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Cursor alternative for AI-native engineering teams

Cursor accelerates the engineer.
Hyrax architects the codebase.

Cursor is one of the fastest ways to write code, and it makes individual engineers markedly more productive. Hyrax exists because that velocity is the reason architecture drifts: it audits the codebase those changes land in, and delivers verified pull requests.

  • Hyrax audits roughly 400 of its own repositories.
  • Free plan: full access, up to 100 PR reviews a month, a $30 starter credit, and $10/month ongoing.
13verification steps per resolve
6audit domains
$0to start, credits included

Verified end to end, with no Cursor handoff

Why teams switch

What changes when Hyrax runs above the tools.

01

Judgment above the agents

Cursor executes the task it is given. Hyrax decides what is worth doing and whether the result fits the system it lands in.

02

Verified before review

Every change runs the project baseline tests, build and lint, and passes a second reviewer agent, before the pull request exists.

03

Context that compounds

The map of the codebase lives in the repository and strengthens with every merge, so the next decision starts from everything learned before it.

Comparison

Cursor writes code. Hyrax decides what the codebase needs.

Decision criteriaCursorHyrax
Unit of workThe editing session and the file in front of the developer.The whole repository, audited continuously across six domains.
Codebase contextIndexes the open repository for chat and agent edits.A durable map committed to the repository as HYRAX.md and .hyrax/discovery, so it strengthens as the codebase changes.
Output typeCompletions, multi-file edits and agent changes.Verified pull requests, plus issues ranked by severity and effort.
VerificationRuns commands and tests when the developer approves them.Baseline tests, build, lint and a second reviewer agent run against the project itself before a pull request opens.
Human controlThe developer accepts every edit.A human approves and merges every pull request. Hyrax never merges on its own.
Delivery surfaceThe Cursor editor, plus Bugbot on pull requests.GitHub pull requests, with issues and posture in the Hyrax console.
Pricing modelFree plan, then from $20 per user per month.Free plan with a $30 starter credit and $10/month ongoing. Paid is $30 per user per month and each paid user gets $30/month of credits.

Read how Cursor describes itself: cursor.com(opens in a new tab)

Start freeGitHub-native. Human-controlled. Verified before merge.
Workflow

Comments on a diff, or a verified pull request.

Cursor
  1. 01A developer assigns Cursor a task.
  2. 02Cursor writes code for that task and stops when the task is done.
  3. 03The team decides whether the change fits the wider system, then merges.
Hyrax
  1. 01Maps the codebase and keeps the map in the repository
  2. 02Applies architectural judgment across six domains
  3. 03Opens a verified pull request that a human merges

GitHub-native. Human-controlled. Verified before merge. No training on customer code.

Getting started

From install to the first verified pull request.

01

Install the GitHub App

Grant read access to the repositories in scope. No card is required to start.

02

Hyrax maps the repository

Discovery writes HYRAX.md and .hyrax/discovery into the repository, so humans and AI tools read the same context.

03

Review the first pull request

Approved upgrades arrive as verified pull requests. A human merges every one.

The verdict

Both tools solve real problems.

Choose Cursor if

The goal is to write and ship code faster. Cursor is a leading tool for that and Hyrax is not an alternative to it, since Hyrax has no editor.

Choose Hyrax if

Velocity is already solved and the codebase is paying for it. Hyrax audits what the team is accumulating, ranks it, and returns changes verified against the project tests.

Cursor pricingFrom $20/user/mo

Free plan, then per seat with usage based limits.

Hyrax pricing$0 to start

Free plan with a $30 starter credit and $10/month ongoing. Paid is $30 per user per month, and each paid user gets $30/month of credits.

FAQ

Questions about Cursor and Hyrax.

Does Hyrax work alongside Cursor?

Yes, and most teams run both. Cursor keeps doing its job. Hyrax works at the level of the whole codebase, decides what is worth changing, and delivers verified pull requests. Nothing about the Cursor setup has to change.

Is Hyrax a replacement for Cursor?

No. Cursor is where code gets written, and Hyrax has no editor and no authoring surface. Hyrax runs at the repository level after the fact: it maps the codebase, audits six domains, and opens verified pull requests. Teams that write more code with Cursor tend to get more out of Hyrax, not less.

What does Hyrax change in the repository?

Discovery writes HYRAX.md and a .hyrax/discovery directory, which document the architecture, conventions and risk areas of the codebase. Everything else arrives as a normal pull request on its own branch. Hyrax has no write access to the default branch.

How does pricing work?

The free plan includes full access, a $30 starter credit and $10/month of credits ongoing, with no card required. The paid plan is $30 per user per month, and each paid user gets $30/month of credits. Pull request reviews are included on every plan.

What happens after signup?

Installing the GitHub App and granting access to a repository takes a few minutes. Hyrax maps the codebase, then runs the first audit and returns issues ranked by severity and effort. The first verified pull requests follow once an audit is approved.

Start free

Build what you're proud to ship.

Bring a Codebase Architect to your AI-native engineering workflow.

Start free

Hyrax is free to start. Full product, $30 starter credit, $10/month of credits. No credit card.