Qt Creator

A cross-platform IDE for building C++ and Qt applications, maintained by the Qt project.

FreemiumOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux
Official websiteqt.ioDownload pageqt.ioDocumentationdoc.qt.io

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About Qt Creator

Qt Creator is the integrated development environment made for working with the Qt framework. It covers C++ and QML development for Qt applications, and Qt publishes its own documentation, release cycle and release notes for it. Version 20 has been released.

Qt also supports other ways of working with the framework, including Visual Studio and VS Code extensions, Android tooling and MCP services for AI coding agents. Qt Creator remains the dedicated IDE for developers building Qt applications.

Strengths

  • Built specifically for Qt and QML development
  • Regular releases with a published release cycle
  • Extensive official documentation

Limitations

  • Most useful for projects that use the Qt framework
  • Licensing terms depend on how Qt is used

Details

Pricing
FreemiumAvailable through the Qt download page; commercial Qt licensing is offered alongside open source use.
License
Open source, license not stated
Developer
The Qt Company
Platforms
Windows, macOS, Linux
How it runs
Downloadable app
Works offline
Yes
Best suited for
C++ developers building desktop or embedded applications with Qt
Last verified
Added
Provenance
Facts checked against the developer's own pages and store listings, 1 sources on file.

Alternatives to Qt Creator

Compare all

Software that can replace Qt Creator for an important use case, and what changes if you switch.

  • KDevelop

    A cross-platform open-source IDE from KDE for C, C++, Python, QML/JavaScript and PHP.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    KDevelop is a free, open-source KDE IDE with semantic C and C++ completion and both CMake and QMake support, suited to Qt projects.

  • CLion

    C and C++ IDE with CMake integration and deep static analysis.

    FreemiumProprietaryWindowsmacOSLinux

    CLion is a commercial C and C++ IDE with CMake integration and deep static analysis, requiring a paid subscription for commercial use.

  • Visual Studio

    Microsoft's integrated development environment for .NET, C++ and Windows development, with a free Community edition.

    FreemiumProprietaryWindows

    Visual Studio is Microsoft's C++ and .NET IDE with a free Community edition, but it runs on Windows only and is proprietary.

  • CodeLite

    A free, open-source cross-platform IDE for C, C++, Rust, Python, PHP and Node.js.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    CodeLite is a free GPL-2.0 IDE for C, C++ and several other languages, lighter than a full IDE but with a smaller plugin ecosystem.

  • Code::Blocks

    A free, plugin-based IDE for C, C++ and Fortran with a consistent interface across platforms.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsLinux

    Code::Blocks is a free, plugin-based C, C++ and Fortran IDE for Windows and Linux, without Qt-specific QML tooling and with long gaps between releases.

  • Visual Studio Code

    Microsoft's code editor, free to use but shipped under a Microsoft licence rather than an open one.

    FreeProprietaryWindowsmacOSLinux

    Visual Studio Code covers C++ through extensions with an integrated debugger, but it is a general editor without Qt-specific design tools.

  • Eclipse IDE

    Long-established open-source IDE with a very large plugin marketplace.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    Eclipse IDE is open source under EPL-2.0 with a large plugin marketplace, though its workspace model feels dated and plugin quality varies.

Qt Creator as an alternative

Listings that name Qt Creator as an alternative.

  • GNOME Builder

    An IDE for building GNOME and other Linux applications, with debugging, profiling and Flatpak support.

    FreeOpen sourceLinux

    Qt Creator is a cross-platform open-source C++ IDE built for Qt and QML applications, replacing Builder's GTK and GLib focus with Qt tooling.

Similar software

Related functionality, not necessarily a direct replacement.

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