Cursor vs Windsurf
Two code AI tools compared on the facts: what each one does, how it charges, and where their capabilities overlap. We track tools, we don't rate them, so there is no winner declared here. The differences below should make the right pick for your use case obvious.
Cursor
AI-native code editor built on VS Code
Cursor is a code editor forked from VS Code with AI assistance built into the core workflow. It can edit across multiple files from a natural-language prompt, answer questions about a codebase, and apply changes inline.
Windsurf
Open-source AI agent for writing, debugging, and understanding code
Windsurf is a free, open-source AI agent for code. It assists developers with writing, debugging, and understanding code directly within their IDE. The tool integrates with VS Code via an extension.
At a glance
| Cursor | Windsurf | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | freemium | free |
| Website | cursor.com ↗ | windsurf.com ↗ |
| Shared capabilities | code-completion codebase-context | |
| Only here | code-editor ai-chat refactoring | ai-agents agentic-coding code-review ide-integration |
Capability tags are factual labels we assign when a tool is added; they describe what a tool does, not how well it does it.
Key features
Cursor
- Multi-file edits from a single prompt
- Codebase-aware chat and search
- Inline completions and refactors
- Works with existing VS Code extensions
Windsurf
- Code writing assistance
- Code debugging support
- Code comprehension
- VS Code extension
- LLM integration
What each one does well
Cursor
- ✓ Editing across many files from one natural-language prompt
- ✓ Understanding an unfamiliar codebase through chat
- ✓ Staying in a familiar VS Code environment while adding AI
Windsurf
- ✓ Developers needing AI assistance within VS Code
- ✓ Understanding complex codebases
- ✓ Debugging code with AI support
Full fact sheets, FAQs, and discussion links: Cursor · Windsurf · all code tools