compare --vibe-coding · prices checked Nov 3, 2026
Cursor vs Windsurf: which is better for vibe coding? (2026)
Both are VS Code-style AI editors with agents. Windsurf is now called Devin Desktop and belongs to Cognition; its $20 Pro plan includes frontier models from OpenAI, Anthropic and Google within quotas. Cursor now belongs to SpaceX; its plans run from $8 (Grok only) to $200, and non-Grok models are billed at API list price.
Choose Cursor if:
- You want the most widely used AI editor and its ecosystem of rules and extensions.
- You're happy using Grok models or paying API rates for others.
- You want Bugbot code review.
Choose Windsurf if:
- You want Claude, GPT and Gemini included in a $20 plan.
- You want to run several local and cloud agents from one board.
- You're already a Windsurf user (it updates automatically).
Cursor vs Windsurf: side by side
Every cell comes from the official pages listed under Sources.
| Cursor | Windsurf Renamed | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | AI IDE / editor | AI IDE / editor |
| Made by | Anysphere (San Francisco), now part of SpaceX (acquisition closed Aug 2026) | Cognition (San Francisco) |
| Best for | Developers | Developers |
| Free plan | Yes. Free plan ($0) includes limited agent and chat requests (limited AI usage) plus limited Grok Chat/Imagine/Build. | Yes. Free plan: a light quota to code with agents, limited model availability, unlimited inline edits and unlimited Tab completions. |
| Paid from | $8/mo (Grok only); $30/mo Premium | $20/mo |
| Pricing model | subscription + usage (weekly-refreshing usage pool; third-party models pay-as-you-go at API list price) | subscription + usage (daily/weekly-refreshing quota; overage at API pricing) |
| Builds | code, pull requests, code reviews | code, pull requests, code reviews |
| Tech stack | Any language/framework: it edits your own repo. | Any language/framework: it edits your own repo. |
| Hosting & deploy | No general app hosting; you deploy yourself (e.g. via your Git host/CI). Premium+ adds code hosting via Origin and cloud agents. | No built-in app hosting; you deploy yourself. Integrates with GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Slack, Linear and Jira. |
| Code ownership | Local files in your own repo (Premium+ can also host code via Origin). | Local files / your repo; cloud agents work on your connected Git repos. |
| AI models | Grok models included in plans (Plus is Grok-only); third-party models available in Cursor on Premium and above, billed at API list price. | Pro and above: frontier models from OpenAI, Anthropic (Claude), Google (Gemini) and SpaceXAI, plus open-source models and Cognition's own SWE-2. Free has limited model availability. |
| Runs on | Desktop editor (VS Code fork) for macOS/Windows/Linux; cloud agents; Agent SDK (Oct 2026). | Desktop IDE (backwards-compatible with Windsurf and VS Code extensions), Devin Cloud, Devin CLI, Devin Review; runs any ACP-compatible agent (e.g. Codex, Claude Agent, OpenCode). |
| Indie makers here | 7 | 0 |
Key differences
- Ownership: Cursor is part of SpaceX (August 2026); Windsurf is part of Cognition and renamed Devin Desktop (June 2026).
- Models in the price: Devin Desktop Pro includes OpenAI, Claude and Gemini models within quotas; Cursor includes Grok, others cost extra.
- Agents: Devin Desktop centres on an Agent Command Center for local and cloud agents; Cursor has its agent, cloud agents and Bugbot review on Premium.
- Free plan: both have one; Devin Desktop's includes unlimited Tab completions.
Cursor vs Windsurf pricing
From each official pricing page, Nov 3, 2026.
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/mo | Limited agent and chat usage. |
| Plus | $8/mo | Shared AI usage pool across Cursor and Grok; only Grok models available on this plan; includes X Premium features. |
| Premium | $30/mo | 4x Plus usage; cloud agents & automations, code hosting (Origin), Bugbot AI code reviews; third-party models available at API list price, billed separately. |
| Super | $100/mo | 15x Plus usage; priority model access at peak times; third-party models billed separately. |
| Ultra | $200/mo | 50x Plus usage; earliest access to products and models; third-party models billed separately. |
| Teams | $30+/user/mo | 4–50x Plus usage depending on seat type; SSO, centralized billing, usage analytics. |
| Enterprise | Custom | Pooled usage, SCIM, audit logs, invoice billing. |
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/mo | Light agent quota, limited models, unlimited Tab and inline edits. |
| Pro | $20/mo | Increased quotas; frontier models (OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, SpaceXAI) and open-source models; free use of SWE-2; Devin Cloud access; extra usage at API pricing; up to 10 concurrent sessions. |
| Max | $200/mo | Everything in Pro with significantly higher quotas. |
| Teams | $80/mo + $40/mo per full dev seat | Up to 200 users, admin dashboard, centralized billing, priority support. |
| Enterprise | Custom | SSO, VPC deployment, dedicated account team. |
Cursor: limits to know
- Plus ($8) only includes Grok models
- Third-party models (non-Grok) are not included in any plan allowance and are billed separately at API list price
- Free plan has limited agent/chat usage
- Subscription is now bundled with X/Grok features and sold via X Subscription Corp, which may not suit buyers wanting a coding-only tool
Windsurf: limits to know
- Free plan has a light agent quota and limited models
- Quotas refresh daily and weekly; extra usage is billed at API pricing
- Pro and Max allow up to 10 concurrent sessions
- The Windsurf brand and the legacy Cascade agent are gone (Cascade was available only until July 1, 2026)
What indie makers use
7 makers list Cursor, including Corey Haines, Ian Nuttall and Mckay Wrigley. No maker on IndieMakerList lists Windsurf in their stack yet. Counts come from the stack each maker lists on their IndieMakerList profile.
More comparisons
Cursor vs Windsurf FAQ
Is Cursor better than Windsurf?
Neither is better for everyone. Both are VS Code-style AI editors with agents. Windsurf is now called Devin Desktop and belongs to Cognition; its $20 Pro plan includes frontier models from OpenAI, Anthropic and Google within quotas. Cursor now belongs to SpaceX; its plans run from $8 (Grok only) to $200, and non-Grok models are billed at API list price. Choose Cursor if you want the most widely used AI editor and its ecosystem of rules and extensions. Choose Windsurf if you want Claude, GPT and Gemini included in a $20 plan.
Which is cheaper, Cursor or Windsurf?
Cursor paid use starts at $8/mo (Grok only); $30/mo Premium and Windsurf at $20/mo (official pricing pages, checked Nov 3, 2026). Cursor has free plan for building; Windsurf has free plan.
Which is better for non-coders, Cursor or Windsurf?
Cursor is aimed at developers: Suits people comfortable with a code editor and Git who want an agent working inside a real codebase; beginners can use it but must handle setup and deployment themselves. Windsurf is aimed at developers: Suits developers who want an IDE plus a dashboard for running several local and cloud coding agents at once.
Do indie makers use Cursor or Windsurf?
On IndieMakerList, 7 makers list Cursor in their stack and 0 makers list Windsurf. 7 makers list Cursor, including Corey Haines, Ian Nuttall and Mckay Wrigley. No maker on IndieMakerList lists Windsurf in their stack yet.
Sources
Official pages were read on Nov 3, 2026. Prices change often; check the vendor's page before you buy.
- Cursor pricing
- Cursor is now a part of SpaceX (Cursor blog)
- Cursor blog index (dates)
- Bloomberg: Cursor recurring revenue $2B
- Digital Applied: SpaceX/Anysphere deal summary
- Devin pricing (windsurf.com/pricing redirects here)
- Windsurf is now Devin Desktop (Devin blog)
- Introducing Devin Desktop (Cognition blog)
- Devin Desktop FAQ
- Tech Insider: Windsurf/Devin Desktop rebrand
What we couldn't confirm from an official source
- Annual (yearly) prices: the pricing page loaded in monthly mode only
- $60B deal value comes from press reports (CNBC/Forbes via third party), not a Cursor source
- Exact usage amounts per tier (the page gives only multiples of Plus, e.g. 4x/15x/50x)
- Whether a standalone Cursor CLI and web app are still offered under the new plans
- Annual pricing: none shown on the pricing page
- Exact quota sizes per plan (the page gives no numbers)
- Series D amount and valuation (post not read)
- Exact date and price of the 2025 Cognition–Windsurf acquisition (no official source fetched)
- Supported OS list for Devin Desktop (not stated on the pages fetched)