Cursor vs OpenAI Codex:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Cursor had more branded searches than OpenAI Codex among AI coding assistants in New Zealand. Cursor had about 1,050 branded searches, while OpenAI Codex had 260. Cursor made up 7.9% of all AI coding assistant searches we track, and OpenAI Codex accounted for 2%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about AI coding assistants, Cursor appeared in all five answers and OpenAI Codex in three. Cursor was mentioned before OpenAI Codex in every answer.
Who do people search for more?
Cursor, about 4 searches for every 1 for OpenAI Codex
Who does AI mention more?
Cursor, mentioned in every answer we collected
Who does AI recommend more?
Cursor, named ahead of OpenAI Codex in every answer
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Top AI coding assistants in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Cursor appeared in all five answers. OpenAI Codex was mentioned in three out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Cursor was listed before OpenAI Codex in every answer.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
- Cursor1st
GitHub Copilot2nd
Claude Code3rd
OpenAI Codex4th
Windsurf5th
Replit–
Lovable–
Bolt–
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Claude Code5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- GitHub Copilot5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Cursor5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- OpenAI Codex3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Windsurf2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Replit0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Lovable0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Bolt0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about AI coding assistants
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which AI coding assistant should I use in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best AI coding assistants in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best AI coding assistant in New Zealand for software development?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“ai coding assistant”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“ai pair programming”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in New Zealand on October 20, 2026.
Is Cursor or OpenAI Codex more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Cursor and OpenAI Codex by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all eight AI coding assistants we track, month by month, from searches in New Zealand.
Share of searches by month for Cursor, OpenAI Codex. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Claude Code | Replit | GitHub Copilot | Cursor | Lovable | Bolt | OpenAI Codex | Windsurf |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 23.3% | 30.6% | 15.9% | 12.3% | 7.3% | 5% | 3.1% | 2.4% |
| Nov 2025 | 25.4% | 33.4% | 14.5% | 13.7% | 6.2% | 3.2% | 1.5% | 2% |
| Dec 2025 | 26.4% | 34.8% | 14.1% | 10.1% | 6.3% | 3% | 3.5% | 1.8% |
| Jan 2026 | 48.3% | 22.7% | 11.8% | 7.3% | 5.2% | 1.9% | 1.6% | 1.2% |
| Feb 2026 | 47.6% | 22.1% | 12.3% | 7.6% | 4% | 1.7% | 3.5% | 1.2% |
| Mar 2026 | 54.5% | 17.2% | 13.3% | 7% | 3.8% | 1.1% | 2.2% | 0.88% |
| Apr 2026 | 51.9% | 16.1% | 17.6% | 6.5% | 4.3% | 0.98% | 1.7% | 0.88% |
| May 2026 | 47.6% | 18.3% | 16.6% | 7.4% | 6.2% | 1.3% | 1.5% | 1% |
| Jun 2026 | 45% | 21.1% | 13.5% | 10% | 5.8% | 1.4% | 1.8% | 1.4% |
| Jul 2026 | 43.8% | 20.4% | 13.6% | 7.8% | 7.6% | 1.7% | 3.9% | 1.2% |
| Aug 2026 | 42.2% | 24.3% | 12.4% | 9.7% | 6.1% | 2.5% | 1.7% | 1.2% |
| Sep 2026 | 40.7% | 28.4% | 12.2% | 7.9% | 5.6% | 2.1% | 2% | 1.2% |
How has the Cursor and OpenAI Codex comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Cursor was ahead of OpenAI Codex in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Cursor’s share of searches among AI coding assistants in New Zealand moved from 12.3% to 7.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1.5K to 1.1K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, OpenAI Codex’s share of searches among AI coding assistants in New Zealand moved from 3.1% to 2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 390 to 260.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand AI coding assistants in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Cursor lost share of searches among AI coding assistants in New Zealand, from 9.7% to 7.9%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for OpenAI Codex in New Zealand fell 33.3% over 12 measured months, from 390 to 260 in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
5 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Cursor’s and OpenAI Codex’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Cursor
4 branded search terms
- cursor ai
- cursor coding
- cursor editor
- cursor ide
OpenAI Codex
1 branded search term
- openai codex
Other head-to-heads among AI coding assistants
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