7 Frequently Asked Questions About Codeium | What Beginners Want to Know First
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If you're just starting out with programming and finding it takes forever to write code, you'll want to hear about "Codeium." As a free tool that uses AI to auto-complete code, it was being used by more than 3.6 million developers worldwide as of August 2026.
In this article, we answer 7 questions beginners most want answered about Codeium.
Codeium is a programming support tool that uses AI to suggest code in real time. It works with more than 40 editors, including VS Code and IntelliJ, and supports over 70 programming languages such as Python, JavaScript, and Java.
There are three main features. The first is "autocomplete," which automatically suggests the next line as you start typing code. The second is a "chat feature" that lets you ask the AI questions or request code refactoring (improvements). The third is a "command feature" that lets you fix bugs or generate explanatory text in a single action. In 2026, an agent mode called "Windsurf" was also added — a feature that lets you edit multiple files at once — making it even more powerful.
Codeium is completely free for individuals. There are almost no limitations, and you get unlimited access to all features: code completion, chat, and commands. The official website clearly states "Forever Free," and as of August 2026, the free plan is still available.
There are also paid plans. "Pro" for individuals costs $20 per month (approximately ¥2,800) and gives you access to more advanced AI models and priority support. For teams, "Teams" costs $40 per user per month, and the higher-tier "Max" costs $200 per month. There is also a dedicated "Enterprise" plan for businesses, which requires a quote. For beginners learning on their own, the free plan offers more than enough features.
Codeium can be used in Japanese. The editor UI is mainly in English, but it will correctly recognize and complete code even when you use Japanese in comments or variable names. Since the chat feature allows you to ask questions in Japanese, you can ask something like "What's causing this error?" and get an answer in Japanese.
In terms of accuracy, it is said to provide correct suggestions over 90% of the time for basic code completion. However, the accuracy of reading Japanese comments and predicting the next process can be somewhat lower than with English. Even so, it is more than useful enough for beginners who want to learn syntax or avoid typos. The AI does not learn from your continued use, but it is designed to understand the context of your project and make suggestions accordingly.
Commercial use is permitted even on Codeium's free plan. The official terms of service clearly state that the rights to generated code belong to the user. In other words, you are free to sell apps or services built using code that Codeium suggested.
There are some caveats, however. Because Codeium's AI has been trained on publicly available code from the internet, it may very occasionally suggest something similar to existing code. If you're using it for an important commercial project, it's safer to double-check that the generated code doesn't conflict with the licenses of other libraries or frameworks. For businesses, upgrading to the paid Enterprise plan lets you restrict training data to your own code only, or configure it so that code is not sent to external servers.
The tool most often compared to Codeium is GitHub Copilot. Both are AI code-completion tools, but the biggest difference is price. GitHub Copilot costs $10 per month (free for students), while Codeium is completely free for individuals. In terms of features, there is no major difference — both support multiple editors.
Copilot is said to be slightly better in terms of accuracy, but Codeium also improved its accuracy in 2026 with the introduction of its own "Cortex inference engine." Another difference is that Codeium emphasizes privacy first. For enterprise plans, you can also choose an on-premises version that runs on your own servers without sending code to the cloud. If you're a beginner looking to try something first, starting with the free Codeium is the recommended approach.
Unfortunately, Codeium cannot be used on a smartphone alone. Since Codeium works as an extension for PC-based editors (software for writing code) like VS Code and IntelliJ, you basically need a computer.
That said, some users have reported ways to set up Codeium in apps that allow coding on an iPad (e.g., Code or Buffer Editor). It is also technically possible to use Codeium indirectly by remotely connecting to VS Code on your PC from your smartphone. However, programming on a small smartphone screen is not practical, so if you're serious about learning, setting up a PC environment is the best approach.
When you run into trouble with Codeium, the first thing to do is check the official documentation (usage guide). It's in English, but the steps are explained with images, so even beginners can understand it with the help of a translation tool. There is also an official community on Discord (a chat service) where users can ask each other questions.
For Japanese-language resources, there is a growing number of articles about setup and troubleshooting on engineer-focused blogs like Qiita and Zenn. Searching for terms like "Codeium エラー" (Codeium error) or "Codeium 動かない" (Codeium not working) will often turn up solutions in Japanese. If you still can't resolve the issue, another option is to paste the error message directly into Codeium's own chat feature and ask, "What does this error mean?" The free plan does not generally include email support from the official team, but priority support is available on paid plans.
Codeium is growing rapidly. Its user base grew from 2 million in 2023 to over 3.6 million in 2026 — an increase of about 80%. Annual revenue has reached $45 million (approximately ¥6.3 billion), and more than 7,000 major companies have adopted it.
One of the most notable developments to watch is its evolution into "Windsurf." This is an agent mode (a feature where AI automatically carries out tasks) that allows you to edit multiple files at once, and some users have already begun using it. Integration with other tools such as Notion, Jira, and Linear is also being strengthened, pointing toward a trend where programming and project management become unified in a single workflow. Since the company has officially stated that the free plan will continue, it looks like the accessible environment for beginners to try it out will remain for the foreseeable future.
Here's a recap of the key points beginners want to know about Codeium.
For programming beginners, being slow at writing code is a major obstacle. Codeium is a powerful ally that helps lower that barrier. Start by installing it in VS Code on the free plan and try writing some simple code. The experience of having AI suggest your next line is sure to make programming a whole lot more enjoyable.
This article is a cross-post from AI Friends.
