PyCharm vs. Microsoft Visual Studio

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
PyCharm
Score 9.2 out of 10
N/A
PyCharm is an extensive Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for Python developers. Its arsenal includes intelligent code completion, error detection, and rapid problem-solving features, all of which aim to bolster efficiency. The product supports programmers in composing orderly and maintainable code by offering PEP8 checks, testing assistance, intelligent refactorings, and inspections. Moreover, it caters to web development frameworks like Django and Flask by providing framework…
$9.90
per month per user
Visual Studio
Score 8.7 out of 10
N/A
Visual Studio (now in the 2022 edition) is a 64-bit IDE that makes it easier to work with bigger projects and complex workloads, boasting a fluid and responsive experience for users. The IDE features IntelliCode, its automatic code completion tools that understand code context and that can complete up to a whole line at once to drive accurate and confident coding.
$45
per month
Pricing
PyCharmMicrosoft Visual Studio
Editions & Modules
For Individuals
$99
per year per user
All Products Pack for Organizations
$249
per year per user
All Products Pack for Individuals
$289
per year per user
For Organizations
$779
per year per user
Professional
$45.00
per month
Enterprise
$250.00
per month
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
PyCharmVisual Studio
Free Trial
YesNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
PyCharmMicrosoft Visual Studio
Considered Both Products
PyCharm
Chose PyCharm
It is more complete and can handle more projects at the same time. On the other hand, Visual Studio Code has better integration with LMS to help you code. PyCharm allows you to integrate with many external tools and external servers that Visual Studio Code has difficulties with.
Chose PyCharm
I feel PyCharm is better fit for Python web development as it's a full platform that is designed by developers for developers. While vscode is free and does basically the same things, I always feel that it's less robust. Also, while I enjoy Vim as a simple text editor, I prefer …
Chose PyCharm
For dedicated python projects, I don't need any other IDE than Pycharm becaus of its perfect UI, suggestions and plugins for PYthon. For other code or small scripts I would go with vs code.
Chose PyCharm
What differentiates PyCharm from other products is that it is built for a particular language (Python) and works great while doing it, without losing efficiency with the rest of languages. It's simple, easy to use, fast and efficient, what else could you need?
Chose PyCharm
Simply one of the best IDE's of our time. It has a lot of features, a big user base, and a professional developer team behind it. It simply surpasses most of its competitors, as there are not too many Python-specialized IDEs anyway.
Chose PyCharm
I preferred PyCharm because of its debugging capabilities, plus it has a built-in git versioning tool that helps teams to collaborate. I like the UI of this IDE, and it makes development very simple and enjoyable. PyCharm has helped in reducing development time because of its …
Chose PyCharm
PyCharm is probably the best IDE for Python, whether it is Web or Machine Learning as in the cases I witnessed so far. It has much variety in terms of functionality, such as auto code completion, data type illustration, git visualization, package management (pip), code history …
Chose PyCharm
Less expensive, better customer support.
Chose PyCharm
PyCharm has all the features that ACIM software has, such as version control, real-time coding correction, misuse, and documentation. Now what has determined is the integration of this IDE with features that we would normally have to perform in external applications like BD …
Chose PyCharm
All other IDEs do not have as many tools and practicalities as PyCharm has. To run code or manage your virtual environments sometimes you need to have multiple terminals or other applications open, when with PyCharm all this integration is present in itself.
Chose PyCharm
PyCharm was selected due to it's first class treatment of Python. Visual Studio is more general "Do everything" IDE which contains a lot of features our team didn't need. PyCharm strikes the balance of power and complexity.
Chose PyCharm
Best user experience. While the JavaVM is a heavy hit on resources, it is worth it because of the sheer amount of functionality.
Community/Free/Educational version easily available.
Excellent Git support.
Chose PyCharm
Because PyCharm was designed specifically for Python Development, I felt it had the most to offer over the others that I tried. A more experienced Dev might have no problem using NotePad++ or TextWrangler to develop a Python program, but for my needs as somewhat of a beginner, …
Visual Studio
Chose Microsoft Visual Studio
Eclipse: I did not have a good experience with Eclipse when I started to code in Python. I chose Eclipse because that's what the person doing my Python training was using and I used it to follow along better. I found it difficult to figure out how to get my environment setup …
Chose Microsoft Visual Studio
PyCharm is a one programming language tool. If you program in multiple languages Visual Studio if much better. Until a few weeks ago, if you were developing in Java, Eclipse was the IDE to use, but now that Visual Studio supports Java, I would look to see if Visual Studio might …
Chose Microsoft Visual Studio
Eclipse, PyCharm, NetBeans I have used during my internship for smaller applications but to have a full end-to-end application with ease to connect to database and deployment I believe Visual Studio is way better than other available IDE in this space.
Although your options get …
Chose Microsoft Visual Studio
I have used Eclipse and PyCharm for smaller projects. However, VS IDE is more for a bigger company/organization. It is an enterprise software that is perfect for a company who can pay the money to use and maintain it. Eclipse and PyCharm are more for non-business use as they …
Chose Microsoft Visual Studio
Some of the editors are suitable for a particular programming language . For example PyCharm is suited for Python .
Visual Studio has support for many languages and Visual Studio is comparatively light weight from most of the IDE . The ability to get extensions and use them is …
Chose Microsoft Visual Studio
It has free community version which make it to use vastly and no budget needed. Good UI to work on and Add-on we can use add and use what ever we need. The extensions that helps to use it.
Chose Microsoft Visual Studio
It's a well [maintained], mature IDE, which has the benefit of being a [software] which only the most skilled developers works on, instead of being open source. It has a lot of very useful features, which most free IDE-s don't. Also, it has many options from commercial …
Chose Microsoft Visual Studio
Also VSCode; these are all IDE that support the creation of web APIs and web applications; and it can support C# (for example VSCode) but Visual Studio IDE has a better set of integrated tools in the same environment. A developer adopts it very naturally, so a person can be …
Chose Microsoft Visual Studio
Sincerely, my company just used it, so I don't have many usage data about competitors, however I **heard** that their autocompete is very good and I can testify for it.
TrustRadius Insights
PyCharmMicrosoft Visual Studio
Highlights

TrustRadius
Research Team Insight
Published

PyCharm and Visual Studio IDE are both development tools designed to make it easier for users to write code.  PyCharm is specialized in Python programming, while Visual Studio IDE is a development tool specialized for .net development.  Both tools are popular with mid-sized businesses and large enterprises depending on their use case.

Features

PyCharm and Visual Studio IDE both offer basic features such as code completion and linkers, but they also have a few standout features that set them apart from each other.

PyCharm provides built in support for virtual environments, as well as specialized Python features out of the box.  Users will be able to write Python code in PyCharm out of the box with many additional features, whereas other IDEs may require users to find and install extensions first to create a good development environment. 

Visual Studio IDE supports coding in many languages, and allows users to add additional features using extensions.  A Python developer can download whatever extensions they want to create an ideal programming environment.  As a result, Visual Studio IDE is lightweight out of the box, and users are able to add only the extensions they need.  For developers looking for a lean, quick loading IDE that is still customizable, VIsual Studio IDE may be a good choice.

Limitations

PyCharm and Visual Studio IDE both aid developers with coding, but they also have some limitations that are important to consider.

PyCharm provides many features for Python coding out of the box, but it is also a heavy IDE with longer load times compared to other options.  Additionally, PyCharm offers limited support for non-Python languages.  Businesses looking for a quick, lightweight IDE with more customization options may prefer Visual Studio IDE.

Visual Studio IDE offers a high level of customizability, but it doesn’t offer as much support for Python development out of the box.  Businesses looking for high levels of support for virtual environments, or who don’t want to have to set up extensions may prefer the ease of use of PyCharm.  Even with extensions, Visual Studio IDE also doesn’t support Python development to the same extent as a dedicated tool, so businesses that develop primarily, or exclusively in Python will appreciate the features of PyCharm.

Pricing

PyCharm professional is priced at $199.00 per year, though its price reduces with each renewal.

Visual Studio’s basic subscription starts at $45.00 per month and includes essential development features.  Businesses looking for priority support or professional training can purchase the Professional subscription for $1,199.00 per year, with discounts for renewal.

Best Alternatives
PyCharmMicrosoft Visual Studio
Small Businesses
IntelliJ IDEA
IntelliJ IDEA
Score 9.4 out of 10
PyCharm
PyCharm
Score 9.2 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
IntelliJ IDEA
IntelliJ IDEA
Score 9.4 out of 10
PyCharm
PyCharm
Score 9.2 out of 10
Enterprises
IntelliJ IDEA
IntelliJ IDEA
Score 9.4 out of 10
PyCharm
PyCharm
Score 9.2 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
PyCharmMicrosoft Visual Studio
Likelihood to Recommend
9.0
(42 ratings)
9.0
(105 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
10.0
(2 ratings)
10.0
(3 ratings)
Usability
9.2
(4 ratings)
10.0
(2 ratings)
Support Rating
8.3
(13 ratings)
8.8
(15 ratings)
User Testimonials
PyCharmMicrosoft Visual Studio
Likelihood to Recommend
JetBrains
PyCharm is well suited to developing and deploying Python applications in the cloud using Kubernetes or serverless pipelines. The integration with GitLab is great; merges and rebates are easily done and help the developer move quickly. The search engine that allows you to search inside your code is also great. It is less appropriate for other languages.
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Microsoft
When working with base C# code for desktop and web projects, then Microsoft Visual Studio is ideal as it provides the libraries and interfaces needed to quickly create, test and deploy solutions. It is when slightly more complex scenarios are required that issues can arise. The built-in integration for things like PowerBI Paginated Reports and dashboards is far from ideal.
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Pros
JetBrains
  • Git integration is really essential as it allows anyone to visually see the local and remote changes, compare revisions without the need for complex commands.
  • Complex debugging tools are basked into the IDE. Controls like break on exception are sometimes very helpful to identify errors quickly.
  • Multiple runtimes - Python, Flask, Django, Docker are native the to IDE. This makes development and debugging and even more seamless.
  • Integrates with Jupyter and Markdown files as well. Side by side rendering and editing makes it simple to develop such files.
Read full review
Microsoft
  • I like how the tabs and panels are organized; everything is gathered together so you can find what you're looking for quickly.
  • If you can't find something, there's a thorough search engine that searches all of Visual Studio's features.
  • The Team Foundation Server feature is fantastic since it allows us to easily deploy and roll back changes on the server.
Read full review
Cons
JetBrains
  • The biggest complaint I have about PyCharm is that it can use a lot of RAM which slows down the computer / IDE. I use the paid version, and have otherwise found nothing to complain about the interface, utility, and capabilities.
Read full review
Microsoft
  • Would be great if there was a better way to save and restore open tabs.
  • The built-in test runner can be improved, for example, by adding the ability to save a set of commonly run tests, etc.
  • Better integration for Microsoft SQL server would be great.
Read full review
Likelihood to Renew
JetBrains
It's perfect for our needs, cuts development time, is really helpful for newbies to understand projects structure
Read full review
Microsoft
VS is the best and is required for building Microsoft applications. The quality and usefulness of the product far out-weight the licensing costs associated with it.
Read full review
Usability
JetBrains
It's pretty easy to use, but if it's your first time using it, you need time to adapt. Nevertheless, it has a lot of options, and everything is pretty easy to find. The console has a lot of advantages and lets you accelerate your development from the first day.
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Microsoft
I love the overall usability of Microsoft Visual Studio. I’ve been using this IDE for more than 20 years, and I’ve seen it evolve by leaps and bounds. Today, with AI and code-suggestion/completion features, developers no longer need to remember countless libraries, methods, or language syntax, or invest a huge amount of programming effort to complete a project. It truly offers everything a developer needs to program, debug, test, and deploy in a single IDE.
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Support Rating
JetBrains
I rate 10/10 because I have never needed a direct customer support from the JetBrains so far. Whenever and for whatever kind of problems I came across, I have been able to resolve it within the internet community, simply by Googling because turns out most of the time, it was me who lacked the proper information to use the IDE or simply make the proper configuration. I have never came across a bug in PyCharm either so it deserves 10/10 for overall support
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Microsoft
There are many resources available supporting Visual Studio IDE. Microsoft whitepapers, forum posts, and online Visual Studio documentation. There are countless demonstration videos available, as well. If users are having issues, they can call Microsoft Support, but depending on the company's agreement with Microsoft, the number of included support calls will vary from organization to organization. I've found that Microsoft support calls can be hit or miss depending on who you get, but they can usually get you with the right support person for your issue.
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In-Person Training
JetBrains
No answers on this topic
Microsoft
IT is very complicated to understand all the functions that the environment has if you are not familiar with this type of development environments. It is important to select a good in-person training to achieve to understand all the possibilities and the capacity of the application. In this case, you will be able to develop a lot type of different applications.
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Online Training
JetBrains
No answers on this topic
Microsoft
If you are not accustomed to develop in this type of development environments it would be complicated to follow all the parts of the course because if the course does not include a great tour with all the concepts to develop you will not have the option to understand all the functions.
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Alternatives Considered
JetBrains
When it comes to development and debugging PyCharm is better than Spyder as it provides good debugging support and top-quality code completion suggestions. Compared to Jupiter notebook it's easy to install required packages in PyCharm, also PyChram is a good option when we want to write production-grade code because it provides required suggestions.
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Microsoft
I personally feel Visual Studio IDE has [a] better interface and [is more] user friendly than other IDEs. It has better code maintainability and intellisense. Its inbuilt team foundation server help coders to check on their code then and go. Better nugget package management, quality testing and gives features to extract TRX file as result of testing which includes all the summary of each test case.
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Return on Investment
JetBrains
  • PyCharm has a very positive ROI for our BU. It has increased developer productivity exponentially.
  • Software quality has significantly improved. We are able to refactor/test/debug the code quicker/faster/better.
  • Our business unit is able to deliver faster. Customers are happier than ever.
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Microsoft
  • Using the integration between Visual Studio and our source control service, the cost of re-work and losing code is drastically reduced.
  • Paid versions of Visual Studio enable developers to be so much more productive than hacked-together open source solutions that it's hard to imagine developing in Windows without it.
  • When combined with support subscriptions and the vast array of free online help options available, Visual Studio saves our developers time by keeping them coding and testing, not wasting their time trying to guess their way out of problems or spend endless hours online hoping to find answers.
Read full review
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