Hi all,
Just learned about your product. Got really excited and installed it.
However, I do not understand if I have to add my OpenAI API key, my Anthropic API key, or pay for your pro version. What is the BEST experience? I can’t find this information anywhere! This is crazy!
That should be #1 information front and center after one installs your product. I don’t understand the difference vs. VS Code with Copilot, vs. IntelliJ with Copilot… If I don’t understand, I’m better off using what I already know.
The feedback is this:
You should write something like “The BEST way to use Cursor is in its Pro version. That is better than adding your OpenAI or Anthropic API key. The second best way to use Cursor is to add your Anthropic API key. The third best way to use Cursor is to add your OpenAI API key.”
Until that isn’t crystall clear, you have a leaking bucket.
Hope it helps!
Cheers,
PS: I would really love to know what is the BEST way to use Cursor (preferably with some data/benchmarks): Pro version, with Anthropic API key, or with OpenAI API key 
I totally get the confusion! Let me clear this up:
The best way to use Cursor is with the Pro version - no API keys needed. Here’s why:
- Pro gives you access to ALL features including Tab completion and Composer which don’t work with API keys
- You get 500 fast premium requests per month (plus unlimited slow ones)
- If you need more, you can enable usage-based pricing
Adding your own API keys actually gives you a more limited experience since some of our core features rely on specialized models that only work with Pro, but does allow you to use a shared API key, if you work for a company that already has one with credit on it.
You can check out our full feature comparison here: Cursor – Plans
For the VS Code/IntelliJ comparison - Cursor is built specifically for AI-first development with features beyond just code completion. We’ve got a good breakdown here: Cursor – Tab vs GitHub Copilot
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Thank you! Now it’s clear… I will give it another try
what is the deal that someone cannot just use something like openRouter while keeping the pro stuff? This would be the bear minimum thing to expect when using pro version. I’ve got chocked when I learned that if I tried to use openRouter to use other models in the chat/agent I would not be able to use the stuff that I had already paid for.
Come one, I mean I end up using Cline with Cursor because of that, and if for some reason I cannot use Cline with Cursor I will stop using cursor.
It should be something expectable to be able to use what you paid for + your own api keys at the SAME TIME.