# VSCodium vs Visual Studio Code Published January 1, 2026 ยท Updated August 10, 2026 Visual Studio Code is the top pick for most Mac users looking at code editors. It is free and installs in one Homebrew command. VSCodium is the stronger choice if you are moving off Sublime Text. As of November 2026, both install with brew install --cask vscodium and brew install --cask visual-studio-code. For most Mac users in 2026, Visual Studio Code is the better choice for code editors because it ranks higher in Homebrew install popularity (#15). Both install with a single Homebrew command, so the switching cost is low. Choose VSCodium instead if you are moving off Sublime Text. ## Head to head | Factor | VSCodium | Visual Studio Code | | --- | --- | --- | | Price | Free | Free | | Open Source | No | No | | Replaces | Sublime Text ($99) | Sublime Text ($99) | | Best for | code-editor, open-source, privacy | code editor, microsoft, extensions | | Install | brew install --cask vscodium | brew install --cask visual-studio-code | | Category | Developer Tools | Developer Tools | ## VSCodium VS Code without Microsoft telemetry and tracking Install: `brew install --cask vscodium` [VSCodium on Bundl](https://bundl.run/apps/vscodium) ## Visual Studio Code Open-source code editor by Microsoft Install: `brew install --cask visual-studio-code` [Visual Studio Code on Bundl](https://bundl.run/apps/visual-studio-code) ## Features - **Telemetry & Privacy.** VSCodium is verifiably telemetry-free; VS Code requires trust plus settings hardening. - **Extension Marketplace.** Marketplace breadth, especially Copilot, keeps VS Code the default for most teams. - **AI Coding Assistance.** Official Copilot integration makes VS Code the path of least resistance for AI-assisted coding. - **Settings Sync & Accounts.** One-click multi-machine sync remains a VS Code convenience win. - **Binary Licensing.** VSCodium wins licence purity; VS Code wins ecosystem convenience. - **Update Cadence & Editor Core.** Core editor is a tie; VS Code wins release immediacy. - **macOS Platform Support.** Both run well on modern Macs; decide on packaging principles rather than platform support. - **Remote Development & Live Share.** Remote-first and pair-programming teams should treat VS Code as required unless they rebuild the workflow outside the IDE. ## FAQ ### Are VSCodium and VS Code the same editor? Yes for editing features, the Monaco editor, debugger, terminal, and extension API come from the same Code - OSS project. Packaging differs: telemetry, binary licence, marketplace, and branding. ### Does GitHub Copilot work in VSCodium in August 2026? Not through the normal Marketplace path. Copilot targets official VS Code. Use VS Code for Copilot, or alternative agents such as Continue with local or API models inside VSCodium. ### Did the privacy versus convenience verdict flip after May 2026? No. Copilot gained GPT-5.6 models and VSCodium continued shipping telemetry-free builds, but the strategic trade-off is identical: convenience and marketplace on VS Code, privacy and MIT binaries on VSCodium. ### Is VSCodium slower than VS Code? No. Performance matches because it is the same Electron and Monaco stack. You may see slightly less background network activity without product telemetry. ### How do I migrate settings on macOS? Copy between ~/Library/Application Support/Code/User/ and ~/Library/Application Support/VSCodium/User/, then reinstall extensions from the matching registry. ### Which should teams standardise on? Standardise on VS Code if Copilot, Remote SSH, or Microsoft extensions are required. Standardise on VSCodium when procurement demands MIT binaries and no product telemetry. ### VSCodium or VS Code: which should I install first on a new Mac? Install VS Code first if you are unsure. You can add VSCodium later without removing it. Start with VSCodium only when privacy or MIT binary policy is already a hard requirement. ### Is VSCodium better than VS Code for privacy? Yes. VSCodium removes product telemetry at build time. VS Code can reduce telemetry in settings, but the official binary still ships under Microsoft packaging with collection channels documented by Microsoft. ### Can I use the Visual Studio Marketplace inside VSCodium? Not as a supported default. Marketplace terms target official VS Code. VSCodium documents Open VSX as the registry. Manual .vsix installs only work when the publisher licence allows non-Microsoft hosts. ### Do I lose performance by choosing VSCodium on Apple Silicon? No meaningful difference. Both are Electron apps with the same Monaco core. Expect similar startup time and memory use; Copilot agents on VS Code add network and CPU when active. ## Sources - [VSCodium official site](https://vscodium.com/) - [VSCodium GitHub repository](https://github.com/VSCodium/vscodium) - [microsoft/vscode on GitHub](https://github.com/microsoft/vscode) - [VSCodium documentation](https://github.com/VSCodium/vscodium/blob/master/DOCS.md) - [Visual Studio Code licence](https://code.visualstudio.com/License) - [GPT-5.6 models in GitHub Copilot](https://github.blog/changelog/2026-07-09-openais-gpt-5-6-sol-terra-and-luna-are-now-available-in-github-copilot/) - [Open VSX registry](https://open-vsx.org/) - [VS Code telemetry documentation](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/getstarted/telemetry) - [GitHub Copilot plans](https://github.com/features/copilot/plans) - [Visual Studio Code homepage](https://code.visualstudio.com) ## Related - [Cursor vs Visual Studio Code](https://bundl.run/compare/cursor-vs-visual-studio-code) - [Zed vs Visual Studio Code](https://bundl.run/compare/zed-vs-vscode) - [Windsurf vs Visual Studio Code](https://bundl.run/compare/windsurf-vs-vscode) - [Sublime Text vs Visual Studio Code](https://bundl.run/compare/sublime-text-vs-vscode) - [Panic Nova vs Visual Studio Code](https://bundl.run/compare/nova-vs-vscode) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://bundl.run/#organization", "name": "Bundl.run", "url": "https://bundl.run", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://bundl.run/og-image.png", "width": 1200, "height": 630 }, "description": "The Ninite for Mac. 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