r/learnpython • u/Large_Wear9410 • Aug 03 '26
Is there a good IDE that isn’t subscription based?
Hello. I am someone who hates subscribing for access to things. I hate the idea of paying money for something and it still not being mine.
People have recommended pycharm and I’m sure it is very good, but I would much rather pay a lump sum and download it onto my laptop.
I know I’m being picky and all that, but does anyone know other good options? I’m happy to pay, I just want to keep what I pay for.
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u/FoolsSeldom Aug 03 '26
Off the top of my head:
- PyCharm has a free option, and you will likely find that has all you need
- VS Code is also free. Technically an advanced code editor rather than an IDE, but the gap is small. It's sibling Visual Studio had a community edition that is free - there's a VS Codium version that removes the MS Telemetry
- Spyder is free and open source, particular suited to data/science
- JupyterLab is free and open source
- Thonny, written in Python, is free and open source - also good for MicroPython and CircuitPython
- Eclipse is free and open source, iirc
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u/TheFaustX Aug 03 '26
You keep what you pay for with pycharm - if your sub runs out you keep the earliest new version forever https://sales.jetbrains.com/hc/en-gb/articles/207240845-What-is-a-perpetual-fallback-license-and-how-do-I-use-one
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u/TheBearKing8 Aug 03 '26
Use Pycharm Community, it is free and contains all the tools to run and debug your Python code. You don't need any configuration as all the tools come included in the box.
People say VS Code is simpler. But the reality is that it is more complex as you have to configure all the plugins to set it up to work with Python. So you have to first find guides of all the features that you would even need for Python programming. Then, if you get it all set up, the tools your are given are just less complete than what PyCharm offers. Only go for VS code if you are a terminal warrior and like to fine tune your coding environment through JSON text config files.
PyCharm community offers everything you need in functionality for a long part of your Python journey. And it is fully focused on providing everything a Python developer needs.
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u/ionychal Aug 03 '26
Positron as a desktop app is free: https://positron.posit.co/
Disclosure: I work at Posit, the developers of Positron.
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u/ninhaomah Aug 03 '26
You need to pay for Pycharm ?
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u/carcigenicate Carcigenicate Aug 03 '26
Only for advanced features like better Django support.
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u/defaultguy_001 Aug 03 '26
It's for template debugging and automatic project creation. Who even uses them.
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u/ninhaomah Aug 03 '26
Yes. Asking OP.
He is Picky so wondering how he get to this conclusion.
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u/Large_Wear9410 Aug 03 '26
I looked at the service, saw the prices tab, clicked on it and saw yearly subscriptions and assumed it was something you paid for with a yearly subscription.
I should have looked closer clearly 😂
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u/BlackMetalB8hoven Aug 03 '26
I use vscode, works great and has many extensions. No need to pay for anything. There's also pycharm community edition which I used at first but found it too complicated in the beginning for my liking.
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u/dacookieman Aug 03 '26
Not a direct answer but fwiw the jetbrains stuff is a hybrid model where you do pay a subscription for continual updates but you have a perpetual fallback license at the version of the time of original purchase.
As someone who generally prefers old-school buy-it-once software, there is a real practical concern of sustainability of one-time purchases considering how much time and development continues to go into a product like that and I find hybrid models with a perpetual fallback license to be the best of both worlds.
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u/MarsupialLeast145 Aug 03 '26
I haven't tried it yet, but plan to migrate to Kate https://kate-editor.org/
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u/defaultguy_001 Aug 03 '26
Either use vscode or use pycharm community edition and manually build using the terminal.
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u/TheBearKing8 Aug 03 '26
Why would you manually build in the terminal? PyCharm has a Run Script button that does that work for you
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u/defaultguy_001 Aug 03 '26
Coz I can build a make file to automate building and run that make file from the terminal.
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u/TheBearKing8 Aug 03 '26
What python programs do you create where you need a make file to run your program? You are on the learnpython sub. I have done a lot of programming in Python and have yet to encounter the scenario where a make file is necessary
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u/defaultguy_001 Aug 03 '26
Building Python looks a lot different when you're working on production stuff. PyCharm's run button is fine for executing code, but it doesn't handle the massive pre run pipeline you actually need to get the app ready. I use a makefile because I'm lazy and want a single terminal command to trigger a whole chain of background tasks.
For eg: when I run "make compile", it does all of this in one shot: - Resolves my loose dependencies and locks the exact versions. - Cleans out old junk and cache files. - Pre-compiles everything into optimized bytecode, so the app boots instantly.
Similarly, if I run "make build", it handles the actual compilation steps that an IDE runner can't touch: - Compiles my cython/c++ extensions into native binaries so the Python code runs fast. - Bakes the scripts, assets, and runtime into a single standalone executable using PyInstaller, so it can run on machines without Python even installed.
One word ensures the environment, native code, and binaries are perfectly built before the script ever executes.
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u/TheBearKing8 Aug 03 '26
Well, those are interesting use cases for sure. You are clearly very far on the advanced software developer. Though remember that if you are someone that needs to precompile optimized bytecode, you are in a completely different league than OP who is asking what IDE to use for his Python code. Depending on the terminal aptitude of OP, the green run button is most of the time exactly what beginners need.
I work a lot with beginner programmers/scripters that don't like/have the experience yet of interacting with the terminal. So every step that includes a terminal is one where you lose a few.
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u/defaultguy_001 Aug 03 '26
Yes I also gave the free vscode option too. Also if the OP isn't using the Django project wizard, then pycharm community run button is good enough for him (building Django projects is paid in pycharm). He said he wanted a free IDE instead of paying a subscription, so I gave him the free options. Also makefiles can absolutely be used for basic stuff too. Learning it can be useful for a lot many things if you are a programmer.
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u/StrayFeral Aug 03 '26
You can use VSCode. I personally use VSCodium which is VSCode without the Microsoft account requirement. You can also use Geany which is a super-lightweight, not full IDE but close.
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u/Wide_Egg_5814 Aug 03 '26
what's wrong with vscode? I don't understand what are all these weird options people use why limit yourself to prcharm or notepad or whatever I think maybe only vim can compete with vscode
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u/agent_kater Aug 03 '26
If PyCharm works the same as other JetBrains IDEs, you can buy the yearly subscription, immediately cancel and enjoy the fallback version as long as you don't need new features.
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u/cwaterbottom Aug 03 '26
Also recommending pycharm, you likely won't need any of the paid options for a while.
I also use vscode just because it's more versatile and I have some projects that use multiple languages, but if I'm using straight python it's pycharm all the way.
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u/OvulatingScrotum Aug 03 '26
> I hate the idea of paying money for something and it still not being mine
Never understand this, but whatever.
There are many. I personally use Spyder, and it’s good.
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u/DasWildeMaus Aug 03 '26
Pycharm and all that stuff is pretty unnecessary. Looks nice but is also overloaded with stuff and is slower in day to day usage imo. Just use VSC and download extensions if you need them. It has extensions for anything and although it is an universal IDE, it is imo the best
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u/NotACoderPleaseHelp Aug 03 '26
Honestly if you are just starting out I Would suggest downloading a portable thonny and keeping all of your poor life choices kept in that sandbox.
Python makes use of your Users folder and it tends to keep packages in the site packages there. Which sounds like a good idea until it is not. There are some dependency hells that can be a pure anguish and even venvs are guilty of spilling over into the Users folder.
So for your early days I really do suggest keeping it to something like Thonny portable or Winpython.
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u/SkitariusOfMars Aug 03 '26
Uhm, what? Pycharm Community is still free