Trae
AI-first code editor from ByteDance with a chat agent, builder mode and a generous free tier.
Quick facts
| Pricing | Free |
|---|---|
| Free tier | Yes — free tier with a monthly allowance of agent requests |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| Developer | ByteDance |
| Website | https://www.trae.ai/ |
What Trae is
Trae is an AI-first code editor from ByteDance, shipped as a standalone IDE rather than a plugin. It pairs a chat panel with an agent that can read the project, edit files and run commands, plus inline completion for everyday typing. A builder mode takes a description and produces a working project scaffold, aimed at people starting something new rather than maintaining an existing codebase. It supports the common languages and can import settings and keybindings from other editors, which lowers the cost of trying it. The interface is available in English and Chinese, and the free tier is generous enough to evaluate seriously. The limits are maturity and ecosystem: fewer extensions than established editors, and agent behaviour on large repositories is less predictable than on fresh projects. A chat panel and builder mode ship in the same binary, so no separate agent extension is needed.
Best for
- Starting a new project from a description
- Teams that want an agent in the editor without a subscription
- Developers who prefer a Chinese-language interface
Not ideal for
- Projects dependent on a specific extension ecosystem
- Large legacy repositories where the agent has little context
Pros
- Builder mode produces a runnable scaffold
- Free tier covers real evaluation
- Settings import lowers switching cost
Cons
- Smaller extension ecosystem than mainstream editors
- Agent is weaker on large, unfamiliar codebases
- Newer product with a shorter track record
Pricing in detail
The free tier includes a monthly allowance of agent requests and completions. Paid plans are billed monthly and raise the request allowance and give access to stronger models and faster queues. Because the limit is counted in agent requests, a single large refactor can consume a meaningful share of a month, so check the allowance against your working pattern rather than assuming it is unlimited.
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