- Free Python IDEs compared
- PyCharm: now one product with a free core
- VS Code: free for commercial work too
- Thonny: the easiest start
- Spyder: built for data work
- IDLE: already on your computer
- Google Colab: free notebooks in the browser
- Free AI help inside your Python IDE
- Free, but not unlimited: the small print
- How to choose your free Python IDE
- My verdict on the best free Python IDE
- Frequently asked questions
The best free Python IDEs are PyCharm, whose core features are now free forever, VS Code with Microsoft's Python extension, Thonny for beginners, Spyder for data work, IDLE, which comes with Python, and Google Colab in the browser. All six are free to use, and none needs a trial to keep going.
The biggest change to know about is PyCharm. JetBrains merged its free Community Edition into one product, so many older guides now describe a version that no longer exists. Below is what each tool's own site says, checked as of October 2026.
Free Python IDEs compared
| IDE | What's free | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| PyCharm | Core features free forever, plus one month of Pro included | Serious Python projects on a desktop |
| VS Code | The whole editor, free for private or commercial use | People who code in several languages |
| Thonny | Free under the MIT licence, with Python bundled in the installer | Beginners and teaching |
| Spyder | Free under the MIT licence | Scientists and data analysts |
| IDLE | Included with Python | Quick scripts and learning |
| Google Colab | Free of charge, with resource limits | Notebooks in the browser, no install |
PyCharm: now one product with a free core
JetBrains says PyCharm is now one unified product. Every user starts with a free one-month Pro trial, and after that you can subscribe to Pro or keep using the core features for free, now with Jupyter support included. JetBrains also says all features from the old Community Edition are available in PyCharm at no cost.
If you're a student or teacher, JetBrains says students and academic staff can use all its tools free after verifying a university or college email, and schools can get free classroom licences.
VS Code: free for commercial work too
Microsoft's VS Code FAQ answers the licence question directly: VS Code is free for private or commercial use. For Python you add Microsoft's Python extension, which brings IntelliSense, linting, debugging, unit testing and switching between virtual and conda environments. One catch for beginners: Microsoft says you must install a Python interpreter yourself, separately from the extension.
Thonny: the easiest start
Thonny describes itself as a Python IDE for beginners, and its licence file shows it's released under the MIT licence. The Windows and Mac installers come with Python 3.14 bundled, so there's nothing else to set up, and there's a portable variant too. If you're teaching a child or a team member their first lines of code, this is where I'd start.
Spyder: built for data work
Spyder's site says it's designed by the community for the community, and that it brings the ease of use of Jupyter together with many advanced features found in PyCharm and VS Code. It's aimed at data analysts, scientists and engineers who work through quick experiments and short iteration cycles. Its licence file shows the MIT licence.
IDLE: already on your computer
If you've installed Python, you have IDLE. The Python documentation calls it Python's Integrated Development and Learning Environment, with a shell window, a multi-window editor with colouring and undo, search and replace, and a debugger with persistent breakpoints and stepping. It works mostly the same on Windows, Unix and macOS. It's basic, but it's there the moment Python is.
Google Colab: free notebooks in the browser
Colab is a hosted Jupyter Notebook service that Google says needs no setup and gives free of charge access to computing resources, including GPUs and TPUs. The trade-off is that resources aren't guaranteed or unlimited, usage limits fluctuate, and virtual machines are deleted when idle for a while. Paid plans remove some of those limits.
Free AI help inside your Python IDE
AI code completion used to be the reason to pay. Microsoft's VS Code FAQ says individual developers who don't get GitHub Copilot through an organisation have access to the GitHub Copilot free plan, with restrictions that may apply, and that the Copilot Chat extension has been open sourced under the MIT licence. JetBrains, meanwhile, includes JetBrains AI credits in its paid subscriptions, so check what AI help you get before you rely on it in the free core.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
For a beginner, I'd switch AI suggestions off for the first few weeks anyway. You learn faster by getting the error yourself.
Free, but not unlimited: the small print
- PyCharm's Pro features stop after the one-month trial unless you subscribe; the core stays free.
- VS Code needs a separate Python interpreter installed.
- Colab's free resources aren't guaranteed, and paid users who run out of compute units drop back to the free-of-charge limits.
- IDLE is basic by design, with no project management or plugins.
How to choose your free Python IDE
- Brand new to Python: start with Thonny, because Python comes in the box.
- Learning on a course that uses notebooks: use Google Colab, then move to a desktop tool.
- Building real projects in Python only: install PyCharm and use its free core after the Pro month.
- Working across Python, JavaScript and other languages: use VS Code with the Python extension.
- Analysing data and plotting results: try Spyder.
- Writing a quick script on a machine you can't install on: open IDLE.
My verdict on the best free Python IDE
For most people I'd say PyCharm or VS Code, and the choice is about whether you want a Python-first IDE or one editor for everything. Beginners should skip both at first and use Thonny. I've compared the two big ones in PyCharm vs VS Code, and if you're still learning, my guide on where to learn Python for free pairs well with any of these. For other languages, see my list of the best free code editors.
Frequently asked questions
Is PyCharm free?
Yes, its core features are. JetBrains says PyCharm is now one unified product: you start with a one-month Pro trial, then keep using the core features free, including Jupyter support.
Is VS Code free for commercial use?
Yes. Microsoft's FAQ says VS Code is free for private or commercial use.
What's the best free Python IDE for beginners?
Thonny is built for beginners, and its installers bundle Python 3.14, so there's nothing else to install.
Does Python come with an IDE?
Yes. IDLE, Python's Integrated Development and Learning Environment, is included with Python.
Is there free AI code completion for Python?
Yes. Microsoft says individual developers can use the GitHub Copilot free plan in VS Code, with restrictions that may apply.
Is Google Colab really free?
Yes. Google says Colab is free of charge to use, but resources aren't guaranteed or unlimited and idle machines are deleted.
