--- title: "Microsoft Visual Studio Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra" description: "Is Microsoft Visual Studio the right Application Development solution for you? Explore 3009 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/80230/microsoft-visual-studio/reviews/" page_type: "reviews" language: "en" --- Microsoft Visual Studio 4.6 (3009) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/80230/microsoft-visual-studio/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated July 20th, 2026 # Reviews of Microsoft Visual Studio Ease of use 4.3 Customer Service 4.2 ## Pros and Cons in Reviews Jasmin N Technical SpecialistInformation Technology and Services, 10,001+ employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Its powerful features, user-friendly interface, and extensive support for various programming languages make it an invaluable tool for developers. Whether you are building small applications or large enterprise solutions, Visual Studio is undoubtedly a top choice that can help you achieve your development goals efficiently.“ May 8, 2025 SS Samuel S CoderDesign, Self-employedUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “What I don't like is it doesn't give much leave ways or ways to use claude, chatgpt, and certain ai to work within the software which I use alot of.“ July 7, 2026 NS Netra S Senior RPA DeveloperOil & Energy, 10,001+ employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “Its a great integrated development environment that supports code development and review in almost all coding languages that I use such as python, Javascript and vbscript .“ November 17, 2024 Kang R App DeveloperInformation Technology and Services, 10,001+ employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “Some features can feel bloated, and licensing costs may be high for smaller teams.“ February 8, 2026 IP Issac P Senior EngineerAutomotive, 10,001+ employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “For editing code in python .It has options to download extensions example the python extension can be downloaded which helps in auto completing the code as well as for highlighting syntax errors.“ December 22, 2024 DL Dave L Senior ConsultantInformation Technology and Services, 10,001+ employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “LIke connecting to GitHub for a source code repository -- forking, branching, and merging development pipelines isn't the easiest and if you don't know what you're doing, you could wipe out important code changes you made.“ April 28, 2025 ES Elena S Marketing managerBiotechnology, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: Less than 6 months. “Interesting tool for programming, I worked with Power Apps (no code website developer) and was able to customize a lot of features with coding.“ March 20, 2025 PS Paul S Software EngineerComputer Software, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Other than the free community edition, the paid versions can be expensive for individuals.“ February 26, 2026 ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 1-25 of 3009 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use Junaid E. National IT Manager Hospitality Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Powerful IDE for professional development work" January 22, 2026 5.0 Overall, Microsoft Visual Studio is dependable IDE designed for serious development work. it excels in building, debugging, and maintaining complex applications. Pros Microsoft Visual Studio is a powerful and complete development environment that brings everything you need into one place. User Interface looks great and easy to navigate around. Cons Visual Studio can feel heavy and resource intensive, espacially on lower spec machines. Startup time and updates can be slow and the large number of features can be overwhelming for beginners. Review Source KC Kevin C. Computer programmer Computer Games Used the software for: 2+ years ### "My experience with Microsoft Visual Studio" June 26, 2025 5.0 I have used the free version for my own personal use, and made many programs, including a chess engine, a Mandelbrot fractal explorer, a 3D Rubik's cube simulator, and several beginnings of my own 3D computer games. I also taught myself C++ a number of years ago, using this software. Pros The ability to debug your code, including setting breakpoints, observing the current values of variables, and stepping through the code, executing one line at a time. Cons Previous versions before Visual Studio 2022 contained some minor bugs, though it did not seriously affect the enjoyment and productivity of working with this software. I can't recall noticing any bugs in the 2022 version. Alternatives considered [Easy Coder](https://www.capterra.com/p/80713/Easy-Coder/) Reason for choosing Microsoft Visual Studio The alternate program was specifically for making Windows programs in assembly language. Visual Studio supported this, however, it had a bug in which, if there was a large data block declared, the compile time was excessively long. But Visual Studio is my favorite program for C++. Review Source SS Samuel S. Coder Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A very stable product" July 7, 2026 3.0 So for the overall experience with this software is if you really want a good software for developing software and programs it's your go to.It offers alot to the programers I would recommend it to any one. Pros This program is a good software for when creating programs that you want to have .exe to install your programs .It has a very explainable interface and gives you lots of options when it comes to building a windows or cross platform application the plugins can be very overwhelming due to all the plugins and extentions they have to offer.Never had to use customer support for thais software but I do alot of coding and use alot of microsoft softwares but can tell ya their support I had no promblems with. I use the free version cause in all reality the free version does almost everything the paid version is pretty much for teams free version is good for individuals. I don't develope games so I can't say much on that but do have a huge setup for that also and the game creators I talked to loves it and uses it alot. Cons What I don't like is it doesn't give much leave ways or ways to use claude, chatgpt, and certain ai to work within the software which I use alot of. Their github copilot changes sooo much with upgrades and doesn't give much when doing a whole program cause cut's me off alot so it can use some improvement. Review Source EV Edwin V. DEV Manager Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Primary IDE for years!" July 29, 2026 5.0 Overall, Microsoft Visual Studio has been a dependable development environment that has helped me complete projects ranging from small utilities to larger business applications. I have used it for C#, .NET, desktop development, API development, and even game-related projects with Unity. The combination of reliable debugging tools, strong IntelliSense, integrated testing, and Git support creates a smooth workflow from writing code to deployment. The recent AI-assisted features have been useful for speeding up repetitive coding tasks, generating boilerplate code, and suggesting improvements during development, although I still rely on manual review before accepting any generated code. The user interface is familiar once you spend time customizing it, and the extensive extension marketplace allows the IDE to adapt to different types of projects. Even though it requires a fairly powerful computer, I consider it one of the most complete development environments available for professional software development. Pros Microsoft Visual Studio has been my primary IDE for years because it brings almost everything I need into one place. We use in our team to building our POC's. The debugging tools are probably my favorite feature. Being able to set breakpoints, inspect variables, view the call stack, and use Hot Reload saves a huge amount of development time. I also like how easy it is to manage large C# and .NET solutions without constantly switching between different tools. The built-in Git integration makes committing and reviewing changes simple, and the project templates help me start new applications quickly. I have also found the AI-assisted coding features useful for generating repetitive code, suggesting refactoring ideas, and explaining unfamiliar APIs. They are not perfect, but they speed up routine work while still letting me review everything before committing. The interface feels organized, and features like code navigation, IntelliSense, profiling, and package management make it a strong choice for desktop, web, and game development projects. Cons The biggest downside of Microsoft Visual Studio is that it can be a very heavy application, especially when working with large enterprise solutions. Also only available on PC (no Mac or you run Parallels Desktop or other VM). Startup times are slower than lighter editors, and memory usage can become noticeable when several extensions are installed. Occasionally, after major updates, I have experienced extension compatibility issues or had to rebuild caches before everything worked normally again. Some configuration screens are also spread across different menus, which makes certain settings harder to find than they should be. While the AI coding features are helpful, they sometimes generate code that looks correct but does not fully match the project's architecture or coding style, so I always review the suggestions carefully. Licensing for the Professional and Enterprise editions may also be expensive for smaller teams or independent developers who only need a subset of the advanced features. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer developer Computer Software Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Uses of Microsoft Visual Studio" March 17, 2025 5.0 My experience with Microsoft Visual Studio Code (VS Code) has been extremely positive, making it my go-to code editor for web development, scripting, and data analysis. It provides a perfect balance of speed, flexibility, and powerful features, making coding more efficient and enjoyable. Pros Microsoft Visual Studio have Features like Remote-SSH, Dev Containers, and WSL make it easy to work on cloud-based or remote projects. Cons VS Code can slow down when handling very large projects, especially with thousands of files or heavy extensions. Switched from [Sublime Text](https://www.capterra.com/p/179535/Sublime-Text/) I switched to VS Code because it is fast, customizable, and powerful, while still being easy to use. Review Source MB Martin B. Developer Computer Software Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Borlands' 1983 Turbo Pascal compiler worked better than Visual Studio." March 12, 2026 2.0 Extremely poor. I've been using compilers and IDEs since the 1980's and I've never worked with one so poorly designed. Borlands Turbo Pascal from 1983 worked better than Visual Studio and it cost way less. Pros It looks like a good IDE with most things I need readily available. It's a deception. Plenty of AI agents available to help (again, a deception). Cons Too many bugs. Like playing Whacka-Mole. Agents destroy code quick so use Github. You will be restoring constantly. Never use Agent mode, only ask. Verify all code changes before you accept. Push working code frequently or you will waste hours trying to debug. Switched from [Red Hat Enterprise Linux](https://www.capterra.com/p/229025/Red-Hat-Enterprise-Linux/) I've been using Windows since the mid 80's and Linux since the early 90's. I'm comfortable with both and keep switching back and forth. It's time to go back to Linux because it actually works and aids development much more than Microsoft. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer CEO Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Microsoft Visual Studio-Visualize Your Code" February 3, 2025 5.0 The experience was Great as visual studio provides best environment for coding and web development, it also provides Emmet abbreviations which are very useful for beginners and it also has a built in GitHub support which comes in handy while working on opensource Pros The thing I like most in visual studio code is that it provides a good environment for coding in all languages C++, java, TypeScript etc. It also provides live server to see your webpage while you create it. Cons The thing I like least is that Visual studio is highly dependent on extensions to support languages and many features, some of these extensions are buggy which sometimes cause problems. Switched from [Jira](https://www.capterra.com/p/19319/JIRA/) more features, live share and good GitHub support Review Source LB Laurentiu B. Test Engineer Retail Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The best coding platform there is" March 21, 2025 5.0 It is a great experience overall, i wouldnt change it with another platform. Pros Easy to use, the interface is accessible and it comes packed with features that make development easier. Code navigation is also easy to do. I also love the fact that visual studio provides Integrated Git Support and also integrates with so many different programming languages. Cons Aside of the occasional bugs and crashes, one minus would be limited support for non-Microsoft languages. Switched from [IntelliJ IDEA](https://www.capterra.com/p/136010/IntelliJ-IDEA/) It was the company's decision but i am very happy with it! Review Source CW Colter W. Developer Automotive Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Fantastic IDE with Many Features" January 2, 2025 5.0 Visual Studio has been my favorite IDE for some time now, as I have used it for C++, C#, ASP.NET, and even some Python. Overall it is a great experience and vastly improves my efficacy in the workplace as well as at home for personal projects. Pros Visual Studio is excellent for debugging a wide variety of programming languages, C# in particular is supported very well with an assortment of useful tools. Cons I wish that some of the UI visual debugging tools were a bit more optimized, particularly for working with WPF. JavaScript can also a bit annoying to work with. Alternatives considered [IntelliJ IDEA](https://www.capterra.com/p/136010/IntelliJ-IDEA/) Reason for choosing Microsoft Visual Studio IntelliJ, or whichever other JetBrains product it is that supports C#, is great - but since MS created both C# and VS, I feel the tools available are more suited for my line of work. Review Source Mudit M. Quality Automation Specialist Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "It is widely used AI tool" November 27, 2025 5.0 It has been great using VS code and Microsoft visual studio. Looking forward to future updates that should have more AI features Pros VS code is easy to use , it offers a great platform for the devs to build,write code . It has 2 color modes to interact with giving it a good ux Cons The AI plugins are not built in . One needs to install external plugins to enable AI intellisense. Most plugins have AI now Review Source AW Alister W. Developer Information Services Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Reliable and Powerful Once You Get the Hang of It" May 11, 2025 5.0 Overall, it’s been really reliable. I’ve used it for a bunch of different projects and it’s handled everything pretty well. There’s a bit of a learning curve at first, but once you get into it, it’s a great tool to work with day to day. Pros It’s just solid. The debugger is probably my favourite feature. I also like that it handles big projects without falling over, and the Git integration is actually decent. Overall, it just does what I need without getting in the way. Cons It can feel a bit heavy at times, especially on startup. Some updates are also a bit disruptive or take longer than you’d expect. And occasionally, it tries to be too clever with suggestions which gets in the way more than it helps. Review Source GG Guntas G. Software Developer Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Fast and easy editor for daily use" June 19, 2025 5.0 Pros Lightweight and responsive, works well out of the box whit most language. Extension market make it powerful fast. Cons Lot of update notification and settings menu can be confusing at first, and git integration sometimes feel not super intuitive. Review Source AH Andrew H. Software Developer Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Best IDE for site and application developement" February 24, 2025 4.0 I can make my site and all of my various applications with the help of Visual Studio. They can be built into this very application Pros I am crazy about Visual Studio, it is the best IDE for me.It has an intuitive design, a beautiful look, and the simplicity is top Cons The visual part of variables is complicated for the new users. They are shown in the form of such tables. Review Source NB Norman B. Senior Consultant Computer Software Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Feature rich coding tool well integrated with git" April 28, 2025 5.0 Overall I found the product was easy enough to pick up and learn and it has significantly increased my productivity. Pros Visual Studio is a feature rich coding tool that is well integrated with git and and is highly customizable. Cons The number of features in Visual Studio is a bit overwhelming to start with however it was easy enough to get the hang of. Review Source FV Fernando V. Software Engineer Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The best IDE for C#" February 27, 2025 5.0 Overall, it is the best IDE for C# development, and one of the best IDEs in general for design and functionality. Pros I like the speed and stability of the IDE, the design and of course the unrivalled support for C# development. Cons The performance is sometimes an issue and the license costs are steep, although VS Community is free. Review Source SB SREEREKHA B. Senior Developer Computer Software Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Usage of microsoft visual studio" May 3, 2025 4.0 Good to integrate and debug the visual badic coding. Has in built functions and help files Pros Convenient to use for coding visual badic Cons It only supports microsoft tools snd software Review Source LR Luis R. Risk Analytics Analyst Financial Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Somehow easy to use" December 17, 2024 5.0 I would say have been pretty positive, the bugs or issues have been to a minimum amount, I still have to encounter a bug that breaks the interface or the overall usage of the program, been pretty satisfied with it's features and the ease to use the program. Pros It's simplicity and ease to use, also the interface is very friendly. As well is quite easy to install extensions and manage them, so you can really uninstall them, disable them for a while or pretty much unistall. Cons There is really not much cons about the software, it's pretty straightforward in terms of it's installation, where it gets kinda messy might be when you install compilers, or stuff like that sometimes those installations might mess up the function of the program. Review Source RS RICARDO S. Sales Representative Computer Software Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The best developing tool" February 28, 2025 5.0 It is a super value software, we consider it the nucleus of our business. Pros The wide range of programming languages that it supports and multiple platforms to develop applications. Cons It barely happens but sometimes you have missing code when creating an executable version. Review Source KT Keith T. Student Computer Software Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great Code Editor" April 9, 2025 4.0 My experience with Visual Studio has been great so far. Pros It is one of my favorite code editors to work in because of how easy it is to use. Cons I prefer the UI of Visual Studio Code better because of the UI layout. Review Source CM COURTNEY M. CASE MANAGEMENT PROCESSOR Health, Wellness and Fitness Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "VISUAL STUDIO SOFTWARE" June 16, 2025 3.0 Pros MICROSOFT PRODUCTS AND SOFTWARE ARE ALL SO VERY EASY TO USE. THAT IS THE BEST PART ABOUT THE SOFTWARE. IT MAKES WORKING SO EASY Cons I HAVE YEAT TO FIND ANYTHING NEGATIVE ABOUT MICROSOFT SOFTWARE. IT SEEMS AS IF THEY ARE CONSTANTLY UPDATING AND MAKING THINGS BETTER ANS EASIER TO USE. Review Source AB Autumn B. HR Construction Used the software for: I used a free trial ### "Not beginner friendly " December 12, 2024 3.0 The experience was average, between the learning curve and price, it wasn’t the right fit Pros Various available features for project that may be complex Cons The complexity is a learning curve, meaning it’s difficult for beginners Review Source PB Preston B. Employee Computer Software Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Studying with Visuals... VSC" November 1, 2024 5.0 I really enjoy using it, but sometimes it doesn't always work. Pros Really easy to code, fun themes, and I love the way it will try to help you complete the lines of code. Cons The way that it askes you if I want the built-in Editor, and thats fine, but it doesn't help. Review Source aN abdelkabir N. freelancer Design Used the software for: I used a free trial ### "Feature-Rich IDE for Professional Development" November 10, 2024 4.0 A powerful IDE that streamlines coding for professional developers. Pros Comprehensive toolset, great debugging, and supports many languages. Cons Heavy on system resources; can feel overwhelming for new users. Review Source TA Tijuan A. owner Business Supplies and Equipment Used the software for: I used a free trial ### "my review" January 11, 2023 5.0 In summary, projections in Visual Basic can be performed using a variety of tools and techniques, such as LINQ and the Select method. These tools provide a simple and intuitive way to transform data into a different format, making it easy to work with data in Visual Basic and providing a lot of flexibility when working with data in different contexts. Pros a lot of flexibility when working with data in different contexts. Cons the ability to connect to various databases such as SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle and many more. Developers can use the built-in tools to connect to the database, create tables, and perform basic data operation Alternatives considered [Wing Python IDE](https://www.capterra.com/p/182470/Wing-Python-IDE/) Reason for choosing Microsoft Visual Studio linux Review Source NJ Nishedh J. Lead Developer Computer Software Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Microsoft Visual Studio Review" March 25, 2024 5.0 One of the best IDE for software development as it is easy to use, it supports intelligence, supports coding, designing, debugging, testing and deployment. Pros One of the best Integrated Development Environment as supports coding, designing, debugging, testing and deployment. It supports multi language such as C#, javascript, Typescript etc. Cons It might be complex for beginner's, need license to run as a professional. Reason for choosing Microsoft Visual Studio It supports multi language, easy to integrate with Microsoft eco system, intelligence, quick community support etc. Review Source Similar Products Featured