← AI coding tools
Cursor vs Windsurf
Compare two AI-native IDEs for agentic coding, repo context, autonomous edits, pricing, and team rollout.
| Category | Cursor | Windsurf |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Developers and small teams who can switch editors and want the deepest AI-native IDE experience. | Developers who want an IDE agent that can plan, edit, and iterate through larger coding tasks with less manual prompting. |
| Pricing | Free tier, Pro around $20/month, Business around $40/user/month | Free tier, Pro around $10/month, Teams around $20/user/month |
| Rating | ★ 4.8/5 | ★ 4.7/5 |
| Workflow fit | Feature implementation, Refactoring, Repo Q&A, Frontend iteration | Autonomous implementation, Refactoring, Repo exploration, Prototype shipping |
| IDE support | Cursor editor, based on VS Code | Windsurf IDE |
| Agent mode | Built-in agent mode for planning and editing across files | Cascade supports multi-step autonomous coding inside the editor |
| Privacy | Business controls available; teams should review code indexing and data settings | Team controls available; review indexing and workspace policies before rollout |
| MCP angle | Pairs well with filesystem, GitHub, browser, database, and docs MCP servers when teams want richer project context inside an AI editor. | MCP can add controlled access to files, issue context, browser checks, and deployment evidence around Windsurf-style autonomous changes. |
Verdict
Choose Cursor for the strongest AI-native VS Code-style workflow and ecosystem mindshare. Choose Windsurf when Cascade-style autonomous IDE work and lower entry pricing matter more.