Let’s talk about something most freelancers care about: getting quality tools without breaking the bank. GitHub Copilot and Cursor are fantastic, but at $10-20/month, they’re not pocket change when you’re bootstrapping or between projects.
That’s where Tabnine and Codeium come in. Both offer genuinely good free tiers, and honestly? They’re better than you’d expect. I’ve tested both extensively, and here’s what you need to know.
The Bottom Line Up Front
Codeium is the better free option for most freelancers. It’s more generous with features, feels more modern, and the autocomplete is surprisingly good. But Tabnine has one killer advantage: privacy. If you’re working
with sensitive client code, Tabnine’s on-premise options are worth considering.
What You Get for Free
Codeium’s Free Tier
This is where Codeium really shines. The free version gives you:
- Unlimited autocomplete suggestions (yes, unlimited)
- Support for 70+ programming languages
- Works in all major IDEs (VS Code, JetBrains, Vim, etc.)
- AI chat for explaining code and debugging
- No credit card required
The catch? The suggestions are slightly slower than the paid tier, and you won’t get some advanced features like team collaboration. But for a solo freelancer? This is more than enough.
Tabnine’s Free Tier
Tabnine is more restrictive:
- Limited AI suggestions (you’ll hit a cap)
- Basic autocomplete only
- Fewer supported languages compared to Codeium
- No AI chat in the free version
However, Tabnine’s free tier still provides solid autocomplete that learns from your coding patterns. It’s functional, just not as feature-rich.
Code Quality: Which Suggests Better?
I ran both tools on the same React project for two weeks. Here’s what I found:
Codeium is aggressive and confident. It’ll suggest entire functions, complete components, and even boilerplate you didn’t ask for. Sometimes it’s brilliant—autocompleting a complex API call perfectly. Other times it’s overeager and suggests code that needs significant editing.
Tabnine is more conservative. It focuses on completing the line you’re writing rather than predicting your next ten moves. This feels safer but less exciting. For beginners, this might actually be better because you’re not
tempted to accept code you don’t fully understand.
In my testing, Codeium had the edge on accuracy for modern frameworks (React, Next.js, FastAPI). Tabnine performed slightly better with older codebases and enterprise languages like Java.
Privacy: The Elephant in the Room
Here’s where things get interesting. When you’re working on client projects under NDAs, code privacy matters.
Codeium uses your code to train their models unless you’re on an enterprise plan. For most freelancers, this is fine—your code snippets aren’t trade secrets. But if you’re working with a bank or healthcare client, this could be a problem.
Tabnine offers local model execution even on free and pro tiers. Your code never leaves your machine. For freelancers doing sensitive work, this is huge. It’s why companies like Apple and JPMorgan use Tabnine despite
having budgets for anything.
IDE Support and Setup
Both tools support the usual suspects: VS Code, JetBrains, Vim, Neovim, and more.
Codeium has a cleaner, more modern setup process. You install the extension, sign in, and you’re coding in under two minutes. The UI feels polished and well-designed.
Tabnine has been around longer, and honestly, it shows. The onboarding is slightly clunkier, and the interface feels dated compared to newer tools. It works fine—it just doesn’t feel as sleek.
Performance and Speed
Codeium can be resource-heavy, especially on older machines. I noticed VS Code getting sluggish on my 2019 MacBook Pro when working on larger projects. Disabling Codeium temporarily fixed it.
Tabnine is lighter. It runs models locally (which is why it’s more private), so it’s less dependent on internet speed. On spotty Wi-Fi, Tabnine kept working while Codeium lagged.
Pricing: When You’re Ready to Upgrade
Neither tool forces you to upgrade, but here’s what you get if you do:
Codeium Pro ($10/month):
- Faster suggestions
- Priority support
- Advanced AI features
- Team collaboration tools
Tabnine Pro ($12/month):
- Better AI models
- More suggestions per month
- Personalized training on your codebase
- Priority support
For most freelancers, the free tiers are sufficient. I only upgraded Codeium when I started working on a fast paced agency project where speed mattered.
Which One Should You Choose?
Choose Codeium if:
- You want the most generous free tier
- Modern web frameworks are your main work
- You don’t work with highly sensitive code
- You like AI chat features for learning
- You want something that feels polished and new
Choose Tabnine if:
- Privacy is non-negotiable
- You work with enterprise clients (banks, healthcare, etc.)
- Your machine isn’t the newest/fastest
- You prefer conservative, safe suggestions
- You work with older or less common languages
My Honest Take
I use Codeium as my daily driver for most projects. The free tier is absurdly generous, and the suggestions are good enough that I rarely think about upgrading. But when I’m working on a client project with strict confidentiality requirements, I switch to Tabnine.
If you’re brand new to AI code assistants, start with Codeium. It’s free, full-featured, and you’ll get a real sense of how these tools work. You can always try Tabnine later if privacy becomes an issue.
Want to see how these free options compare to premium tools like GitHub Copilot and Cursor? Check out our complete guide to the best AI code assistants for freelancers.
Quick FAQ
Can I use both at the same time?
Technically yes, but I don’t recommend it. Running two AI autocomplete tools simultaneously causes conflicts and slows down your editor. Pick one and stick with it.
Will Codeium always be free?
As of now, yes. They make money from enterprise customers and pro users. The free tier is their way of building market share, and they’ve committed to keeping it available.
Is Tabnine really private if it’s free?
Yes. Tabnine’s privacy model isn’t tied to pricing—it’s their core selling point. Even free users get local model execution. They make money by selling to enterprises who want that privacy at scale
A.G. Makoudi is a tech writer specializing in SaaS tools and digital solutions, helping readers simplify technology and make smarter software choices.
