Pieces for Developers is a local-first AI memory layer for engineers. The desktop app (Pieces OS) sits between IDEs, browser, and terminal, capturing code snippets, tabs, conversations, and context continuously, then making it queryable in natural language.
Two tiers: Free and Pro. Pro costs $18.99/mo or $169.99/yr ($14.17/mo equivalent, 20% off). Enterprise available on request.
System Verdict
Pick Pieces if you repeatedly lose context across tools. The LTM-2 engine (Long-Term Memory) silently captures what you work on: open code, visited tabs, conversation excerpts, terminal commands. Query it weeks later in natural language. No other tool on the market does this with local-first defaults.
Skip it as a code generator. Pieces does not write new code like GitHub Copilot or Cursor. It manages what you already have. Runs alongside code generators, not instead of them.
Who pays which tier: Free for solo developers running on-device models (Llama, Gemma, Phi) with no caps, Pro $18.99 for unlimited access to Claude Opus 4.7, GPT-5, Gemini, and extended memory retention up to 9 months.
Key Facts
| Core function | Local-first AI memory layer for code, context, and snippets |
| Tiers | Free · Pro $18.99/mo or $169.99/yr · Enterprise (custom) |
| Free plan | On-device LLMs (Ollama-backed) with no usage caps, limited cloud access |
| Pro plan | Unlimited Claude Opus 4.7, GPT-5.2 Pro, Gemini 3.1 Pro, Perplexity Sonar Deep Research, reasoning models |
| Memory retention | Free rolling window · Pro up to 9 months |
| On-device models | Llama, Gemma, Phi (via Ollama) |
| IDE integrations | VS Code, JetBrains, Azure Data Studio, Obsidian, Xcode, terminal, Slack |
| Browser integration | Chrome extension with source URL and title capture |
| Data location | Local by default. Cloud sync opt-in |
| LTM engine | LTM-2 captures continuously in the background |
Every data point above was verified against vendor sources on 2026-05-13. See Sources.
What it actually is
A background memory service plus a query surface. The Pieces OS daemon runs on the machine and captures context across connected tools without prompting. The Chrome extension logs code snippets from web pages with source metadata. IDE plugins save, search, and insert snippets inline.
The Pieces Copilot sits on top. On Free, it runs on-device LLMs (Llama, Gemma, Phi via Ollama) against the captured memory. On Pro, it unlocks unlimited cloud model access to Claude Opus 4.7, GPT-5.2 Pro, Gemini 3.1 Pro, Perplexity Sonar Deep Research, and reasoning models.
LTM-2 is the differentiator. It builds a searchable timeline of sessions. Query “what was I debugging last Thursday” in natural language and the engine reconstructs tool state, open files, and referenced content from that window.
When to pick Pieces
- Snippet loss is a daily friction. “I know I wrote this before, where did I put it?” becomes a solved problem.
- You work across four or more tools. VS Code, browser, Slack, terminal captured in one searchable surface.
- Privacy matters. Local-first defaults keep code on the machine. Cloud sync is opt-in, per-snippet.
- You want offline AI assistance. On-device Llama 3.2 3B answers questions about saved code without network access.
- You already pay for Copilot or Cursor for generation. Pieces fills the memory gap they do not address.
When to pick something else
- Code generation from natural language: GitHub Copilot at $10/mo. Different category.
- Full AI IDE with codebase-wide context: Cursor at $20/mo. Replaces the IDE rather than supplements it.
- Free autocomplete without memory features: Tabnine or the free tier of Copilot. Lower cost, no memory layer.
- Simple snippet managers without AI: Raycast or native OS snippet tools. Text storage only.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Models | Memory retention | Who’s it for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | On-device Llama, Gemma, Phi (Ollama) + limited cloud | Rolling window | Solo developers on local AI |
| Pro Monthly | $18.99/mo | + Unlimited Claude Opus 4.7, GPT-5.2 Pro, Gemini 3.1 Pro, Sonar Deep Research, reasoning models | Up to 9 months | Month-to-month evaluators |
| Pro Annual | $169.99/yr ($14.17/mo) | Same as Pro Monthly, 20% off | Up to 9 months | Most paid users land here |
| Enterprise | Custom | Full suite + controls | Custom | SSO, audit, admin, on-prem |
Prices verified 2026-05-13 via Pieces Pro pricing docs. Free tier includes unlimited on-device model usage with no caps. Enterprise pricing available on request.
Against the alternatives
| Pieces Pro | GitHub Copilot | Cursor Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly | $18.99 (annual $14.17) | $10 | $20 |
| Primary job | Memory + snippet retrieval | Code generation | AI IDE with codebase context |
| On-device LLM | Yes, unlimited | No | No |
| Cross-session memory | LTM-2, up to 9 months | Session-scoped | Session + workspace |
| Cross-tool context (browser, Slack, terminal) | Yes | No | No |
| Code generation | No | Yes | Yes |
| Best viewed as | Memory augmenter | Generation tool | IDE replacement |
Failure modes
- Not a code generator. Pieces manages existing code. New code still comes from Copilot, Cursor, or a chat assistant.
- Value compounds with capture discipline. The tool rewards consistent snippet-saving; passive install produces little value in week one.
- On-device models cap at smaller sizes. Llama 3.2 3B class runs locally. Complex reasoning still needs cloud models via Pro.
- Team features overlap existing tools. GitHub, Confluence, and Notion already handle shared snippets. Pieces adds AI search but the marginal value is thinner for team-only use cases.
- Cross-platform gaps. Linux integration lags macOS and Windows for some IDE plugins.
- Memory surface can surprise users. LTM-2 captures continuously. Review what was captured before enabling cloud sync.
- Pricing repositioned in 2025-2026. Earlier plans listed a $12/user Teams tier; current consumer pricing is Free and Pro at $18.99/mo or $169.99/yr (20% off). Verify against the live pricing page.
Recent changes
- May 2026: Annual Pro plan surfaced at $169.99/yr ($14.17/mo equivalent, 20% off monthly). Free tier unchanged with unlimited on-device Llama, Gemma, and Phi.
- April 2026: Pieces docs added Claude Opus 4.7 (released April 16, 2026), GPT-5.2 Pro, Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview, and Perplexity Sonar Deep Research to the Pro cloud-model roster.
- 2025-2026: Teams tier ($12/user) retired in favor of the consumer Pro plan plus an enterprise-only track.
Methodology
This page was produced by the aipedia.wiki editorial pipeline, an automated system that ingests vendor documentation, verifies pricing and product details against primary sources, and generates the editorial analysis you are reading. No individual human wrote this review. Scoring follows the four-dimension rubric at /about/scoring/ (Utility, Value, Moat, Longevity, unweighted average). Last verified 2026-05-13 against Pieces Pro pricing docs, Pieces features, and the Copilot feature page.
FAQ
Is Pieces free? Yes. The Free plan includes unlimited on-device model usage (Llama, Gemma, Phi via Ollama) plus limited cloud access. Pro at $18.99/mo (or $169.99/yr, 20% off) unlocks unlimited Claude Opus 4.7, GPT-5.2 Pro, Gemini 3.1 Pro, and Perplexity Sonar Deep Research (Pieces Pro).
Does Pieces store my code on its servers? No by default. Local-first storage keeps snippets and context on the machine. Cloud sync is opt-in per-feature.
What is LTM-2? The Long-Term Memory engine. Captures open code, visited tabs, conversations, meetings, snippets, and terminal activity silently in the background. Queryable in natural language. Pro retains up to 9 months; Free runs a rolling window.
How does Pieces differ from Raycast or native snippet managers? Traditional managers store and retrieve text. Pieces adds AI auto-enrichment (tags, descriptions, language detection, source attribution), natural-language search, on-device Copilot for Q&A over snippets, session timelines, and automatic capture across IDEs, browser, and terminal.
Is Pieces a Copilot replacement? No. Pieces manages existing code and context. Copilot and Cursor generate new code. Most developers run both.
Sources
- Pieces Pro pricing docs: current Free and Pro plan details
- Pieces features: LTM-2, integrations, on-device models
- Pieces Copilot: on-device vs cloud model access
- Pieces official site: product overview
Related
- Category: AI Coding
