CategoryUpdated September 2026
Best developer tools
in 2026
IDE, terminals, hosting, infrastructure
Edited by the ReviewCost desk
Reviewers contribute under editorial direction
Live tracking
Live6
Products reviewed
all current
6 factors
Scored on
same scale
The ranking
Top developer tools · ranked
Our editorial ranking of every developer tools product we have tested. Updated continuously as we re-verify.
★
01
Rank
C
Build, secure, and scale without managing infrastructure on one global network.
02
Rank
G
GitHub
GitHub
The world's most widely adopted AI-powered developer platform
Best for
GitHub Copilot demonstrably accelerates development — customers like Duolingo report 25% speed gains and Mercado Libre cuts coding time by 50%Watch out for
Pricing can become punitive at scale — enterprise features and Copilot seats add up quickly for larger teams, making alternatives like GitLab worth evaluating8.7/10
RC Score
03
Rank
S
Supabase
Supabase
Open source Firebase alternative with Postgres database and authentication.
Best for
Postgres foundation means you're not locked into a proprietary database — you can self-host or migrate if neededWatch out for
Dashboard can be overwhelming for developers new to Postgres — the SQL editor and migration tools assume some database literacy04
Rank
L
Linear
Linear
The system for product development
Best for
Exceptionally fast performance with sub-second load times and real-time sync across all usersWatch out for
Limited customisation options may frustrate power users wanting complex workflows05
Rank
G
GitLab
GitLab
AI-powered intelligent orchestration platform for the entire software lifecycle.
Best for
True end-to-end platform that consolidates tools rather than forcing you to stitch together a dozen integrations — one data plane means fewer context switches and less toolchain sprawlWatch out for
Feature breadth means complexity — teams report steep learning curves and months-long onboarding, especially for organisations migrating from simpler tools8.3/10
RC Score
06
Rank
P
Postman
Postman, Inc.
The world's leading API platform for building and testing APIs
Best for
Intuitive, user-friendly interface accessible to developers of all skill levelsWatch out for
Can become slow and resource-heavy when handling large collections or multiple environments