VS Code vs JetBrains IntelliJ Statistics – Which is Better? (2025)

Introduction

VS Code vs JetBrains IntelliJ Statistics: Selecting the appropriate integrated development environment (IDE) is crucial for developer productivity. In 2024, Visual Studio Code (VS Code) was utilized by 73.6% of developers, as reported by the Stack Overflow Developer Survey. In contrast, IntelliJ IDEA was employed by 84% of Java developers, according to the 2025 Java Developer Productivity Report. VS Code is available free of charge for both private and commercial use.

IntelliJ IDEA offers a Community Edition at no cost and an Ultimate Edition priced at USD 16.90 per month or USD 169 annually for individual developers, with business subscriptions starting at USD 59.90 per month or USD 599 per year. The IDE market was valued at USD 2,474 million in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 4,042.46 million by 2032, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 6.33%.

Editor’s Choice

• VS Code controls around 54.1% of the coding tools market, indicating its widespread use among programmers worldwide.
• VS Code supports GitHub Copilot, an AI tool that helps write code faster.
• As of 2024, 73.6% of the developers say they use Visual Studio Code, based on the Stack Overflow Developer Survey.
• In 2025, almost 84% of the JAVA programmers said they use IntelliJ IDEA, up from 71% in 2024. This indicates that it is the top choice for Java coding tools.

By Users and Popularity Statistics

#1. VS Code User and Popularity Statistics

• In 2024, about 73.6% of software developers picked Visual Studio Code (VS Code) as their main editor, based on the Stack Overflow Developer Survey. This makes VS Code the top choice among all code editors.
• VS Code controls around 54.1% of the coding tools market, indicating its widespread use among programmers worldwide.
• The VS Code Marketplace offers nearly 60,000 extensions created by over 45,000 publishers. These tools have been downloaded over 3.3 billion times, demonstrating the significant reliance users have on them to customize their setup.

#2. JetBrains IntelliJ User and Popularity Statistics

(Reference: jrebel.com)

• In the above chart, we can examine the statistics for IntelliJ and VC Code users.
• As of 2024, around 15.9 million developers across the globe use JetBrains products like IntelliJ IDEA.
• IntelliJ IDEA remains the #1 IDE for Java programming. Its usage among Java devs jumped from 71% to 84% between 2024 and 2025.
• JRebel reported, based on “VS Code vs JetBrains IntelliJ Statistics – Which is Better?” that 88% of the world’s largest 100 companies (Fortune Global 100) use JetBrains tools, demonstrating the trust IntelliJ has earned for enterprise-level work.
• By early 2025, IntelliJ had over 9,150 plugins, allowing users to customize and extend features to meet their specific needs.

By Market Share Statistics

#1. VS Code Market Share

• As of 2024, 73.6% of the developers say they use Visual Studio Code, based on the Stack Overflow Developer Survey.
• VS Code holds the top spot among code editors with a 54.1% market share globally, according to data from World Metrics. This means more than 50% of the developers prefer it over other tools.
• In 2024, the PYPL Index (which tracks how often people search for software tools) and Tools. (Had a 15.4% share of total searches related to integrated development environments.

#2. JetBrains IntelliJ Market Share

(Reference: tabnine.com)

• In the above chart, we can see which editor people use the most for JAVA development.
• In 2025, almost 84% of the JAVA programmers said they use IntelliJ IDEA, up from 71% in 2024. This indicates that it is the top choice for Java coding tools.
• IntelliJ IDEA holds a 3.23% market share in the global code editor and developer tools market, spanning all languages and platforms.
• Based on VS Code vs. JetBrains IntelliJ Statistics – Which is Better? Wikipedia revealed that approximately 88 out of the top 100 Fortune Global companies rely on JetBrains tools, such as IntelliJ IDEA, for their development needs.
• As of late 2024, IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition has over 7,600 plugins. The Ultimate Edition has more than 8,300 plugins. This provides users with considerable freedom to customize their workspace.

By Price Statistics

#1. VS Code Price Statistics

• VS Code is free to download and use. It works on Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems. You don’t have to pay anything for the main software.
• There are no monthly or yearly charges. You don’t need to buy a license or sign up for a paid plan.
• While most extensions(plugins) are free, a few premium ones made by third-party developers might charge money.
• VS Code supports GitHub Copilot, an AI tool that helps write code faster.
• Free Plan: Get up to 2,000 code suggestions per month at no cost.
• Pro Plan: USD10 per user each month or USD100 per year for unlimited use.

#2. JetBrains IntelliJ Price Statistics

• Community Edition

1. 1. Cost: $0 (Free)
   2. Info: This version is open-source and available for free use. It works well for Java and Android development.

• For Individual Users

1. 1. Monthly Plan: $16.90 per user
   2. Yearly Plan: $169 per user
   3. All JetBrains Tools Pack: $289/year – includes access to all desktop apps from JetBrains

• For Companies/Teams

1. 1. Monthly Plan: $59.90 per user
   2. Annual Plan: $599 per user
   3. All Products Bundle: $779/year – gives full access to JetBrains’ entire tool suite.

• Free Licenses for

1. 1. Students and educators
   2. Open-source contributors
   3. Instructors and classroom use
   4. Coding boot camps
   5. Recognized developers under JetBrains’ Developer Recognition Program

By Developer Statistics

#1. VS Code Developer Statistics

• Most Popular Among Developers

1. 1. Used by Most Programmers: In the 2024 Stack Overflow Developer Survey, 73.6% of developers said they use Visual Studio Code (VS Code), making it the most used coding tool in the world.
   2. Still on Top: VS Code has held the #1 spot for years — 74.5% used it in 2021, 74.48% in 2022, and 73.71% in 2023.

• Add-Ons & Extensions

1. 1. Huge Plugin Store: The VS Code Marketplace has around 60,000 extensions created by about 45,000 developers and companies.
   2. Massive Usage: These extensions have been downloaded more than 3.3 billion times. On average, developers install about 40 extensions to improve their coding experience.

• Why Developers Love It

1. 1. Works Everywhere: VS Code runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, allowing coders to use it on any system.
   2. Supports Many Languages: It’s great for JavaScript, TypeScript, and Node.js out of the box, and you can add support for Python, Java, C++, and many other languages with plugins.

#2. JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA Developer Statistics

• By 2024, over 15.9 million developers were using JetBrains products, and IntelliJ IDEA remains one of their top tools.
• Nearly 90% of Fortune Global 100 companies rely on JetBrains software, including IntelliJ IDEA, demonstrating strong trust from large organizations.
• In the 2025 Java Developer Productivity Report, 84% of Java developers said they use IntelliJ IDEA. That’s up from 71% in 2024, indicating it’s gaining popularity.
• As of early 2025, there are over 9,150 plugins for IntelliJ IDEA. These add extra tools and enable users to personalize the software’s operation.
• In 2024, approximately 80% of tech companies permitted their teams to utilize AI tools. About 18% of developers used AI in their code, and IntelliJ IDEA supports many of these new features.
• JetBrains found in 2024 that developers care a lot about how smooth and useful their tools are. IntelliJ IDEA provides intelligent features to help users work more efficiently and effectively.
• Approximately 8% of developers have attempted to write code in virtual reality (VR), and nearly 50% are interested in trying it. IntelliJ IDEA helps tech professionals stay ahead of trends.

By Security Statistics

#1. VS Code Security Statistics

• In 2024, five security issues were found in Visual Studio Code (VS Code).
• By 2025, only one vulnerability has been reported so far, with a risk score of 7.1 out of 10, meaning it is moderately serious.
• Some bugs allowed hackers to run harmful code on users’ computers without permission (Remote Code Execution).
• Two popular add-ons were carrying ransomware, showing that not all extensions in the VS Code marketplace are safe.
• Cybercriminals used the Remote Tunnels feature to sneak into systems for spying and other attacks (Unauthorized Access).
• Microsoft fixed several bugs through updates in versions 1.86 (January 2024), 1.88 (March 2024), and 1.92 (July 2024).
• After finding ransomware in extensions, Microsoft tightened its review process and removed the dangerous add-ons from its store.
• The single issue reported in 2025 had a risk score of 7.1 out of 10, which is considered moderate.

#2. JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA Security Statistics

• In 2024, IntelliJ IDEA had 4 security issues, with an average risk score of 5.8 out of 10.
• As of mid-2025, no new major security problems have been found.
• CVE-2024-37051: A bug in the GitHub plugin could leak access tokens to outside sites, risking private project data.
• CVE-2025-32054: Older versions (before 2024.3 and 2024.2.4) might save sensitive code in system logs, exposing private information.
• CVE-2024-46970: Before version 2024.1, projects could be named in a way that let attackers run scripts in the browser (HTML injection).
• CVE-2024-24940: Older versions (before 2023.3.3) had a flaw that let attackers reach files they shouldn’t by unpacking ZIP files in a certain way.
• JetBrains fixed all these problems in updates like 2024.1.3 and 2024.2.4; users should upgrade to the latest version.
• IntelliJ now includes Qodana Security Analysis, a built-in tool that checks code for weak spots and helps prevent risky bugs before release.

Conclusion

Ultimately, both VS Code and JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA are excellent tools, but they are best suited for different users. VS Code is free, lightweight, and easy to customise, making it a top pick for web developers and those who prefer open-source software.

On the other hand, IntelliJ IDEA is very powerful for Java and big business projects, with smart features that help you write and fix code faster. If you want a budget-friendly and flexible option, VS Code is a good choice. But if you work on complicated projects and need strong support for Java, Kotlin, or other business tools, IntelliJ IDEA is better.

The best tool depends on your work style, team, and project needs. Both are always getting better and shaping how coding is done, so testing both and picking the one that helps you work faster and smarter is the best idea. We have provided a clear overview of VS Code vs. JetBrains IntelliJ Statistics – Which is Better?