Capability · 6 solutions compared
Generate and edit software code
Write, refactor and debug code — from scripts and spreadsheets formulas to full applications — with an AI assistant or agent.
People ask: “build a simple internal tool” · “automate a spreadsheet with a script”
Buy nothing: Cursor, ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Lovable do this well on a free plan.
Every way to do it
Scored on what matters most for this job: quality, reliability, ease.
| Tool | Fit | Quality | Reliability | Ease | Skill | Cheapest plan with it | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cursor | Core feature | technical | Free$0/mo | Plus is limited to Grok models · Claude, GPT and Gemini usage now costs extra at API rates | |||
| Claude | Core feature | technical | Pro$20/mo | Claude Code is not on Free · Heavy agentic use hits usage limits quickly on Pro | |||
| ChatGPT | Strong | basic | Free$0/mo | Free Codex access is limited · Larger projects still need developer review and testing | |||
| Google Gemini | Strong | basic | Free$0/mo | Agent limits are low on lower tiers · Developer review still needed | |||
| Lovable | Strong | — | none | Free$0/mo | Focused on web apps in its supported stack · Less control than a developer editor such as Cursor | ||
| Grok | Strong | technical | Plus$8/mo | Third-party models in Cursor are billed separately · Weekly shared pool is consumed by all products |
Fit and scores are editorial judgements; prices show their verification status. Methodology
Workflows for this
- Build and host a small business website with AI coding tools instead of Webflow, Squarespace or WixFor a simple 3–8 page marketing site: write a site brief, have Claude Code or Cursor (or a chat assistant, for non-coders) build plain HTML/CSS, and host it on Cloudflare's free plan with Workers static assets. Includes the agent prompt, deployment commands, a form option, redirect handling and an honest list of what you give up.moderate1–2 days for a 5-page si…$0 extrauses Claude, Cloudflare Workers & Pages
- Run a small-business CRM in Google Sheets with AI-written Apps ScriptFor a 1–5 person services business: a structured Google Sheet plus a short Apps Script (written and debugged with Claude or ChatGPT) gives you a pipeline, follow-up reminders and a daily email digest without a paid CRM seat. Try HubSpot's free CRM first if you don't want to maintain anything.moderate3–5 hours$0 extrauses Google Workspace