software
Windsurf vs Cursor: AI Code Editors 2026
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
Codeium's AI code editor emphasizing autonomous code generation and real-time editing capabilities.
Developers seeking autonomous code generation and those already invested in the Codeium ecosystem
Score71%
VS
C
Cursor
An AI-first code editor by Anysphere enabling developers to write code through natural language commands and intelligent chat.
Professional developers, teams managing complex projects, and users needing broad IDE ecosystem integration
Score71%
Quick Answer
AI SummaryWindsurf 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.
Our Verdict
AI-assistedChoose 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.
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Windsurf
6.6/10
Cursor
8.4/10
C
Choose Windsurf if
Developers seeking autonomous code generation and those already invested in the Codeium ecosystem
C
Choose Cursor if
Best pickProfessional developers, teams managing complex projects, and users needing broad IDE ecosystem integration
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Key Differences at a Glance
- Primary Use Case:Real-time code generation & autonomous editing vs Natural language-driven coding & chat-based commands
- User Base Size:✓ Cursor wins(500K+ active users vs ~50K-100K estimated users)
- Context Window (tokens):✓ Cursor wins(128K tokens (Pro tier) vs 32K tokens standard)
Key Facts & Figures
95 numeric metrics compared
| Metric | Windsurf | Cursor | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Users (2026)(millions) | 1M+ | Not publicly disclosed | — |
| Daily Code Lines Generated(millions) | 70M+ | Not disclosed | — |
| Fortune 500 Adoption Rate(%) | 59% | Significant but undisclosed | — |
| Agent Autonomy Level(scale 1-10) | 9 | 6 | |
| Control Determinism(scale 1-10) | 6 | 9 | |
| Interface Learning Curve(scale 1-10) | 7 (novel) | 3 (familiar) | |
| Pro Plan Price(USD/month) | ~$15/mo | $20/mo | |
| Monthly Subscription Cost(USD) | $15 | $20 | |
| Free Tier Limit(users) | 10 agent tasks | — | — |
| Compatible Editors/IDEs(platforms) | Windsurf IDE only | — | — |
| Response Latency (P50)(milliseconds) | ~800ms average completion | — | — |
| Max Context Window(tokens) | 8,000 tokens | 128,000 tokens | |
| Supported Languages/Environments(count) | Web-only (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React) | — | — |
| AI Model Flexibility(model options) | Claude 3.5 Sonnet only | — | — |
| Primary Use Case Complexity(steps) | Multi-step browser workflows (3-10+ steps) | — | — |
| Available Extensions/Plugins(count) | <500 | — | — |
| Default Memory Usage (Idle)(MB) | 400-600 MB | — | — |
| Initial Release Year(year) | 2024 | — | — |
| GitHub Stars (as of 2026)(stars) | 10,000+ | — | — |
| Supported Languages (Official)(count) | 30+ via built-in support | 40+ | |
| Active Users(millions) | ~0.5 million (estimated) | — | — |
| Years Since Launch(years) | <1 year (2024) | 1.5 years (launched Oct 2024) | |
| Supported IDEs/Platforms(count) | 1 (Windsurf proprietary IDE only) | — | — |
| Free Trial Duration(days) | 30 days unlimited | 14 days | |
| Installation Size(GB) | ~200 MB | — | — |
| Context Window Size(tokens) | 200,000 tokens | 200KB (Claude) | |
| Pro Plan Monthly Cost(USD) | $20/month | — | — |
| Supported Development Environments(count) | 1 (Windsurf IDE only) | — | — |
| Monthly Subscription Cost (Pro Tier)(USD) | $15/month | $20/month | |
| Maximum Token Context Window(tokens) | 128,000 tokens | 200,000 tokens | |
| Supported AI Models(count) | 3 major models (Codeium, Claude, GPT-4o) | 4 major models (Claude, GPT-4o, Gemini, local) | |
| Extension Ecosystem Size(extensions available) | 1,200+ (Windsurf ecosystem) | 40,000+ (VS Code marketplace) | |
| Setup Time (Fresh Installation)(minutes) | 15-25 minutes | 5-10 minutes | |
| Base Install Size(MB) | 180 MB | — | — |
| AI Context Window Size(tokens) | 128,000 tokens | — | — |
| Base License Cost (Annual)(USD) | $120 (Pro tier) | — | — |
| Code Generation Speed (vs baseline)(% faster) | 140% faster (40% improvement) | — | — |
| GitHub Repository Stars(thousands) | 12K stars | — | — |
| Supported Languages(count) | 200+ (via VS Code compatibility) | — | — |
| Active User Base(users) | ~75,000 estimated | 500,000+ | |
| Maximum Context Window(tokens) | 32,000 tokens | 128,000 tokens | |
| Pro Tier Monthly Cost(USD) | $20 | $20 | |
| Free Tier Monthly Requests(requests) | Unlimited (with limits) | 50 requests/month | — |
| Supported Programming Languages(languages) | 50+ languages | 40+ languages | |
| IDE Integration Options(integrations) | 1 (standalone editor) | 2 (VSCode + standalone) | |
| Public Launch Year(year) | 2024 | 2023 | |
| Free Trial Period(days) | 7 days | 7 days | |
| Paid plan (per user / month)(USD/mo) | Cursor Pro $20/mo | Cursor Pro $20/mo | |
| Business / team tier(USD/mo) | Business $40/user/mo | Business $40/user/mo | |
| Entry price(USD/month) | ~$20/mo (Pro) | ~$20/mo (Pro) | |
| Monthly Subscription Cost (Individual)(USD) | $20 | $20 | |
| Annual Subscription Cost(USD) | $120 | $120 | |
| Free Tier Premium Requests Per Day(requests) | 2 (slow) | 2 (slow) | |
| Free Chat Messages Per Month(messages) | 0 (paid tier required) | 0 (paid tier required) | |
| Startup Time(milliseconds) | 1200-1500ms | 1200-1500ms | |
| Available Extensions(count) | ~15,000 (via VS Code) | ~15,000 (via VS Code) | |
| Memory Usage (Idle)(MB) | 450-600MB | 450-600MB | |
| Monthly Cost (Subscription)(USD) | $20 | $20 | |
| Code Completion Latency(milliseconds) | 50-200ms (Tab autocomplete) | 50-200ms (Tab autocomplete) | |
| Number of Supported AI Models(models) | Claude 3.5 Sonnet, GPT-4, Others | Claude 3.5 Sonnet, GPT-4, Others | |
| Estimated Daily Active Users(millions) | ~500K (estimated based on download trends) | ~500K (estimated based on download trends) | |
| Base Subscription Cost (Monthly)(USD) | $20 | $20 | |
| AI Context Window(tokens) | 200,000 (Claude 3.5 Sonnet) | 200,000 (Claude 3.5 Sonnet) | |
| Built-in Code Inspections(count) | ~50 (via Claude AI) | ~50 (via Claude AI) | |
| Setup Time for New Users(minutes) | 2-3 | 2-3 | |
| Max Codebase Size (Recommended)(LOC) | 500,000 | 500,000 | |
| AI Monthly Cost (Unlimited)(USD) | $20/month | $20/month | |
| Free Tier Monthly AI Requests(requests/month) | 50 premium requests | 50 premium requests | |
| Compatible Extensions(extensions) | 70,000+ (VS Code) | 70,000+ (VS Code) | |
| Supported LLMs (Built-in)(models) | 4+ (Claude, GPT-4, local) | 4+ (Claude, GPT-4, local) | |
| Autocomplete Latency(milliseconds) | 250-400ms | 250-400ms | |
| Free Tier Monthly Completions(completions) | 50 (trial) | 50 (trial) | |
| Professional Tier Price(USD per month) | $20 | $20 | |
| Supported Editors/IDEs(count) | 1 IDE only | 1 IDE only | |
| Primary AI Model Quality (MMBENCH score)(points out of 100) | 88 (Claude 3.5) | 88 (Claude 3.5) | |
| Base Monthly Cost(USD) | $20 | $20 | |
| IDE Compatibility(count) | 1 (Cursor only) | 1 (Cursor only) | |
| Code Context Window(tokens) | 8000-16000 | 8000-16000 | |
| Real-time Suggestion Speed(ms latency) | 200-400 | 200-400 | |
| Estimated Active Users(thousands) | 500 | 500 | |
| Base Monthly Price(USD) | $20 | $20 | |
| Number of Supported IDEs(count) | 1 (Cursor IDE only) | 1 (Cursor IDE only) | |
| Max Context Window Size(KB) | 1000+ KB | 1000+ KB | |
| Setup Time (Minutes)(minutes) | Immediate | Immediate | |
| Programming Languages Supported(count) | 50+ | 50+ | |
| Context Window(tokens) | 200,000 tokens | 200,000 tokens | |
| Monthly Subscription (Pro/Standard)(USD) | $20 | $20 | |
| Code Completion Speed(seconds) | 1–3 seconds (avg inline suggestion) | 1–3 seconds (avg inline suggestion) | |
| Base Monthly Cost (Premium)(USD) | $20/month | $20/month | |
| Setup Time for Existing Users(minutes) | 60-120 minutes | 60-120 minutes | |
| Code Context Window Size(KB) | ~500KB+ codebase context | ~500KB+ codebase context | |
| Learning Curve (1-10 Scale)(scale) | 5/10 (new IDE) | 5/10 (new IDE) | |
| Monthly Cost (Individual Plan)(USD) | $20/month | $20/month | |
| Installation Time(minutes) | 7-10 minutes | 7-10 minutes | |
| Available AI Models(count) | 4 (Claude, GPT-4o, Gemini, local) | 4 (Claude, GPT-4o, Gemini, local) |
Sourced from publicly available data ·
Key Differences
7 attributes compared head-to-head
Cursor leads2 ties
C
5CursorWindsurf
Attribute
Cursor
- Real-time code generation & autonomous editingPrimary Use CaseNatural language-driven coding & chat-based commands
- ~50K-100K estimated usersUser Base Size500K+ active users(winner)
- 32K tokens standardContext Window (tokens)128K tokens (Pro tier)(winner)
- Free tier available; paid ~$20/monthPricing ModelFree tier; Pro $20/month (limited requests)
- Single-file focusMulti-file EditingMulti-file context & editing(winner)
- Standalone editor onlyIDE IntegrationStandalone + VSCode extension(winner)
- 2024 (recent launch)Launch Date2023(winner)
- Primary Use Case
Windsurf
Real-time code generation & autonomous editing
Cursor
Natural language-driven coding & chat-based commands
- User Base Size
Windsurf
~50K-100K estimated users
Cursor
500K+ active users(winner)
- Context Window (tokens)
Windsurf
32K tokens standard
Cursor
128K tokens (Pro tier)(winner)
- Pricing Model
Windsurf
Free tier available; paid ~$20/month
Cursor
Free tier; Pro $20/month (limited requests)
- Multi-file Editing
Windsurf
Single-file focus
Cursor
Multi-file context & editing(winner)
- IDE Integration
Windsurf
Standalone editor only
Cursor
Standalone + VSCode extension(winner)
- Launch Date
Windsurf
2024 (recent launch)
Cursor
2023(winner)
Full Comparison
| Attribute | Windsurf | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| Active Users (2026)(millions) | 1M+ | Not publicly disclosed |
| Estimated Daily Active Users(millions) | ~500K (estimated based on download trends) | — |
| Daily Code Lines Generated(millions) | 70M+ | Not disclosed |
| Response Latency (P50)(milliseconds) | ~800ms average completion | — |
| Default Memory Usage (Idle)(MB) | 400-600 MB | — |
| Base Install Size(MB) | 180 MB | — |
| Token Efficiency(relative ratio) | Baseline (1.0x) | — |
Show 9 more attributesCode Quality (No-Edit Rate)(percent) ~75% — Large-repo codebase indexing Whole-repo semantic embeddings with automatic relevant-file retrieval; built for monorepos — Inline autocomplete latency Very fast predictive Tab completions that jump to the next edit location — Startup Time(milliseconds) 1200-1500ms — Code Completion Latency(milliseconds) 50-200ms (Tab autocomplete) — Autocomplete Latency(milliseconds) 250-400ms — Code Context Window(tokens) 8000-16000 — Real-time Suggestion Speed(ms latency) 200-400 — Code Completion Speed(seconds) 1–3 seconds (avg inline suggestion) — | ||
| Fortune 500 Adoption Rate(%) | 59% | Significant but undisclosed |
| Enterprise / self-hosting | Enterprise tier with SSO + self-hosting heritage | Mature enterprise tier with SSO + privacy mode |
| Security Certifications(count) | FedRAMP High, DoD IL5, ITA | Enterprise-grade |
| Enterprise governance & IP indemnity | SSO, privacy mode (no retention/training), admin controls, SOC 2 | — |
| Data Privacy Model | Code sent to Anthropic servers | — |
| Base Technology | Native IDE | VS Code fork |
| Standalone IDE Capability | Full standalone IDE included | — |
| Base on VS Code(boolean) | No (standalone) | Yes |
| IDE model | Standalone editor — a fork of VS Code (install Cursor itself) | — |
| Agent Autonomy Level(scale 1-10) | 9(winner) | 6 |
| Control Determinism(scale 1-10) | 6 | 9(winner) |
| AI Multi-File Context(null) | Automatic across entire codebase | — |
| Multi-line Tab Autocomplete | Native support | — |
| AI Context Window(tokens) | 200,000 (Claude 3.5 Sonnet) | — |
Show 1 more attributeSupported LLMs (Built-in)(models) 4+ (Claude, GPT-4, local) — | ||
| Interface Learning Curve(scale 1-10) | 7 (novel) | 3 (familiar)(winner) |
| Pro Plan Price(USD/month) | ~$15/mo(winner) | $20/mo |
| Free tier | Yes — generous free tier with limited premium credits | Yes — free Hobby tier plus a 2-week Pro trial |
| Monthly Subscription Cost(USD) | $15(winner) | $20 |
| Free Tier Limit(users) | 10 agent tasks | — |
| Base Cost(USD/month (for typical usage)) | API subscription required (Claude API) | — |
Show 26 more attributesLatest AI Assistant Cost(USD/month) Freemium with credit system — Pro Plan Monthly Cost(USD) $20/month — Free Tier Available(null) Yes, with rate limits — Monthly Subscription Cost (Pro Tier)(USD) $15/month $20/month Base License Cost (Annual)(USD) $120 (Pro tier) — Pro Tier Monthly Cost(USD) $20 $20 Free Tier Monthly Requests(requests) Unlimited (with limits) 50 requests/month Free Trial Period(days) 7 days — Monthly Cost(USD) $20 — Paid plan (per user / month)(USD/mo) Cursor Pro $20/mo — Business / team tier(USD/mo) Business $40/user/mo — Entry price(USD/month) ~$20/mo (Pro) — Rate limit style Monthly fast-request quota — Monthly Subscription Cost (Individual)(USD) $20 — Annual Subscription Cost(USD) $120 — Free Tier Premium Requests Per Day(requests) 2 (slow) — Free Chat Messages Per Month(messages) 0 (paid tier required) — Monthly Cost (Subscription)(USD) $20 — Base Subscription Cost (Monthly)(USD) $20 — AI Monthly Cost (Unlimited)(USD) $20/month — Free Tier Monthly Completions(completions) 50 (trial) — Professional Tier Price(USD per month) $20 — Base Monthly Cost(USD) $20 — Base Monthly Price(USD) $20 — Monthly Subscription (Pro/Standard)(USD) $20 — Monthly Cost (Individual Plan)(USD) $20/month — | ||
| Agent name | Cascade | Agent (formerly Composer) |
| Autocomplete engine | Supercomplete (Codeium-tuned) | Cursor Tab model |
| Editor base | VS Code fork | VS Code fork |
| Community size / momentum | Growing since the Windsurf rebrand | Largest AI-IDE community and mindshare |
| Codebase Indexing(boolean) | Riptide retrieval indexing | Yes, full project indexing |
| Max Context Window(tokens) | 8,000 tokens | 128,000 tokens(winner) |
| Primary AI Model | Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Anthropic) | — |
| Codebase Context Awareness(rating) | Excellent | — |
| Inline Edit/Refactor(capability) | Native & Superior | — |
Show 4 more attributesModel Flexibility(options) 2 model choices — Default AI Model Quality (Reasoning) Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Superior) — Multi-File Project Understanding Native @-indexing across entire codebase — Max Context Window Size(KB) 1000+ KB — | ||
| Frontier models available | Claude, GPT, Gemini families + Codeium models | Claude, GPT, Gemini families (frequent day-one additions) |
| Selectable AI models | Anthropic Claude, OpenAI GPT, Google Gemini, plus Cursor fast models (per-request switching) | — |
| Model choice | Multi-model (Claude, GPT, Gemini, etc.) | — |
| Platform Support(platforms) | macOS, Windows, Linux + JetBrains plugin | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| Supported Development Environments(count) | 1 (Windsurf IDE only) | — |
| IDE Integration Points(count) | VS Code-based only | — |
| Supported Editors/IDEs(count) | 1 IDE only | — |
| Number of Supported IDEs(count) | 1 (Cursor IDE only) | — |
Show 1 more attributeSupported IDEs/Editors(count) 1 (VS Code) — | ||
| Compatible Editors/IDEs(platforms) | Windsurf IDE only | — |
| Supported IDEs/Platforms(count) | 1 (Windsurf proprietary IDE only) | — |
| Compatible Editors | Cursor only | — |
| IDE Compatibility(count) | 1 (Cursor only) | — |
| IDE Integration | Native VS Code-based editor | — |
| Agentic Task Execution | Full multi-step autonomous execution with state tracking | — |
| Context Window Size(tokens) | 200,000 tokens | 200KB (Claude) |
| Maximum Token Context Window(tokens) | 128,000 tokens | 200,000 tokens(winner) |
| Supported AI Models(count) | 3 major models (Codeium, Claude, GPT-4o) | 4 major models (Claude, GPT-4o, Gemini, local)(winner) |
| Agentic Workflow Capability(boolean) | Yes (Flows) | Limited (basic) |
Show 4 more attributesAI Context Window Size(tokens) 128,000 tokens — Code Context Window Size(KB) ~500KB+ codebase context — Primary AI Model (Free) Claude 3.5 Sonnet + GPT-4 — Multi-file Refactoring Support Full native support — | ||
| AI Model Provider | Codeium (proprietary) | — |
| Supported Languages/Environments(count) | Web-only (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React) | — |
| Primary Use Case Complexity(steps) | Multi-step browser workflows (3-10+ steps) | — |
| Code File Support(file types) | Web files only (.html, .js, .css) | — |
| Number of Supported AI Models(models) | Claude 3.5 Sonnet, GPT-4, Others | — |
| Max File Size for Analysis(megabytes) | Entire projects (no hard limit) | — |
Show 1 more attributeContext Window(tokens) 200,000 tokens — | ||
| AI Model Flexibility(model options) | Claude 3.5 Sonnet only | — |
| Multi-file Project Editing | Native multi-file support | — |
| IDE Feature Completeness(score) | 10/10 | — |
| Agent / multi-file editing | Composer (Agent) plan-execute-verify loop across many files; runs commands and tests | — |
| Built-in AI Features | Native Claude integration | — |
Show 3 more attributesOffline Functionality(capability level) Limited (chat requires internet) — Native Multiplayer Collaboration No — Multi-File Editing Native support — | ||
| Availability Status(null) | Early access/Beta (2024-2025) | — |
| Supported Languages(count) | 200+ (via VS Code compatibility) | — |
| Platform Availability(platforms) | Desktop (Mac, Windows, Linux) | — |
| Free Tier Availability(boolean) | 14-day free trial | — |
| Available on Mobile | No native mobile app | — |
| Open Source | Closed/Proprietary | No (proprietary) |
| Monthly Active Users(billion) | 0.35 million | — |
| Available Extensions/Plugins(count) | <500 | — |
| Extension Ecosystem Size(extensions available) | 1,200+ (Windsurf ecosystem) | 40,000+ (VS Code marketplace)(winner) |
| Initial Release Year(year) | 2024 | — |
| Years Since Launch(years) | <1 year (2024) | 1.5 years (launched Oct 2024)(winner) |
| GitHub Stars (as of 2026)(stars) | 10,000+ | — |
| Supported Languages (Official)(count) | 30+ via built-in support | 40+(winner) |
| Supported Programming Languages(languages) | 50+ languages(winner) | 40+ languages |
| Active Users(millions) | ~0.5 million (estimated) | — |
| Free Trial Duration(days) | 30 days unlimited(winner) | 14 days |
| Setup Time for Existing Users(minutes) | 60-120 minutes | — |
| Installation Size(GB) | ~200 MB | — |
| Native Multi-user Collaboration(boolean) | Yes (built-in) | No (via extensions only) |
| Setup Time (Fresh Installation)(minutes) | 15-25 minutes | 5-10 minutes(winner) |
| Setup Time (Minutes)(minutes) | Immediate | — |
| Extension/Plugin Count(count) | Inherits all VS Code extensions | — |
| Code Generation Speed (vs baseline)(% faster) | 140% faster (40% improvement) | — |
| GitHub Repository Stars(thousands) | 12K stars | — |
| Active User Base(users) | ~75,000 estimated | 500,000+(winner) |
| Maximum Context Window(tokens) | 32,000 tokens | 128,000 tokens(winner) |
| Multi-file Context Support(files) | Limited (single-file focus) | Advanced (full workspace) |
| IDE Integration Options(integrations) | 1 (standalone editor) | 2 (VSCode + standalone)(winner) |
| Available Extensions(count) | ~15,000 (via VS Code) | — |
| Compatible Extensions(extensions) | 70,000+ (VS Code) | — |
| Public Launch Year(year) | 2024 | 2023(winner) |
| Setup Time(minutes) | 5-10 minutes | — |
| Setup Time for New Users(minutes) | 2-3 | — |
| Learning Curve (1-10 Scale)(scale) | 5/10 (new IDE) | — |
| Enterprise SSO Support | Limited | — |
| Community Size(users) | Growing | — |
| Estimated Active Users(thousands) | 500 | — |
| Interface Type | Full IDE | — |
| Setup Time(minutes) | <5 minutes | — |
| Licensing Model | Proprietary Commercial | — |
| Customization Freedom(score) | 6/10 | — |
| Interface type | Graphical IDE (VS Code fork) | — |
| Primary Workflow(null) | Interactive in-editor coding | — |
| Pricing Model | Flat plan with request quota + usage add-ons | — |
| Headless / CI automation | Not designed for it | — |
| Codebase context | Workspace indexing + @-mentions | — |
| Best for | Interactive feature building & quick edits | — |
| Learning Curve(hours to proficiency) | Low (VS Code familiarity) | — |
| Memory Usage (Idle)(MB) | 450-600MB | — |
| Built-in Code Inspections(count) | ~50 (via Claude AI) | — |
| Max Codebase Size (Recommended)(LOC) | 500,000 | — |
| Free Tier Monthly AI Requests(requests/month) | 50 premium requests | — |
| Base Monthly Cost (Premium)(USD) | $20/month | — |
| Architecture | Electron (VS Code fork) | — |
| API Rate Limit (Standard Tier)(calls/hour) | Varies by plan (Pro tier higher) | — |
| Primary AI Model Quality (MMBENCH score)(points out of 100) | 88 (Claude 3.5) | — |
| Setup Complexity(complexity score) | 1-2 steps (download IDE) | — |
| Local Model Support(boolean) | No | — |
| Programming Languages Supported(count) | 50+ | — |
| Input Types Supported | Code, text, file references | — |
| Codebase Context Indexing | Automatic full-project indexing | — |
| AI Requests per Month (Pro Plan)(requests) | Unlimited | — |
| Installation Time(minutes) | 7-10 minutes | — |
| Available AI Models(count) | 4 (Claude, GPT-4o, Gemini, local) | — |
WindsurfCCursor
Active Users (2026)(millions)
1M+
Not publicly disclosed
Estimated Daily Active Users(millions)
~500K (estimated based on download trends)
—
Daily Code Lines Generated(millions)
70M+
Not disclosed
Response Latency (P50)(milliseconds)
~800ms average completion
—
Default Memory Usage (Idle)(MB)
400-600 MB
—
Base Install Size(MB)
180 MB
—
Token Efficiency(relative ratio)
Baseline (1.0x)
—
Show 9 more attributes
Code Quality (No-Edit Rate)(percent)
~75%
—
Large-repo codebase indexing
Whole-repo semantic embeddings with automatic relevant-file retrieval; built for monorepos
—
Inline autocomplete latency
Very fast predictive Tab completions that jump to the next edit location
—
Startup Time(milliseconds)
1200-1500ms
—
Code Completion Latency(milliseconds)
50-200ms (Tab autocomplete)
—
Autocomplete Latency(milliseconds)
250-400ms
—
Code Context Window(tokens)
8000-16000
—
Real-time Suggestion Speed(ms latency)
200-400
—
Code Completion Speed(seconds)
1–3 seconds (avg inline suggestion)
—
Fortune 500 Adoption Rate(%)
59%
Significant but undisclosed
Enterprise / self-hosting
Enterprise tier with SSO + self-hosting heritage
Mature enterprise tier with SSO + privacy mode
Security Certifications(count)
FedRAMP High, DoD IL5, ITA
Enterprise-grade
Enterprise governance & IP indemnity
SSO, privacy mode (no retention/training), admin controls, SOC 2
—
Data Privacy Model
Code sent to Anthropic servers
—
Base Technology
Native IDE
VS Code fork
Standalone IDE Capability
Full standalone IDE included
—
Base on VS Code(boolean)
No (standalone)
Yes
IDE model
Standalone editor — a fork of VS Code (install Cursor itself)
—
Agent Autonomy Level(scale 1-10)
9
6
Control Determinism(scale 1-10)
6
9
AI Multi-File Context(null)
Automatic across entire codebase
—
Multi-line Tab Autocomplete
Native support
—
AI Context Window(tokens)
200,000 (Claude 3.5 Sonnet)
—
Show 1 more attribute
Supported LLMs (Built-in)(models)
4+ (Claude, GPT-4, local)
—
Interface Learning Curve(scale 1-10)
7 (novel)
3 (familiar)
Pro Plan Price(USD/month)
~$15/mo
$20/mo
Free tier
Yes — generous free tier with limited premium credits
Yes — free Hobby tier plus a 2-week Pro trial
Monthly Subscription Cost(USD)
$15
$20
Free Tier Limit(users)
10 agent tasks
—
Base Cost(USD/month (for typical usage))
API subscription required (Claude API)
—
Show 26 more attributes
Latest AI Assistant Cost(USD/month)
Freemium with credit system
—
Pro Plan Monthly Cost(USD)
$20/month
—
Free Tier Available(null)
Yes, with rate limits
—
Monthly Subscription Cost (Pro Tier)(USD)
$15/month
$20/month
Base License Cost (Annual)(USD)
$120 (Pro tier)
—
Pro Tier Monthly Cost(USD)
$20
$20
Free Tier Monthly Requests(requests)
Unlimited (with limits)
50 requests/month
Free Trial Period(days)
7 days
—
Monthly Cost(USD)
$20
—
Paid plan (per user / month)(USD/mo)
Cursor Pro $20/mo
—
Business / team tier(USD/mo)
Business $40/user/mo
—
Entry price(USD/month)
~$20/mo (Pro)
—
Rate limit style
Monthly fast-request quota
—
Monthly Subscription Cost (Individual)(USD)
$20
—
Annual Subscription Cost(USD)
$120
—
Free Tier Premium Requests Per Day(requests)
2 (slow)
—
Free Chat Messages Per Month(messages)
0 (paid tier required)
—
Monthly Cost (Subscription)(USD)
$20
—
Base Subscription Cost (Monthly)(USD)
$20
—
AI Monthly Cost (Unlimited)(USD)
$20/month
—
Free Tier Monthly Completions(completions)
50 (trial)
—
Professional Tier Price(USD per month)
$20
—
Base Monthly Cost(USD)
$20
—
Base Monthly Price(USD)
$20
—
Monthly Subscription (Pro/Standard)(USD)
$20
—
Monthly Cost (Individual Plan)(USD)
$20/month
—
Agent name
Cascade
Agent (formerly Composer)
Autocomplete engine
Supercomplete (Codeium-tuned)
Cursor Tab model
Editor base
VS Code fork
VS Code fork
Community size / momentum
Growing since the Windsurf rebrand
Largest AI-IDE community and mindshare
Codebase Indexing(boolean)
Riptide retrieval indexing
Yes, full project indexing
Max Context Window(tokens)
8,000 tokens
128,000 tokens
Primary AI Model
Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Anthropic)
—
Codebase Context Awareness(rating)
Excellent
—
Inline Edit/Refactor(capability)
Native & Superior
—
Show 4 more attributes
Model Flexibility(options)
2 model choices
—
Default AI Model Quality (Reasoning)
Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Superior)
—
Multi-File Project Understanding
Native @-indexing across entire codebase
—
Max Context Window Size(KB)
1000+ KB
—
Frontier models available
Claude, GPT, Gemini families + Codeium models
Claude, GPT, Gemini families (frequent day-one additions)
Selectable AI models
Anthropic Claude, OpenAI GPT, Google Gemini, plus Cursor fast models (per-request switching)
—
Model choice
Multi-model (Claude, GPT, Gemini, etc.)
—
Platform Support(platforms)
macOS, Windows, Linux + JetBrains plugin
macOS, Windows, Linux
Supported Development Environments(count)
1 (Windsurf IDE only)
—
IDE Integration Points(count)
VS Code-based only
—
Supported Editors/IDEs(count)
1 IDE only
—
Number of Supported IDEs(count)
1 (Cursor IDE only)
—
Show 1 more attribute
Supported IDEs/Editors(count)
1 (VS Code)
—
Compatible Editors/IDEs(platforms)
Windsurf IDE only
—
Supported IDEs/Platforms(count)
1 (Windsurf proprietary IDE only)
—
Compatible Editors
Cursor only
—
IDE Compatibility(count)
1 (Cursor only)
—
IDE Integration
Native VS Code-based editor
—
Agentic Task Execution
Full multi-step autonomous execution with state tracking
—
Context Window Size(tokens)
200,000 tokens
200KB (Claude)
Maximum Token Context Window(tokens)
128,000 tokens
200,000 tokens
Supported AI Models(count)
3 major models (Codeium, Claude, GPT-4o)
4 major models (Claude, GPT-4o, Gemini, local)
Agentic Workflow Capability(boolean)
Yes (Flows)
Limited (basic)
Show 4 more attributes
AI Context Window Size(tokens)
128,000 tokens
—
Code Context Window Size(KB)
~500KB+ codebase context
—
Primary AI Model (Free)
Claude 3.5 Sonnet + GPT-4
—
Multi-file Refactoring Support
Full native support
—
AI Model Provider
Codeium (proprietary)
—
Supported Languages/Environments(count)
Web-only (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React)
—
Primary Use Case Complexity(steps)
Multi-step browser workflows (3-10+ steps)
—
Code File Support(file types)
Web files only (.html, .js, .css)
—
Number of Supported AI Models(models)
Claude 3.5 Sonnet, GPT-4, Others
—
Max File Size for Analysis(megabytes)
Entire projects (no hard limit)
—
Show 1 more attribute
Context Window(tokens)
200,000 tokens
—
AI Model Flexibility(model options)
Claude 3.5 Sonnet only
—
Multi-file Project Editing
Native multi-file support
—
IDE Feature Completeness(score)
10/10
—
Agent / multi-file editing
Composer (Agent) plan-execute-verify loop across many files; runs commands and tests
—
Built-in AI Features
Native Claude integration
—
Show 3 more attributes
Offline Functionality(capability level)
Limited (chat requires internet)
—
Native Multiplayer Collaboration
No
—
Multi-File Editing
Native support
—
Availability Status(null)
Early access/Beta (2024-2025)
—
Supported Languages(count)
200+ (via VS Code compatibility)
—
Platform Availability(platforms)
Desktop (Mac, Windows, Linux)
—
Free Tier Availability(boolean)
14-day free trial
—
Available on Mobile
No native mobile app
—
Open Source
Closed/Proprietary
No (proprietary)
Monthly Active Users(billion)
0.35 million
—
Available Extensions/Plugins(count)
<500
—
Extension Ecosystem Size(extensions available)
1,200+ (Windsurf ecosystem)
40,000+ (VS Code marketplace)
Initial Release Year(year)
2024
—
Years Since Launch(years)
<1 year (2024)
1.5 years (launched Oct 2024)
GitHub Stars (as of 2026)(stars)
10,000+
—
Supported Languages (Official)(count)
30+ via built-in support
40+
Supported Programming Languages(languages)
50+ languages
40+ languages
Active Users(millions)
~0.5 million (estimated)
—
Free Trial Duration(days)
30 days unlimited
14 days
Setup Time for Existing Users(minutes)
60-120 minutes
—
Installation Size(GB)
~200 MB
—
Native Multi-user Collaboration(boolean)
Yes (built-in)
No (via extensions only)
Setup Time (Fresh Installation)(minutes)
15-25 minutes
5-10 minutes
Setup Time (Minutes)(minutes)
Immediate
—
Extension/Plugin Count(count)
Inherits all VS Code extensions
—
Code Generation Speed (vs baseline)(% faster)
140% faster (40% improvement)
—
GitHub Repository Stars(thousands)
12K stars
—
Active User Base(users)
~75,000 estimated
500,000+
Maximum Context Window(tokens)
32,000 tokens
128,000 tokens
Multi-file Context Support(files)
Limited (single-file focus)
Advanced (full workspace)
IDE Integration Options(integrations)
1 (standalone editor)
2 (VSCode + standalone)
Available Extensions(count)
~15,000 (via VS Code)
—
Compatible Extensions(extensions)
70,000+ (VS Code)
—
Public Launch Year(year)
2024
2023
Setup Time(minutes)
5-10 minutes
—
Setup Time for New Users(minutes)
2-3
—
Learning Curve (1-10 Scale)(scale)
5/10 (new IDE)
—
Enterprise SSO Support
Limited
—
Community Size(users)
Growing
—
Estimated Active Users(thousands)
500
—
Interface Type
Full IDE
—
Setup Time(minutes)
<5 minutes
—
Licensing Model
Proprietary Commercial
—
Customization Freedom(score)
6/10
—
Interface type
Graphical IDE (VS Code fork)
—
Primary Workflow(null)
Interactive in-editor coding
—
Pricing Model
Flat plan with request quota + usage add-ons
—
Headless / CI automation
Not designed for it
—
Codebase context
Workspace indexing + @-mentions
—
Best for
Interactive feature building & quick edits
—
Learning Curve(hours to proficiency)
Low (VS Code familiarity)
—
Memory Usage (Idle)(MB)
450-600MB
—
Built-in Code Inspections(count)
~50 (via Claude AI)
—
Max Codebase Size (Recommended)(LOC)
500,000
—
Free Tier Monthly AI Requests(requests/month)
50 premium requests
—
Base Monthly Cost (Premium)(USD)
$20/month
—
Architecture
Electron (VS Code fork)
—
API Rate Limit (Standard Tier)(calls/hour)
Varies by plan (Pro tier higher)
—
Primary AI Model Quality (MMBENCH score)(points out of 100)
88 (Claude 3.5)
—
Setup Complexity(complexity score)
1-2 steps (download IDE)
—
Local Model Support(boolean)
No
—
Programming Languages Supported(count)
50+
—
Input Types Supported
Code, text, file references
—
Codebase Context Indexing
Automatic full-project indexing
—
AI Requests per Month (Pro Plan)(requests)
Unlimited
—
Installation Time(minutes)
7-10 minutes
—
Available AI Models(count)
4 (Claude, GPT-4o, Gemini, local)
—
Pros & Cons
10 pros·4 cons across both
C
Windsurf
+5-2
Pros
- Autonomous code editing with minimal user input required
- Integrated with Codeium's free-tier offerings
- Clean, modern interface design
- Supports 50+ programming languages natively
- Lower latency for code generation tasks
Cons
- Significantly smaller user community and ecosystem
- Limited multi-file context awareness compared to competitors
C
Cursor
+5-2
Pros
- 128K token context window enables understanding of large codebases
- Exceptional multi-file editing and refactoring capabilities
- 500K+ active users provide strong community support
- VSCode extension allows integration into existing workflows
- Superior natural language instruction comprehension
Cons
- Pro tier limits free users to 50 requests/month
- Steeper learning curve for natural language command syntax
Frequently Asked Questions
5 questions
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.
Resources & Learn More
Curated sources to dive deeper
Where to Buy
As an affiliate, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Learn more about our affiliate disclosure
Wikipedia
- W
Windsurf on Wikipedia (opens in new tab)
Codeium's AI code editor emphasizing autonomous code generation and real-time editing capabilities.
- W
Cursor on Wikipedia (opens in new tab)
An AI-first code editor by Anysphere enabling developers to write code through natural language commands and intelligent chat.
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