# IntelliJ IDEA vs PyCharm: Features and Cost Comparison 2026 | Capterra

> IntelliJ IDEA vs PyCharm: Which integrated development environment (ide) tool is right for you? Dive into our detailed comparison of their features, costs, and user experience to make your decision.

Source: https://www.capterra.com/compare/136010-186625/IntelliJ-IDEA-vs-PyCharm

---

# IntelliJ IDEA vs PyCharm Features and Cost Comparison

Last updated March 13th, 2026

Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews  
moderated by our Reviews Verification team.[Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/)

Your comparison:

IntelliJ IDEAPyCharm2/4 selected

[IntelliJ IDEA](https://www.capterra.com/p/136010/IntelliJ-IDEA/)[4.7 (1256)](https://www.capterra.com/p/136010/IntelliJ-IDEA/reviews/)

[PyCharm](https://www.capterra.com/p/186625/PyCharm/)[4.7 (368)](https://www.capterra.com/p/186625/PyCharm/reviews/)

[## IntelliJ IDEA](https://www.capterra.com/p/136010/IntelliJ-IDEA/)[4.7 (1256)](https://www.capterra.com/p/136010/IntelliJ-IDEA/reviews/)

[## PyCharm](https://www.capterra.com/p/186625/PyCharm/)[4.7 (368)](https://www.capterra.com/p/186625/PyCharm/reviews/)

Starting Price

$19.90/month

Starting Price

$19.90/month

Value-for-Money

4.5

Functionality

4.7

Ease of Use

4.5

Customer Service

4.3

Starting Price

$249.00/year

Starting Price

$249.00/year

Value-for-Money

4.5

Functionality

4.6

Ease of Use

4.5

Customer Service

4.2

Reviews Sentiment

Based on [1,256 reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/136010/IntelliJ-IDEA/reviews/)

Positive

1,234

Neutral

18

Negative

4

Positive

1,234

Neutral

18

Negative

4

Reviews Sentiment

Based on [368 reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/186625/PyCharm/reviews/)

Positive

362

Neutral

4

Negative

2

Positive

362

Neutral

4

Negative

2

Best for (according to reviews)

-   **Business size**: Small businesses account for 605 reviews (48%), indicating strong adoption, followed by enterprises (28%) and midsize businesses (16%).
-   **Industry**: Computer software (40%), IT and services (22%), and financial services (4%) together represent 66% of reviews, showing broad relevance across tech-driven sectors.
-   **Use cases**: Integrated development environment (74%) and application development (72%) are primary, highlighting focus on coding and software creation tasks.

Best for (according to reviews)

-   **Business size**: Small businesses account for 212 reviews (58%), showing widespread use among smaller organizations, with notable adoption in enterprises (27%) and midsize businesses (16%).
-   **Industry**: Computer software (34%), IT & services (22%), and education management (4%) together represent 60% of reviews, indicating broad appeal across technical and educational sectors.
-   **Use cases**: Integrated development environment (IDE) dominates with 98% of reviews, while DevOps is mentioned in 17%, highlighting strong focus on coding and deployment workflows.

## Reviewer verdict

IntelliJ IDEA

IntelliJ IDEA users find it best for multi-language development, appreciating its intelligent code completion, deep framework support, and extensive plugin ecosystem. Reviewers highlight its efficient code editing, robust debugging tools, and integration with various external tools, which they say make it versatile for different programming environments. While they value the availability of a free version for students and the comprehensive features in the paid version, some users mention high memory consumption and resource intensity as drawbacks.

PyCharm

PyCharm users consider it ideal for Python development, citing its specialized support for Python, robust testing and debugging tools, and user-friendly interface. Reviewers value its customizable environment, scientific viewer for data analysis, and fair pricing structure with both free and paid versions. However, they note that high memory usage and occasional performance issues can impact productivity, especially on less powerful machines.

## Features comparison

In the integrated development environment (ide) market, IntelliJ IDEA and PyCharm both offer a range of features, and comparing them goes beyond just looking at price. Understanding which functionalities align with your specific requirements can help maximize value and eliminate unnecessary spending. Below is a breakdown of the most critical aspects to consider. \[[1](#source-item-1)\]

Key features rated by users

Features selected based on 4,771 reviews from Integrated Development Environment (IDE) users.  
about the Fit Score methodology.

Fit Score methodology

To calculate the Fit Score, our proprietary methodology factors in the following:

  

-   The importance level for each feature. By default, this is determined by user reviews. They can rate a feature Critical, High, Low, or Not Used.
-   Feedback from real users on how the product performs for each key feature, derived from verified user reviews and ratings.

  

Please note:

  

-   To calculate the Fit Score, the number of reviews for those features and the actual rating carry the same weight. You might see that, in some cases, even though the ratings are the same, we still determine a winner because it had more reviews.
-   If the Fit Score is not shown for a specific product, that only means there are currently not enough relevant data points to develop a meaningful score. It does not indicate that the product should be excluded from further evaluation.

IntelliJ IDEA

87%Fit

Feature ratings

Code Editing

4.7

Code Development

4.8

For Developers

4.7

Debugging

4.6

PyCharm

85%Fit

High performer

Feature ratings

Code Editing

4.8

Code Development

4.8

For Developers

4.7

Debugging

4.6

Code Editing

4.7 (226)

4.8 (130)

IntelliJ IDEA users appreciate its intelligent code completion, refactoring capabilities, and syntax highlighting, which they say streamline the coding process and reduce errors. They find the editing help useful without being overwhelming and value the efficient search and navigation features. Reviewers also highlight the extensive support for various programming languages and frameworks. PyCharm users, on the other hand, praise its robust code editor with syntax highlighting, code completion, and refactoring tools. They find the auto-save feature particularly useful and appreciate the customizable interface. Overall, users value IntelliJ IDEA for its comprehensive and efficient code editing tools, while PyCharm users appreciate its robust and customizable code editor.

Code Development

4.8 (230)

4.8 (125)

IntelliJ IDEA users find its code development features, such as intelligent code completion, real-time error detection, and extensive language support, to be outstanding. They appreciate the built-in code generation tools, seamless integration with version control systems, and the user-friendly interface. PyCharm users, meanwhile, value its specialized support for Python development, including robust testing and debugging tools, and integration with Git. They also appreciate the customizable environment and the scientific viewer for data analysis. In general, users think IntelliJ IDEA offers a powerful and intuitive code development environment, while PyCharm provides a specialized and efficient experience for Python development.

For Developers

4.7 (196)

4.7 (109)

IntelliJ IDEA reviewers note that it is developer-centric, offering features like intelligent code suggestions, deep framework support, and integrated testing tools. They appreciate the wide range of productivity tools, customization options, and the robust plugin ecosystem. PyCharm users, on the other hand, find it to be a very useful tool for Python developers, with powerful prebuilt tools and integrated database features. They also value the easy-to-use UI and the extensive functionality provided by plugins. Overall, users think IntelliJ IDEA is designed with developers in mind, offering extensive customization and productivity tools, while PyCharm is highly valued for its powerful tools and ease of use for Python developers.

Debugging

4.6 (306)

4.6 (115)

IntelliJ IDEA users praise its robust debugging tools, including breakpoints, variable inspection, and inline debugging. They find the debugging process easy and efficient, with features like real-time expression evaluation and call stack viewing. PyCharm users also appreciate its built-in debugger, which they say allows for easy identification and fixing of errors. They highlight the ability to debug Docker containers and the comprehensive auto-correction features. In summary, users find IntelliJ IDEA's debugging tools to be powerful and user-friendly, while PyCharm users value its extensive debugging capabilities and additional features for debugging complex environments.

## Pricing comparison

### Starting prices

IntelliJ IDEA

$19.90

Per User

(Per Month)

Free Trial

Free Version

[View pricing plans](https://www.capterra.com/p/136010/IntelliJ-IDEA/pricing/)

PyCharm

$249.00

Per User

(Per Year)

Free Trial

Free Version

[View pricing plans](https://www.capterra.com/p/186625/PyCharm/pricing/)

### Value-for-money analysis

4.5 (1256)

4.5 (368)

When it comes to the value for money of both IntelliJ IDEA and PyCharm, IntelliJ IDEA's user reviews tend to focus on its availability of a free version for students and its extensive features in the paid version, and PyCharm reviews call out its fair pricing structure and the availability of both free and paid versions. Reviewers find IntelliJ IDEA to offer good value for money, especially highlighting the free version for students and the comprehensive features available in the paid version. They appreciate the 30-day trial and the ability to upgrade from the free to the commercial version for additional functionalities. However, some users mention that the pricing can be high for small businesses and individual developers, and they note that the free version lacks some advanced features. When it comes to PyCharm, reviewers appreciate its generous pricing model and the availability of both free and paid versions. They find the community edition useful for basic Python development and mention that the paid version offers more advanced features and integrations. However, some users feel that the professional version is expensive and that the free version has limited functionalities. They also note that the software can be resource-intensive, requiring a powerful machine to run efficiently.

## How does the user experience compare on IntelliJ IDEA vs PyCharm?

### Overall rating

4.7 (1256)

4.7 (368)

### User interface

IntelliJ IDEA

PyCharm

### Customer service and support

IntelliJ IDEA

Email/Help Desk

FAQs/Forum

Knowledge Base

Phone Support

24/7 (Live rep)

Chat

PyCharm

Email/Help Desk

FAQs/Forum

Knowledge Base

Phone Support

24/7 (Live rep)

Chat

## What users say about the pros and cons of IntelliJ IDEA vs PyCharm

When it comes to integrated development environment (ide) tools, IntelliJ IDEA and PyCharm are two options that have been reviewed on Capterra by verified reviewers. Explore the experiences our reviewers have shared about IntelliJ IDEA and PyCharm to see how they stack up against one another and pick the one that would best fit your needs. Users appreciate IntelliJ IDEA for its robust IDE development, noting its extensive plugin support and efficient development environment. They highlight its capability to integrate with various external tools, making it versatile for different programming languages and frameworks. Reviewers also value its user-friendly interface and the ability to customize the environment with numerous plugins. When it comes to PyCharm, users commend its IDE usage, particularly for Python development, citing its user-friendly interface and automation features. They also praise its debugging capabilities and tools for efficient code writing, which enhance productivity and code quality. However, when it comes to cons, IntelliJ IDEA users mention issues with project management, such as resource intensity and long build times. They also note significant memory consumption, which can slow down systems with lower specifications. Meanwhile, PyCharm users report high memory usage, which can impact system performance, especially on older machines. They also mention performance issues, including slow load times and occasional lagging, which can hinder the development process. \[[2](#source-item-2)\]

Pros

IntelliJ IDEA

Alexandre B

StudentHigher Education, 10,001+ employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years.

“Its powerful indexing and deep code analysis predict what I need to write and also , it catches potential errors even before compilation, which is especially helpful for my Java projects at university as a CS student .“

January 23, 2026

Abdelrahman A

Associate software developerFinancial Services, 1,001 - 5,000 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years.

“It also has seamless Docker integration, which streamlines my daily backend tasks and deployment preparations, the best plugin market and the compatibility with many services .“

March 2, 2026

PyCharm

Andrea C

Software EngineerInformation Technology and Services, 51 - 200 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years.

“I use PyCharm mainly for backend development because it is superior to lighter editors when creating complicated applications.“

January 19, 2026

Andrea C

Software EngineerInformation Technology and Services, 51 - 200 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years.

“In addition, I like how it has built-in support for virtual environments and has excellent database development tools.“

January 19, 2026

Cons

IntelliJ IDEA

Alexandre B

StudentHigher Education, 10,001+ employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years.

“The IDE can be quite resource intensive, consuming a large amount of RAM. When multiple projects are open, or if you’re using a mid-range laptop, you may notice some lag or slower startup times.“

January 23, 2026

Shad M

PrivateOnline Media, Self-employedUsed the software for: More than 2 years.

“Imagine life in corporate then you trip on a stone and die, was life worth it using this product for that many years at that rate?“

October 8, 2025

PyCharm

Andrea C

Software EngineerInformation Technology and Services, 51 - 200 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years.

“It will take up a lot of memory to run and will often take longer to load than other editors - especially older machines. Because it is designed to handle large projects, it may take longer to index a large project.“

January 19, 2026

HH

Hein H

Network EngineerComputer & Network Security, 201 - 500 employeesUsed the software for: 6-12 months.

“PyCharm can be quite demanding on system resources, especially RAM and CPU, making it slow on older or less powerful machines“

April 4, 2025

* * *

Sources

1.  Our research team identified features from vendor websites based on their analysis of what users find valuable or expect from integrated development environment (ide) software. This list is not exhaustive. For additional features, refer to the vendor’s website.
    
2.  Review excerpts are passages extracted from longer reviews written by verified reviewers. We obtain these excerpts by applying an algorithm that considers factors including, but not limited to, length, topic coverage, and thematic relevance. Excerpts are evaluated for positive or negative sentiment and receive a sentiment score. They represent user opinion and do not represent the views of, nor constitute, an endorsement by Capterra or its affiliates. Excerpts are not edited for clarity or grammar.
    

* * *

Popular comparisons

-   [IntelliJ IDEA vs Essential Studio](https://www.capterra.com/compare/136010-228226/IntelliJ-IDEA-vs-Essential-Studio)
-   [IntelliJ IDEA vs Microsoft Visual Studio](https://www.capterra.com/compare/80230-136010/microsoft-visual-studio-vs-IntelliJ-IDEA)
-   [IntelliJ IDEA vs GitHub](https://www.capterra.com/compare/129067-136010/GitHub-vs-IntelliJ-IDEA)
-   [IntelliJ IDEA vs Jira](https://www.capterra.com/compare/19319-136010/JIRA-vs-IntelliJ-IDEA)
-   [IntelliJ IDEA vs Bitbucket](https://www.capterra.com/compare/136010-233341/IntelliJ-IDEA-vs-Bitbucket)

-   [PyCharm vs Microsoft Visual Studio](https://www.capterra.com/compare/80230-186625/microsoft-visual-studio-vs-PyCharm)
-   [PyCharm vs Eclipse IDE](https://www.capterra.com/compare/186625-205298/PyCharm-vs-Eclipse-IDE)
-   [PyCharm vs Apache NetBeans](https://www.capterra.com/compare/178681-186625/Apache-NetBeans-vs-PyCharm)
-   [PyCharm vs Essential Studio](https://www.capterra.com/compare/186625-228226/PyCharm-vs-Essential-Studio)
-   [PyCharm vs PhpStorm](https://www.capterra.com/compare/186624-186625/PhpStorm-vs-PyCharm)