoring them to specific teams or individuals. Control the cost by directing AI spend where it adds the most value with flexible limits for teams and individual contributors, and bring your own keys from Amazon Bedrock, OpenAI, Anthropic, or any other provider — add your key once to give all your developers access. Analytics track which tools your teams use and where AI contributes the most. Flexible AI access also means bringing your existing provider subscription or API keys, or even base URL, and switching between subscriptions even mid-session.
How Do You Get Started With JetBrains AI?
For the wider developer tooling landscape, see our guide to the best AI tools for developers in 2026.
Install or update your JetBrains IDE, then connect an agent (Junie, Claude Agent, Codex, or GitHub Copilot) through JetBrains Air's agent picker.
Compare it with closely related AI tools in the same category before committing.
Set review rules for accuracy, privacy, brand voice, compliance, and final approval.
Connect useful outputs to the wider stack instead of leaving them inside the AI tool.
Is JetBrains AI Worth It for AI Tool Buyers?
JetBrains Air is worth it for developers already working inside JetBrains IDEs who want agent-driven development without switching tools -- the free tier and bundled access via existing JetBrains subscriptions lower the barrier to trying it. It is less compelling for developers who live in VS Code or other non-JetBrains editors, since Air is built around the JetBrains IDE ecosystem first.
JetBrains AI vs Competitors: Which Tool Fits Best?
| Decision Area | JetBrains AI | When Another Option Wins |
|---|---|---|
| Agent support | JetBrains Air works with the agents you already use — Claude Agent, Codex, Junie, Copilot, OpenCode, and any agent you can connect via ACP. Air finds compatible agents on your machine and lets you connect them with a click, and you can add new ones from the agent registry. | If you want a single built-in agent tightly coupled to one editor rather than a hub that connects many agents, a dedicated assistant like GitHub Copilot or Cursor may be simpler. |
| Where you work | Choose where you work: JetBrains IDEs, Web, CLI, and Mobile. Agents run in the cloud, so work isn't tied to one machine or team member. | If your workflow is terminal-first and you don't need a cloud session layer or mobile access, a CLI-native agent like Grok CLI or OpenCode may fit better. |
| Reviewing changes | Open diffs directly from an agent session, validate changes with your IDE tools, and leave comments on specific lines for the agent to act on. Track unread updates, changed files, and outgoing commits across parallel projects. | If you prefer reviewing agent output as pull requests in your existing Git host rather than inside an agent session, a PR-centric agent like Devin may be a better match. |
| AI access and billing | Bring your existing provider subscription or API keys, or even base URL. You can also use JetBrains AI with credits billed at public API rates, and switch between subscriptions — even mid-session. | If you'd rather have one flat subscription with no key management at all, a bundled assistant like Tabnine may be less overhead. |
| Team and org controls | Air Teams gives shared projects in dedicated cloud environments, automations for code review and release notes, per-project VM size and internet access controls, centralized MCP servers, plus governance with rules, permissions, cost limits, and analytics. | If you only need individual developer assistance and no shared cloud environments or org-level governance, a lighter editor-integrated tool like Continue may be enough. |
JetBrains AI vs GitHub Copilot
Both put an AI agent next to your code, but they take different shapes. JetBrains Air is a system for building software with agents: it connects the agents you already use (Claude Agent, Codex, Junie, Copilot, OpenCode, and anything via ACP), runs them in cloud environments, and lets you work from JetBrains IDEs, the web, CLI, or mobile. GitHub Copilot is a single assistant embedded in your editor and Git host. Air also adds team features like shared projects, automations for code review and release notes, and org governance with permissions, cost limits, and analytics.
Choose JetBrains AI if: You want to run multiple agents side by side, review every change in context with line-level comments, keep parallel projects with their own sessions, and bring your own provider subscription or API keys — with team and org controls on top. Choose GitHub Copilot if: You want one well-known assistant already wired into your editor and repository host, without managing a hub of agents or cloud environments.
JetBrains AI vs Cursor
Cursor is an AI-first code editor; JetBrains Air is an agent orchestration layer that sits across JetBrains IDEs, the web, CLI, and mobile. Air's pitch is flexibility: use the agents you already have, connect them with a click, switch subscriptions even mid-session, and let agents run in the cloud so work isn't tied to one machine. Air also layers on Air Context semantic indexing so agents start with an understanding of your project instead of scanning the whole codebase, plus automations and governance for teams and organizations.
Choose JetBrains AI if: You're already in the JetBrains ecosystem, want to keep your existing agent subscriptions, and need shared cloud environments, automations, and org-level permissions and spend controls. Choose Cursor if: You want a single self-contained AI editor and don't need multi-agent orchestration, cloud sessions, or centralized team governance.
JetBrains AI FAQ for AI Tool Buyers
For more free AI tools, see our guide to the best free AI tools in 2026.
What is JetBrains Air?
JetBrains Air is described as one system for building software with agents. It works with the agents you already use, including Claude Agent, Codex, Junie, Copilot, OpenCode, and any agent you can connect via ACP. You can choose where you work: JetBrains IDEs, Web, CLI, or Mobile.
Which AI agents does JetBrains Air support?
Air works with the agents you already use: Claude Agent, Codex, Junie, Copilot, OpenCode, and any agent you can connect via ACP. Air finds compatible agents on your machine and lets you connect them with a click, and you can also add new ones from the agent registry.
Can I bring my own AI subscription or API keys to JetBrains Air?
Yes. Air offers flexible AI access: you can bring your existing provider subscription or API keys, or even a base URL. You can also use JetBrains AI with credits billed at public API rates, and switch between subscriptions — even mid-session. For organizations, you can bring your own keys from Amazon Bedrock, OpenAI, Anthropic, or any other provider.
What can teams do with JetBrains Air?
For teams, Air lets you run shared projects in dedicated cloud environments, invite others and manage access from one place, and delegate repeatable tasks to coding agents via automations for code review, release notes, fixes, and more. You can also control project environments by setting VM size, controlling internet access, and securely managing variables and secrets, and connect MCP servers once so your team and their agents can securely use the same external tools.
How does JetBrains Air help with cost and context?
Air Context's semantic indexing lets agents start with an understanding of your project instead of scanning the entire codebase, which speeds up execution and lowers the cost of working in production-scale repositories. For organizations, Air Governance lets you control the cost by directing AI spend where it adds the most value with flexible limits for teams and individual contributors, and optimize with analytics to track which tools your teams use and where AI contributes the most.
Key Takeaways
- JetBrains AI was rebranded to JetBrains Air in September 2026, now a full agentic development system, not just an IDE plugin.
- Pricing is Free / Pro $10/month / Ultimate $30/month, plus Business and Enterprise tiers.
- It works with Claude Agent, Codex, Junie, GitHub Copilot, OpenCode, and any ACP-connectable agent.
JetBrains Air Alternatives Worth Comparing
- GitHub Copilot — Works across VS Code, JetBrains, and Visual Studio, starting at $10/month, for developers who move between editors.
- Cursor — A standalone AI-first code editor with its own plugin ecosystem, for developers who want to switch away from traditional IDEs entirely.
- Sourcegraph Cody — Code-search-powered AI assistant with its own IDE plugin support, a lighter alternative to Air's full agent system.
- Tabnine — Enterprise-focused with on-prem/air-gapped deployment and SSO integration, for teams that need stricter data-privacy controls than Air offers.
Bottom Line: JetBrains Air is a strong choice for developers already inside the JetBrains IDE ecosystem who want agent-driven development with flexible model/agent choice. Since the September 2026 rebrand, it positions itself as a full agentic development system rather than a single AI plugin -- worth comparing against GitHub Copilot if you work across multiple editors.
Last Tested: June 2026 | Reviewed by theaitoolsbox.com editorial team
Quick Answers
Is JetBrains AI now called JetBrains Air?
Yes -- JetBrains rebranded its AI offering to JetBrains Air in September 2026; jetbrains.com/ai now redirects to jetbrains.com/air.
Does JetBrains Air include free AI?
Yes -- AI Free includes the Junie agent on the Lite plan, though a JetBrains Account is required and fair use applies.
How does JetBrains Air compare to GitHub Copilot?
JetBrains Air is deeply integrated into JetBrains IDEs with multi-agent support (Claude Agent, Codex, Junie, and GitHub Copilot itself), while GitHub Copilot is a lighter, cross-editor assistant that also works natively inside JetBrains Air.
JetBrains AI
AI Coding Tools
Pricing Plans
Paid
Check website for details
AI Free
$0Includes the Junie agent on Lite; fair use applies, JetBrains Account required.
AI Pro
$10/monthIncreased quotas and full agent access.
AI Ultimate
$30/monthHighest individual quotas.
Business
$20/seat/monthGovernance, access control, and analytics for organizations.
Enterprise
CustomWorkspace-level controls, enhanced security, audit logging, priority support.