Freemium
Cursor
The AI-first code editor
Side-by-side
Cursor vs Windsurf
Two agentic coding IDEs compared — Composer vs Cascade, pricing, and workflow feel.
| Feature | Cursor | Windsurf |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | $20/mo | $15/mo |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| API | No | No |
| Open source | No | No |
| Platforms | macos, windows, linux | macos, windows, linux |
| Categories | coding, agents | coding, agents |
| Best for | The AI-first code editor | Agentic IDE by Codeium |
Cursor highlights
- Composer multi-file edits
- Codebase indexing
- Agent mode
- Tab completion
- Bring your own model
Cursor is an AI-native IDE built on VS Code that pairs multi-file editing with agentic coding. Developers use it for refactors, feature builds, and codebase-aware chat.…
Windsurf highlights
- Cascade agent
- Flows
- Codebase awareness
- Fast tab complete
- Bring your key
Windsurf (by Codeium) is an agentic development environment that cascades edits across your project with deep codebase awareness.…
Verdict
Both are strong agentic IDEs; try each free tier and keep the one that matches your edit style.
Still unsure? Read full profiles for Cursor and Windsurf, or browse Best Of roundups.
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