Link copied to clipboard # IntelliJ IDEA vs Visual Studio Comparison - What are their main differences? Share [ Export ](/compare/intellij-idea/visual-studio/export.csv) IntelliJ IDEAVisual Studio[+ Add Product](#) Reviews **IntelliJ IDEA** [ 4.6/5(2,393) ](https://www.g2.com/products/intellij-idea/reviews#reviews) **Visual Studio** [ 4.5/5(4,008) ](https://www.g2.com/products/visual-studio/reviews#reviews) Pricing **IntelliJ IDEA** Free Trial **$19.90** Per Month ยท For Individual Use **Visual Studio** No pricing available **Pricing Insights** from reviews Time to Implement **IntelliJ IDEA** 4 months Based on 29 responses **Visual Studio** 3 monthsFaster Based on 44 responses Return on Investment **IntelliJ IDEA** 15 months Based on 24 responses **Visual Studio** 12 months3 months sooner Based on 40 responses Perceived Cost **IntelliJ IDEA** $$$$$ **Visual Studio** $$$$$ Average Discount **IntelliJ IDEA** 20%6% more **Visual Studio** 14% Pros & Cons **IntelliJ IDEA** [ Ease of Use (61) ](https://www.g2.com/products/intellij-idea/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1886231&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[ Features (58) ](https://www.g2.com/products/intellij-idea/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1886608&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[ High Memory Usage (43) ](https://www.g2.com/products/intellij-idea/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1886991&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[ High System Requirements (25) ](https://www.g2.com/products/intellij-idea/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1886716&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) **Visual Studio** [ Ease of Use (194) ](https://www.g2.com/products/visual-studio/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1778394&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[ Features (173) ](https://www.g2.com/products/visual-studio/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1778921&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[ Slow Performance (141) ](https://www.g2.com/products/visual-studio/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1777886&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[ High Resource Consumption (84) ](https://www.g2.com/products/visual-studio/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1777843&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) Integrations **IntelliJ IDEA** [ ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_92678e42a1cad1b80e7d257e3636e25e/android-studio.jpg "Product Avatar Image") Android Studio ](https://www.g2.com/products/android-studio/reviews)[ ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_809aa88d3571ee805a47d8fb156ba412/apache-kafka.jpg "Product Avatar Image") Apache Kafka ](https://www.g2.com/products/apache-kafka/reviews)[ ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_9d00048205a466c174da3c77093a1336/apache-maven.png "Product Avatar Image") Apache Maven ](https://www.g2.com/products/apache-maven/reviews)[ ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_2ea5f7178028686921161d65d4be481a/bitbucket.png "Product Avatar Image") Bitbucket ](https://www.g2.com/products/bitbucket/reviews)[ View all ](https://www.g2.com/products/intellij-idea/integrations) **Visual Studio** [ ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_5a7938ffd6497884772dc39786f9e1e2/adobe-analytics.png "Product Avatar Image") Adobe Analytics ](https://www.g2.com/products/adobe-analytics/reviews)[ ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_92678e42a1cad1b80e7d257e3636e25e/android-studio.jpg "Product Avatar Image") Android Studio ](https://www.g2.com/products/android-studio/reviews)[ ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_dbc216204b9197e5c0a1b6ac81e9b7e1/azure-devops-server.png "Product Avatar Image") Azure DevOps Server ](https://www.g2.com/products/azure-devops-server/reviews)[ ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_f176b4154a751d10150daa67a57b7dc5/azure-functions.jpg "Product Avatar Image") Azure Functions ](https://www.g2.com/products/azure-functions/reviews)[ View all ](https://www.g2.com/products/visual-studio/integrations) Screenshots **IntelliJ IDEA** ![IntelliJ IDEA screenshot](https://images.g2crowd.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=600,height=600,fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,/https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/attachment/file/72399/interface.png) **Visual Studio** ![Visual Studio screenshot](https://images.g2crowd.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=600,height=600,fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,/https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/attachment/file/20651/uploads_2Fd08cf40a-35bd-4c8e-87de-d117cd10b517_2FIC798330.png) Ratings Meets Requirements **IntelliJ IDEA** 9.3 9.31,988 **Visual Studio** 9.1 9.13,225 Ease of Use **IntelliJ IDEA** 8.8 8.82,007 **Visual Studio** 8.7 8.73,248 Ease of Setup **IntelliJ IDEA** 8.9 8.9410 **Visual Studio** 8.7 8.7911 Ease of Admin **IntelliJ IDEA** 8.5 8.5190 **Visual Studio** 8.5 8.5567 Quality of Support **IntelliJ IDEA** 8.6 8.61,559 **Visual Studio** 8.4 8.42,809 Has the product been a good partner in doing business? **IntelliJ IDEA** 8.8 8.8182 **Visual Studio** 8.8 8.8531 Product Direction (% positive) **IntelliJ IDEA** 9.0 9.01,945 **Visual Studio** 8.9 8.93,123 Features Application Development Platforms[Hide 57 FeaturesShow 57 Features](javascript:void(0);) Not enough data 8.9 471 Additional Functionality Continuous Integration Not enough data Not enough data Drag & Drop Not enough data Not enough data Backup and Recovery Not enough data Not enough data Multiple Programming Languages Supported Not enough data Not enough data Continuous Deployment Not enough data Not enough data Code Development Not enough data Not enough data For No-Code Development Not enough data Not enough data Version Control Not enough data Not enough data Configurable Workflow Not enough data Not enough data Graphical User Interface Not enough data Not enough data For Low-Code Development Not enough data Not enough data Activity Dashboard Not enough data Not enough data Generative AI Not enough data Not enough data UI Prototyping Not enough data Not enough data Source Control Not enough data Not enough data Software Development Not enough data Not enough data API Not enough data Not enough data Data Import/Export Not enough data Not enough data Web App Development Not enough data Not enough data Custom Development Not enough data Not enough data Code Repository Integration Not enough data Not enough data Data Security Not enough data Not enough data Mobile Development Not enough data Not enough data Access Controls/Permissions Not enough data Not enough data Game Development Not enough data Not enough data Collaboration Tools Not enough data Not enough data Application Security Not enough data Not enough data Alerts/Notifications Not enough data Not enough data Automated Testing Not enough data Not enough data Integrated Development Environment Not enough data Not enough data Offline Access Not enough data Not enough data Debugging Not enough data Not enough data AI Copilot Not enough data Not enough data Reporting/Analytics Not enough data Not enough data Compatibility Testing Not enough data Not enough data Pre-built Templates Not enough data Not enough data Third-Party Integrations Not enough data Not enough data Data Modeling Not enough data Not enough data Customizable Branding Not enough data Not enough data Data Visualization Not enough data Not enough data Code Editing Not enough data Not enough data Functionality Ease of Use Not enough data 9.1(won by default) 431 File Management Not enough data 9.1(won by default) 407 Multi-Language Support Not enough data 9.0(won by default) 383 Customization Not enough data 9.0(won by default) 409 Straight-Out-the-Box Functionality Not enough data 8.7(won by default) 391 Help Guides Not enough data 8.7(won by default) 393 Patching & Updates Not enough data 8.9(won by default) 398 Workflow Management Not enough data Not enough data Change Management Not enough data Not enough data Deployment Management Not enough data Not enough data Performance Management Not enough data Not enough data Compliance Management Not enough data Not enough data Lifecycle Management Not enough data Not enough data Task Management Not enough data Not enough data Document Management Not enough data Not enough data Database Support Not enough data Not enough data .NET Integrated Development Environments (IDE)[Hide 19 FeaturesShow 19 Features](javascript:void(0);) Not enough data 8.8 954 Functionality Ease of Use Not enough data 9.1(won by default) 851 File Management Not enough data 9.0(won by default) 822 Multi-Language Support Not enough data 8.9(won by default) 737 Customization Not enough data 8.7(won by default) 813 Straight-Out-the-Box Functionality Not enough data 8.7(won by default) 800 Help Guides Not enough data 8.6(won by default) 787 Patching & Updates Not enough data 8.7(won by default) 794 Deployment Management Not enough data Not enough data Additional Functionality Code Development Not enough data Not enough data Debugging Not enough data Not enough data AI Copilot Not enough data Not enough data Generative AI Not enough data Not enough data Game Development Not enough data Not enough data Web/Mobile App Development Not enough data Not enough data Data Modeling Not enough data Not enough data For Developers Not enough data Not enough data Code Editing Not enough data Not enough data Website Development Not enough data Not enough data Graphical User Interface Not enough data Not enough data C/C++ Integrated Development Environments (IDE)[Hide 7 FeaturesShow 7 Features](javascript:void(0);) Not enough data 8.8 576 Functionality Ease of Use Not enough data 9.1(won by default) 515 File Management Not enough data 8.9(won by default) 508 Multi-Language Support Not enough data 8.9(won by default) 470 Customization Not enough data 8.8(won by default) 496 Straight-Out-the-Box Functionality Not enough data 8.8(won by default) 495 Help Guides Not enough data 8.7(won by default) 497 Patching & Updates Not enough data 8.7(won by default) 492 Mobile Development Platforms[Hide 3 FeaturesShow 3 Features](javascript:void(0);) Not enough data 8.6 53 Agentic AI - Mobile Development Platforms Adaptive Learning Not enough data 8.7(won by default) 40 Natural Language Interaction Not enough data 8.5(won by default) 40 Proactive Assistance Not enough data 8.5(won by default) 41 User Insights Reviewers' Company Size [![IntelliJ IDEA](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/345cf3094b01131abf0d6608092205fa/intellij-idea.svg "IntelliJ IDEA")](https://www.g2.com/products/intellij-idea/reviews) IntelliJ IDEA Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.) 30.7% Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.) 29.0% Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.) 40.3% [![Visual Studio](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/646c72569089375221819d6efbe819a0/visual-studio.svg "Visual Studio")](https://www.g2.com/products/visual-studio/reviews) Visual Studio Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.) 36.1% Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.) 32.0% Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.) 32.0% Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 30.7% 36.1% Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) 29.0% 32.0% Enterprise (\> 1000 emp.) 40.3% 32.0% Reviewers' Industry [![IntelliJ IDEA](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/345cf3094b01131abf0d6608092205fa/intellij-idea.svg "IntelliJ IDEA")](https://www.g2.com/products/intellij-idea/reviews) IntelliJ IDEA Computer Software 37.7% Information Technology and Services 18.4% Internet 5.4% Financial Services 4.3% Higher Education 2.8% Other 31.5% [![Visual Studio](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/646c72569089375221819d6efbe819a0/visual-studio.svg "Visual Studio")](https://www.g2.com/products/visual-studio/reviews) Visual Studio Computer Software 31.1% Information Technology and Services 22.6% Higher Education 2.9% Financial Services 2.6% Internet 2.2% Other 38.7% FAQs ## IntelliJ IDEA vs Visual Studio FAQs Generated using AI Last updated: August 14, 2026 ### What is the difference between Visual Studio vs IntelliJ IDEA? IntelliJ IDEA stands out for its slightly higher reviewer ratings and setup experience, while Visual Studio is favored for its integrated development environment and debugging tools. | [Visual Studio](https://www.g2.com/products/visual-studio/reviews) | [IntelliJ IDEA](https://www.g2.com/products/intellij-idea/reviews) | | --- | --- | | G2 Rating (reviews): 4.5/5 (4004 reviews) | G2 Rating (reviews): 4.6/5 (2389 reviews) | | Largest Segment: Enterprise | Largest Segment: Small-Business | | Ease of Setup score: 8.7 | Ease of Setup score: 8.9 | | Quality of Support score: 8.4 | Quality of Support score: 8.6 | | Top Reviewer-Cited Strength: Integrated coding, debugging, testing, and version control in one environment | Top Reviewer-Cited Strength: Smart code completion, robust debugging, and strong Git integration | ### How do the pricing models of Visual Studio and IntelliJ IDEA compare? IntelliJ IDEA is rated higher for value, with reviewers expressing greater satisfaction with its pricing and cost structure. - **Visual Studio:** Reviewers note that the Community edition is free for individuals and students, but advanced features in Professional and Enterprise editions can be costly for small teams. - **IntelliJ IDEA:** Reviewers highlight the free version for students and beginners, but mention that the Ultimate edition is subscription-based and pricier for professionals, though many find the investment justified by productivity gains. - **Switching-reason:** In recent reviews, several users cite moving to IntelliJ IDEA for its perceived value and efficiency in Java development, despite the higher cost of the Ultimate edition. ### What are the best alternatives to Visual Studio and IntelliJ IDEA? The top 3 alternatives to Visual Studio and IntelliJ IDEA are Xcode, Eclipse, and NetBeans. | Product | G2 Rating (reviews) | Largest Segment | Pricing Insight | Top Reviewer-Cited Strength | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Visual Studio](https://www.g2.com/products/visual-studio/reviews) | 4.5/5 (4004 reviews) | Enterprise | Free Community edition for individuals and students; advanced features require paid tiers | Integrated coding, debugging, testing, and version control in one environment | | [IntelliJ IDEA](https://www.g2.com/products/intellij-idea/reviews) | 4.6/5 (2389 reviews) | Small-Business | Free for students and beginners; Ultimate edition is subscription-based | Smart code completion, robust debugging, and strong Git integration | | [Xcode](https://www.g2.com/products/xcode/reviews) | 4.2/5 (1039 reviews) | Small-Business | โ€” | Native development for Apple platforms with integrated tools | | [Eclipse](https://www.g2.com/products/eclipse/reviews) | 4.3/5 (3221 reviews) | Enterprise | โ€” | Extensive plugin ecosystem and strong support for Java development | | [NetBeans](https://www.g2.com/products/netbeans/reviews) | 4.2/5 (675 reviews) | Small-Business | โ€” | All-in-one IDE with good support for multiple languages | ### Which Java Integrated Development Environments (IDE) features should I prioritize when comparing Visual Studio and IntelliJ IDEA? Buyers should prioritize code intelligence, debugging tools, integration ecosystem, performance/resource usage, and onboarding experience when comparing Visual Studio and IntelliJ IDEA. - **Code intelligence:** Visual Studio Ease of Use 8.7, IntelliJ IDEA Ease of Use 8.8; reviewers highlight IntelliSense in Visual Studio and smart code completion in IntelliJ IDEA. - **Debugging tools:** Visual Studio and IntelliJ IDEA both receive strong reviewer praise for integrated debugging, with IntelliJ IDEA noted for robust error detection and Visual Studio for enterprise-grade debugging tools. - **Integration ecosystem:** Visual Studio: Git (587 all-time mentions), GitHub (168); IntelliJ IDEA: Git (433), GitHub (67), Android Studio (53). - **Performance/resource usage:** Both products are described as resource-intensive in recent reviews, with frequent mentions of high memory usage and slower startup times, especially on large projects. - **Onboarding experience:** Visual Studio Ease of Setup 8.7, IntelliJ IDEA Ease of Setup 8.9; reviewers cite straightforward setup for both, with IntelliJ IDEA slightly favored for initial configuration. ### What are the pros and cons of Visual Studio vs IntelliJ IDEA? Visual Studio's headline strength is its all-in-one development environment, while IntelliJ IDEA is most praised for its intelligent code completion and robust debugging. - **Visual Studio strengths:** Integrated coding, debugging, testing, and version control; powerful IntelliSense; extensive extension ecosystem; strong support for multiple languages; enterprise-grade debugging and profiling tools. - **Visual Studio trade-offs:** Resource-intensive, with high memory usage and slower startup times on large projects; complex interface can be overwhelming for beginners; advanced features require paid licenses for some tiers. - **IntelliJ IDEA strengths:** Smart code completion and real-time error detection; robust debugging tools; strong Git and build tool integration; intuitive UI and navigation; highly rated for Java and Kotlin development. - **IntelliJ IDEA trade-offs:** High memory and CPU usage, especially on large projects; some advanced features locked behind the paid Ultimate edition; can feel heavy on lower-end systems; learning curve for advanced features. ### Is Visual Studio or IntelliJ IDEA better for small businesses? IntelliJ IDEA is the better fit for small businesses, as its largest reviewer segment is Small-Business and reviewers highlight its efficient setup and productivity for smaller teams. - **Visual Studio:** Largest segment is Enterprise; reviewers in small-business contexts appreciate the free Community edition but note that advanced features may be costly for smaller teams. - **IntelliJ IDEA:** Largest segment is Small-Business; reviewers consistently praise its ease of setup, smart code assistance, and suitability for small development teams. ### Which Java Integrated Development Environments (IDE) platform has better integrations? Visual Studio is favored for integrations, with higher all-time mention counts for Git and GitHub compared to IntelliJ IDEA. - **Visual Studio:** Git (587 all-time mentions), GitHub (168); reviewers also mention Azure integration and a broad extension ecosystem. - **IntelliJ IDEA:** Git (433), GitHub (67), Android Studio (53); reviewers highlight integration with build tools like Maven and Gradle, as well as database and Docker plugins. ### How do Visual Studio and IntelliJ IDEA compare on customer support? IntelliJ IDEA and Visual Studio are rated within 0.2 points on Quality of Support, indicating near-parity with scores of 8.6 and 8.4 respectively. - **Visual Studio:** Reviewers describe support as generally responsive, with strong documentation and community resources, though some note occasional delays with complex issues. - **IntelliJ IDEA:** Reviewers highlight helpful onboarding resources, good documentation, and quick resolution of support tickets, especially for the Ultimate edition. ### Which is easier to implement, Visual Studio or IntelliJ IDEA? IntelliJ IDEA is rated slightly higher for Ease of Setup, with a score of 8.9 versus Visual Studio's 8.7, a difference below the materiality threshold, indicating near-parity. - **Visual Studio:** Reviewers describe the setup process as straightforward, especially with the guided installer, though some mention the large installation footprint and initial configuration complexity for advanced workloads. - **IntelliJ IDEA:** Reviewers consistently praise the easy and quick setup, with many noting that the installation wizard and built-in support for build tools and version control make onboarding efficient. 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