Windsurf is Codeium's AI code editor focused on real-time code generation and autonomous editing, while Cursor is an AI-first code editor by Anysphere emphasizing natural language commands and multi-file context understanding. Cursor has stronger market adoption with 500K+ users versus Windsurf's emerging user base.
Windsurf vs Cursor — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Choose Cursor if you want a mature, widely-adopted AI code editor with superior multi-file context handling and broader IDE integration for production workflows. Choose Windsurf if you prefer Codeium's autonomous editing approach and want a newer, potentially more innovative alternative with a smaller, more focused community.
Codeium's AI code editor emphasizing autonomous code generation and real-time editing capabilities.
Desktop IDE (VS Code fork) with integrated native AI assistant and $20/month Pro tier
Structured comparison data for Windsurf vs Cursor with 188 attributes.
Primary AI Model Quality (MMBENCH score)
Windsurf vs Cursor — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Windsurf vs Cursor.
Which is better for refactoring large codebases?
Cursor is significantly better for large-codebase refactoring due to its 128K token context window and advanced multi-file editing capabilities, which allow it to understand and modify code across your entire project. Windsurf's single-file focus makes it more suited for isolated file-level tasks.
What's the main difference between Windsurf and Cursor?
Windsurf emphasizes autonomous code generation where the AI takes initiative in editing and generating code with minimal user direction, while Cursor focuses on natural language-driven development where you command the AI through chat and instructions. Cursor also handles multi-file context better and has significantly more users (500K+ vs ~75K).
Which AI code editor has a larger user community?
Cursor has a substantially larger user base with 500,000+ active users compared to Windsurf's estimated 50K-100K users. This means more community resources, tutorials, and third-party integrations are available for Cursor.
Can I use Windsurf or Cursor with my existing VSCode setup?
Cursor offers a VSCode extension, allowing integration into your existing workflow. Windsurf is currently a standalone editor only, so you cannot integrate it directly into VSCode, though both function as complete code editors independently.
How much context can each editor understand?
Cursor's Pro tier supports 128,000 tokens of context, enabling it to understand entire large codebases. Windsurf supports 32,000 tokens, which is sufficient for smaller projects but may require more manual context management for complex applications.