Open source collaborative editor vs open agent-development platform.
Official product sites
Zed and Warp both use Rust and GPU-backed rendering, but they solve different problems. Zed is an open source code editor with real-time multiplayer collaboration, remote development, built-in AI, and the Agent Client Protocol for external agents. Warp is an open agent-development platform spanning terminal, standalone Agent CLI, local and cloud agents, Factories, Warp Code, session sharing, Warp Drive, and MCP.
Zed replaces your editor. Warp covers a broader terminal, CLI, cloud, and automation workflow, with a lightweight editor for local in-context changes. Solo replaces neither; it is a desktop workspace for local agents and project commands.
Choose Zed when AI work should stay in the editor, Warp when it should stay in the terminal, or Solo when local agents and project commands need a separate workspace.
Zed fits best when coding, collaboration, and flexible agent use should stay centered on a fast editor.
Warp fits best when agent workflows, session sharing, and automation should stay centered on the terminal.
Solo fits when local agents and project commands need their own workspace outside the editor and terminal platform.
| Feature | Zed | Warp | Solo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary purpose | Fast, open source editor with AI and real-time collaboration | Agentic development environment (terminal + editor + agents) | Local process dashboard for agents and project commands |
| Replaces your editor |  | Partially — Warp Code added Sept 2025, but terminal-first | — |
| Replaces your terminal | — | Yes — Rust-based, GPU-accelerated, blocks-based UI | — |
| Built-in AI agent | Agentic editing with Zed-hosted models or BYOK | Multi-agent with autonomy controls and interactive terminal use | — |
| External agent support | ACP registry agents including Claude, Codex, OpenCode, Copilot, Cursor, and Pi | Any CLI agent in Warp terminals, plus native Warp Agent | Supported agents get first-party features; other CLIs run as generic processes |
| Cloud agents | — | Yes — Oz orchestration platform (Feb 2026) | — |
| AI model choice | Claude, GPT, Gemini, Grok; Zed-hosted or BYOK | Claude, GPT, Gemini, Grok; BYOK for OpenAI, Anthropic, Google | N/A — no built-in AI |
| MCP integration | MCP tools and prompts via extensions or settings | MCP Gallery with curated one-click installs | Exposes an MCP server for external tools |
| Real-time collaboration | Yes — multiplayer editing with CRDT, voice chat, screen sharing | — | — |
| Session sharing | — | Yes — stream terminal sessions and hand over control | — |
| Team knowledge | Settings and extensions | Warp Drive — shared workflows, env vars, MCP configs | solo.yml for shared command definitions |
| Editor architecture | Rust editor with GPU-backed rendering | Rust terminal; Warp Code is a lightweight editor for local in-context edits | N/A — not an editor |
| Local process dashboard | Terminal and agent panels, not a process supervisor | Terminal sessions and Warp Drive, not a process supervisor | Yes — sidebar with CPU/memory stats per process |
| Auto-restart for project commands | — | — | Yes — self-exit and file-watch restarts |
| Open source | Yes — GPL v3 (editor), Apache (ACP, GPUI) | Yes — desktop client is AGPL-licensed | — |
| Free tier | Personal with 2,000 accepted edit predictions; BYOK and external agents | Free with BYO inference and pay-as-you-go agent usage | 4 projects and 20 processes |
| Paid plans | Pro $10/mo with $5 included tokens; Business $30/seat/mo | Build starts $20/mo, Max $200/mo, Business $50/user/mo, Enterprise custom | Pro plan |
| Funding | ~$42M raised (Sequoia, Redpoint) | Venture-backed (Sequoia, GV, angels) | Bootstrapped |
| Platform | macOS, Windows, Linux | macOS, Windows, Linux | macOS and Windows |
Zed is an open source Rust code editor with GPU-backed rendering, real-time multiplayer collaboration, remote development, and ACP agents.
Warp is an open agent-development platform.
Solo is a process dashboard.
Zed combines built-in agentic editing with external agents through the Agent Client Protocol.
Warp takes a platform approach. Any CLI agent also works in Warp since it is a terminal.
Solo runs CLI agents as managed processes alongside dev servers and workers.
Zed provides multiplayer project editing with shared cursors, voice chat, and screen sharing.
Warp provides live terminal and agent-session sharing with optional edit access. It is not the same as Zed's multiplayer project editing. Warp Drive shares workflows, environment variables, and MCP configuration across a team.
Solo shares command configuration through solo.yml (version-controlled).
If Zed is your editor, Solo adds process lifecycle management for background project commands.
Warp provides terminal and agent sessions plus desktop command/OSC notifications. Its reviewed docs do not describe Solo-style automatic exit/file-watch restart or per-process resource supervision.
Solo complements both.
Zed is an editor and Warp spans a terminal, Agent CLI, and agent platform, so product scope matters as much as plan price.
Zed pricing lens
Zed offers Personal free, Pro at $10 per month with $5 in included tokens, and Business at $30 per seat per month.
Warp pricing lens
Warp is free to get started and sells broader paid team and enterprise layers.
Where Solo fits
Solo is a separate local environment layer if you do not want either the editor or the terminal platform to own that part of the workflow.
Zed is an open source collaborative editor with remote development and ACP agents. Warp is an open agent-development platform spanning terminal, Agent CLI, local and cloud agents, Factories, Warp Code, and collaboration. Choose based on which primary workspace you want. Solo fits when local agents and project commands should live in a separate process dashboard.
Related comparisons
If you are evaluating Zed, Warp, Solo, these are the closest next comparisons in the matrix.
Start with one project and a small task. These guides walk through the setup and what to check when the work finishes.
Set up both tools in one project, give one agent implementation work, and ask the other to review the diff.
Read the guide →Give a lead agent a plan, shared todos, and a scratchpad so workers have clear assignments and a useful handoff.
Read the guide →Put a Laravel server, Vite, and a queue worker in solo.yml, then manage their output and restart behavior in Solo.
Read the guide →The Free plan includes every feature, so you only need Pro after you outgrow four projects.
Team seats
Buy seats under one Stripe subscription, then share a claim link in Slack or email. Each claimant signs in or registers and receives a normal Solo Pro license. Optional auto-grow adds prorated seats automatically when the pool is full, so your team never hits a license wall.
Seats 1–3
$99/seat/yr
Seats 4–10
$89/seat/yr
Seats 11–50
$79/seat/yr
Seats 51+
$69/seat/yr
Brackets apply per seat — a 10-seat team pays $99 each for seats 1–3 and $89 each for seats 4–10.
Free for four projects on macOS and Windows.
Start with a terminal and add the programmable meta-harness when you need to coordinate agents with your local development stack.
“I can't live without it.”
