JetBrains AI Assistant Review 2026: Native AI for JetBrains IDEs

What Is JetBrains AI Assistant?

JetBrains AI Assistant is an AI coding tool built directly into JetBrains IDEs — IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, WebStorm, GoLand, CLion, Rider, and others. Rather than being a separate product or third-party extension, it is a first-party feature that integrates with JetBrains’ existing code analysis, inspections, and refactoring systems.

Junie is the companion agent component, designed for more complex tasks like test generation and multi-step code modifications. Together, AI Assistant and Junie represent JetBrains’ approach to AI-assisted development: built into the IDE rather than bolted on.

What It Does

Local Code Completions

JetBrains AI Assistant runs local code completion models that work without sending code to the cloud. These completions are unlimited on all plans, including free. They handle standard autocomplete — finishing function signatures, completing common patterns, suggesting the next line based on context.

Local completions are fast and private, but they are less capable than cloud-powered models for complex multi-line suggestions. They are best understood as an enhanced autocomplete rather than a generative AI feature.

Cloud-Powered Chat and Editing

The cloud features use AI Credits to access GPT, Claude, and Gemini models. You can chat about your code, request inline edits, generate documentation, and ask for explanations. The chat understands your project structure because it integrates with JetBrains’ built-in code indexing.

Inline editing lets you select code and describe a change in natural language. It modifies the selected code in place, which is useful for quick refactors and transformations.

Junie Agent

Junie handles multi-step tasks that go beyond single-file edits. You can ask it to generate tests for a class, refactor a module, or implement a feature described in natural language. Junie creates a plan, executes changes across files, and presents the results for review.

Junie is more structured than fully autonomous agents — it works within the IDE and keeps you in the loop rather than operating independently. This is more conservative but also more predictable.

Code Review and Documentation

AI Assistant integrates with JetBrains’ built-in code inspection system. It can explain inspection warnings, suggest fixes informed by AI analysis, and generate documentation for functions and classes. These features work within the existing JetBrains UI patterns, so they feel natural if you already use JetBrains tooling.

Pricing

Plan	Price	Key Features
Free	$0	Unlimited local completions, quota-based cloud features
Pro	$10/user/mo	More AI Credits, priority cloud access
Ultimate	$20/user/mo	$35 AI Credits + $5 bonus, full Junie access
Enterprise	Custom	Admin controls, SSO, compliance features

The free tier includes unlimited local completions and a limited quota of cloud features. This is genuinely useful — the local completions work well for day-to-day coding, and the cloud quota is enough for occasional chat and editing.

AI Credits are consumed when using cloud models, with different models costing different amounts per request. The credit system works but adds a layer of complexity that flat-rate tools avoid.

Pricing verified February 2026. Check JetBrains AI pricing for current pricing.

Strengths

IDE integration is deeper than any extension can achieve. Because AI Assistant is built by JetBrains, it accesses the IDE’s code analysis, type system, and project model directly. Suggestions and edits are informed by the same static analysis that powers JetBrains’ inspections and refactoring tools. Third-party extensions cannot reach this level of integration.

Free local completions are a genuine free tier. Unlike tools where the free tier is effectively a trial, JetBrains’ unlimited local completions provide real daily value at zero cost. Developers who primarily need autocomplete can use this indefinitely.

The learning curve is minimal for JetBrains users. AI features appear in familiar UI locations — inline suggestions, tool windows, context menus. If you already know your way around IntelliJ or PyCharm, you already know how to use most of the AI features.

Weaknesses

JetBrains IDEs only. If your team uses VS Code, Neovim, or any non-JetBrains editor, AI Assistant is not an option. This is a significant limitation in mixed-editor teams. There is no standalone version or extension for other editors.

The credit system is confusing. Different models consume credits at different rates, and it is not always clear how many credits a request will use before you make it. Flat-rate tools like Cursor or Copilot are easier to budget for.

No true autonomous agent. Junie handles multi-step tasks but stays within the IDE and requires review at each step. Developers who want to hand off an entire task to an AI agent — the way Devin or Claude Code operate — will find Junie more limited in scope.

Who It’s For

JetBrains AI Assistant fits well for:

• Developers already committed to JetBrains IDEs who want AI without switching editors
• Teams standardized on JetBrains tooling across the organization
• Developers who want free, private local completions without cloud dependency
• Organizations that prefer first-party AI tools over third-party extensions

JetBrains AI Assistant is a harder sell for:

• VS Code or Neovim users (there is no cross-editor support)
• Developers who need autonomous agentic capabilities
• Teams that want a single AI tool across mixed editor environments
• Developers who dislike usage-based credit systems

Sources

• JetBrains AI Assistant
• JetBrains AI Pricing
• Junie Documentation