Home / Application Development / Microsoft Visual Studio

Microsoft Visual Studio review

IDE for coding, debugging, testing, and deploying apps, games, and extensions

No user reviews yet · #1 of 1 in Application Development · Updated November 1, 2026 · Is this your company? Claim it

★ Free planWebFreemium · SubscriptionAPI

68/100

Start free trial ↗Free trial · free plan available · paid plans from $45/user/mo · opens visualstudio.microsoft.com

Starting price$45/user/mo

Free planYes

Free trialFree trial

Best fitFreelancers, Small businesses, Mid size businesses, Enterprises

DeploymentWeb

Bottom line

Visual Studio is a full IDE for writing, debugging, testing, and deploying software, with the deepest support for .NET and C++. Its clearest strength is the free Community edition, which includes the full IDE for individual developers, students, and open-source work. The main cost to watch is the top tier, which runs $499.92 per user per month with a $214.09 renewal rate after the first year. It suits .NET, C++, and game developers who want one IDE covering the full development cycle.

Choose Microsoft Visual Studio ifwindows-based .NET and C++ developers, or game studios using Unity or Unreal.

Look elsewhere ifdevelopers who only need a lightweight code editor, or buyers who want a single fixed price for large organizations.

Start free trial ↗Free trial · free plan available · paid plans from $45/user/mo · opens visualstudio.microsoft.com

What is Microsoft Visual Studio?

Microsoft Visual Studio is an integrated development environment for building applications, games, and extensions. It brings code editing, debugging, testing, and source control into one application, so developers do not have to assemble those tools separately. It is aimed at teams that write .NET, C++, and other code and need one place to take a project from first keystroke to deployment.

Day to day, the editor uses IntelliSense to predict next steps and suggest context-aware code. Developers can use Copilot inside the editor for complex tasks and refine projects with agent mode. The built-in debugger and profiler help find and fix issues before code reaches production, and integrated testing lets developers run tests without leaving the IDE. For delivery, Git tooling and CI/CD workflows manage repositories and automate deployments, with GitHub integration.

Visual Studio serves freelancers, small businesses, mid-size businesses, and enterprises. Visual Studio Community is free for students, open-source developers, and individual developers. Paid subscriptions start at Professional monthly at $45 per user per month. Professional standard costs $99.99 per user per month paid annually, Enterprise monthly costs $250 per user per month, and Enterprise standard costs $499.92 per user per month paid annually. Larger organizations can buy through the Open Value and Enterprise Agreement volume licensing programs.

What sets it apart is the set of benefits bundled with paid subscriptions, including monthly Azure credits, Azure DevOps access, training resources, and third-party software such as Syncfusion components for a set period. Game developers can work with Unity, Unreal, and C++ tooling, and the IDE supports native and hybrid mobile apps for Android, iOS, and Windows. Visual Studio Code is offered separately as a free, cross-platform editor for Windows, macOS, and Linux, which gives web and JavaScript developers a lighter option with extensions for most programming languages.

Who it's for

Windows-based .NET and C++ developers
Game studios using Unity or Unreal
Teams running GitHub-based CI/CD pipelines

Who should look elsewhere

Developers who only need a lightweight code editor
Buyers who want a single fixed price for large organizations

Typical uses

Building .NET web and cloud applications
Developing Unity or Unreal games
Automating deployments with GitHub Actions
Writing C++ applications with integrated profiling

Key features

IntelliSense code completion

IntelliSense predicts the next step and offers context-aware suggestions as developers type. This keeps coding flow steady and reduces the time spent looking up APIs and syntax.

Copilot assistance

Copilot works inside the editor to help with complex tasks and to refine projects. Agent mode lets developers hand off multi-step work while staying in the IDE.

Integrated debugger and profiler

The debugger helps identify and fix issues early, and the Profiler Agent highlights performance bottlenecks. Both aim to catch problems before code is deployed.

Integrated testing

Developers can validate code with testing built into the IDE, which supports fast iterations. Running tests in the same environment shortens the loop between changes and results.

Git and CI/CD workflows

Git tooling and CI/CD manage repositories and automate deployments, with GitHub Actions integration. This moves code from commit to production with less manual setup.

Game and mobile development

Developers can build games with Unity, Unreal, and C++ tooling, and create native or hybrid apps for Android, iOS, and Windows. This covers two project types that often need separate tools.

Extensible through extensions

Developers can choose from thousands of extensions to customize the IDE or write their own. This lets teams adapt the environment to their languages and workflows.

Microsoft Visual Studio pricing 2026

Visual Studio Community

FreeFree download

Built for students, open-source developers, and individual developers who need a fully featured IDE at no cost.

Free, fully featured IDE
Aimed at .NET and C++ developers on Windows
Available for students, open-source, and individual developers

Start free ↗

Visual Studio Code

FreeFree download

A standalone source code editor for developers who want a lightweight, cross-platform option for web and JavaScript work.

Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux
Extensions for just about any programming language
Free download for each platform, including Linux .deb and .rpm packages

Start free ↗

Professional monthly

$45per user/month

Month-to-month access to Visual Studio Professional for developers who do not want an annual commitment.

Visual Studio Professional IDE
C# and TFS license
Access to Azure DevOps Basic

Get Professional monthly ↗

Professional standard

$99.99per user/month, paid annually; renews at $66.59 user/mo afte

A full year of the Professional IDE with Azure credits and Azure DevOps Basic for developers and small teams doing testing and deployment work.

Visual Studio Professional
Azure DevOps Basic plan
$50 Azure credit per month
Basic dev/test software
Training and support

Get Professional standard ↗

Enterprise monthly

$250per user/month

Month-to-month access to Visual Studio Enterprise for developers who need the full toolset without a yearly term.

Visual Studio Enterprise
C# and TFS license
Microsoft SQL Server Developer edition
Azure DevOps Basic + Test Plans

Get Enterprise monthly ↗

Enterprise standard

$499.92per user/month, paid annually; renews at $214.09 user/mo aft

A full year of the most comprehensive subscription, including premium dev/test software, Azure credits, and extended support for teams building complex projects.

Visual Studio Enterprise
Azure DevOps Basic + Test plan
$150 Azure credit per month
Premium dev/test software
Extended training and support

Get Enterprise standard ↗

See all plans on visualstudio.microsoft.com ↗

What the sticker price leaves out. Visual Studio Community and Visual Studio Code are free. Paid subscriptions show renewal rates after the first year, and pricing for Enterprise Agreement and Open Value volume purchases varies by eligible subscription. A free trial is available for Visual Studio Professional.

Microsoft Visual Studio integrations 5 listed

Apps Microsoft Visual Studio connects to, as published by the vendor. Native integrations sync directly; others go through a connector such as Zapier or webhooks. Click a logo to read our review of that product.

GitHub

Microsoft SQL Server

Git

Unity

Microsoft Azure

Microsoft Visual Studio has a public API, so apps not listed here can usually be connected with a developer or a no-code automation tool.

Deployment and support

Deployment

Platforms

Support

Email/Help Desk
FAQs/Forum
Knowledge Base
Chat

Training

Documentation
Videos

Typical customers

Freelancers
Small businesses
Mid size businesses
Enterprises

Buying details

Public API: Yes

Microsoft: the company behind Microsoft Visual Studio

—Total funding

0Funding rounds

0Investors

0Lead investors

0Acquisitions

0Employee profiles

0Board & advisors

—Employees

About

Website: visualstudio.microsoft.com ↗

Legal name, company type, headcount and other company details haven't been reported yet. Work at Microsoft? Add them.

Analytics

0Page views, 30 days

0Unique visitors, 30 days

0Visits to vendor site, 30 days

—Visit-through rate

68/100BSR score

#1 of 1Rank in Application Development

0User reviews

—Average rating

Measured on Best Software Reviewed: views of this page and clicks through to the vendor's website.

Financials

Funding rounds

No funding rounds have been reported for Microsoft. Work at Microsoft? Add funding rounds.

Investors

No investors have been reported for Microsoft. Work at Microsoft? Add investors.

People

Founders

No founders listed yet. Work at Microsoft? Add founders.

Employee profiles

No employee profiles yet. Work at Microsoft? Add your team.

Board member and advisor profiles

No board members or advisors listed yet. Work at Microsoft? Add your board.

Acquisitions

No acquisitions by Microsoft have been reported. Work at Microsoft? Add acquisitions.

Updated Nov 1, 2026 · Full Microsoft company profile

Microsoft Visual Studio pros and cons

Pros

Visual Studio Community provides a fully featured IDE at no cost for students, open-source developers, and individual developers.
Enterprise standard includes a $150 monthly Azure credit and Azure DevOps Basic + Test plans in one subscription.
The IDE covers coding, debugging, testing, Git, and CI/CD with GitHub integration in one application.
Game tooling for Unity, Unreal, and C++ sits alongside .NET and web development in the same IDE.
Monthly and annual subscription options let teams choose how long to commit.

Cons

The top tier costs $499.92 per user per month, with a $214.09 renewal rate after the first year.
The full IDE is aimed at .NET and C++ developers on Windows, so developers on other systems are pointed to the separate Visual Studio Code editor.
Larger organizations buy through volume programs, and pricing varies by eligible subscription, so there is no single price for them.
Subscription benefits may be added, updated, or discontinued during an active subscription.

Start free trial ↗The free trial is the fastest way to check whether the top tier costs $499.92 per user per month, with a $214.09 renewal rate after the first year. matters for your team.

Microsoft Visual Studio user reviews

No published reviews yet. Be the first.

Microsoft Visual Studio alternatives and comparisons

Microsoft Visual Studio is the only application development product we list so far. Browse the category as more are added.

Microsoft Visual Studio FAQ

How much does Visual Studio cost?

Paid subscriptions start at Professional monthly for $45 per user per month. Professional standard costs $99.99 per user per month paid annually, Enterprise monthly costs $250 per user per month, and Enterprise standard costs $499.92 per user per month paid annually. Renewal rates after the first year are lower on the annual plans.

Is there a free version of Visual Studio?

Visual Studio Community is free and described as a fully featured IDE for students, open-source developers, and individual developers. Visual Studio Code is a separate free editor that runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Is there a free trial?

A free trial is available for Visual Studio Professional. Paid subscriptions are listed with monthly and annual billing options.

What does Visual Studio integrate with?

Visual Studio integrates with GitHub, Git, Microsoft SQL Server, Unity, and Microsoft Azure. Subscriptions also include Azure DevOps access and Azure credits on higher tiers.

Can Visual Studio build mobile apps?

Yes. The features page says the IDE can create native or hybrid apps targeting Android, iOS, and Windows.

What does Visual Studio replace?

Visual Studio replaces a separate stack of tools for editing, debugging, testing, version control, and deployment by bundling them in one IDE. Teams that also need a lightweight editor can add Visual Studio Code.

Does Visual Studio include AI assistance?

Yes. Copilot delivers assistance for complex tasks and project refinement inside the editor, and agent mode is available for multi-step work.

How much does Microsoft Visual Studio cost?

Microsoft Visual Studio has a free plan and paid plans start at $45/user/mo. Plans: Visual Studio Community (Free, Free download), Visual Studio Code (Free, Free download), Professional monthly ($45, per user/month), Professional standard ($99.99, per user/month, paid annually; renews at $66.59 user/mo afte), Enterprise monthly ($250, per user/month), Enterprise standard ($499.92, per user/month, paid annually; renews at $214.09 user/mo aft). Free trial available.

Ready to try Microsoft Visual Studio?

Visual Studio is a full IDE for writing, debugging, testing, and deploying software, with the deepest support for .NET and C++. Free trial · free plan available · paid plans from $45/user/mo · opens visualstudio.microsoft.com.

Start free trial ↗

How we reviewed Microsoft Visual Studio

We score every product on four weighted criteria: ease of use (25%), features (30%), value (25%) and support (20%). Microsoft Visual Studio is scored from the vendor's published pricing and documentation, our editorial review. The listing was last updated November 1, 2026. Vendors cannot pay for a higher score or a better rank; paid placements are labelled. Read the full methodology.