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ReviewsIs VSCodium actually free?
How free100/100
Value8/10
How these scores work
Free Score (0–100) follows a fixed rubric: cards up front, auto-billing, hard time cutoffs, withheld core features, and paying with your data or attention all deduct points. 90–100 truly free · 70–89 free forever · 45–69 squeezed · 15–44 trial mechanics · under 15 fake or gone. Value (0–10) is editorial: real-world worth of the free offering measured against its paid equivalent. Full rubric on the methodology page.
Yes. VSCodium is VS Code compiled from the same open-source repository with Microsoft's telemetry and branding removed. Same editor, no tracking, no account.
What it’s worth
The same as VS Code — which is to say free — with the telemetry difference being the entire point.
What you get free
- The VS Code editor, built from source without Microsoft's telemetry
- Every language and extension workflow developers expect
- Builds for Windows, macOS and Linux
- No account prompts and no branding
In practice: the same editor most developers already use, with the data collection compiled out.
Drawbacks
- A different extension marketplace with some gaps
- Some Microsoft extensions are licensed against use here
- Updates trail the official builds slightly
Also paywalled
- Nothing
Free facts
| Verdict | Truly Free |
| Card required | No |
| Auto-bills | — |
| Account | None needed |
| Limits | None |
| The real cost | Nothing. Community builds of Microsoft's own open-source code. |
The catch
One practical wrinkle: it uses a different extension marketplace, because Microsoft's is licensed for their own builds only. Most extensions are there; a few Microsoft-published ones aren't.
The smart play
- Pick this over VS Code if the default telemetry is the thing that bothers you
- Check your must-have extensions in the Open VSX registry before switching
- Settings and keybindings transfer straight across from VS Code
More info — tap to expand
What the difference actually is
VS Code's source is open, but the build Microsoft ships adds telemetry, their marketplace and a proprietary licence. VSCodium is the same source compiled without those. If you are happy with VS Code, nothing here is an upgrade — it only matters if you would rather not send usage data to Microsoft.
Last checked: August 2026 · Verdict: Truly Free — no card, no account wall, no meaningful catch. use it and go.
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