Cursor vs Windsurf: Pricing, Models and Which to Pick
The two leading standalone AI code editors compared on October 2026 plans, included models, usage metering, team pricing, privacy and user sentiment.
By , research by the BestBots team · Updated Oct 19, 2026
Fact checked against each company's published pricing, documentation and verified user ratings. How we score
Windsurf, now Devin Desktop, is the better value AI editor for most individuals: $20 Pro includes Claude, GPT and Gemini in its quota, while Cursor's $30 Premium bills those at API list price. Cursor wins for teams (no base fee), built in Bugbot code review, a CLI and clearer usage tiers.
Windsurf (Devin Desktop)4.0From $20 per month (per seat subscription plus usage)
Visit Windsurf (Devin Desktop)Side by side
| Spec | Cursor | Windsurf (Devin Desktop) |
|---|---|---|
| BestBots Score | 3.9 | 4.0 |
| Starting price | $8 per month | $20 per month |
| Pricing model | per seat subscription plus usage | per seat subscription plus usage |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Price | $30 per month (Premium); Plus $8 is Grok only | $20 per month (Pro); Free plan available |
| Models | Grok 4.7, 4.6, 4.5 and Composer 2.5 included; Claude, GPT, Gemini at API list price on Premium and up | OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and SpaceXAI frontier models, SWE-2, open source models such as Kimi |
| IDE support | Cursor editor (desktop), Cloud Agents, mobile | Devin Desktop editor (formerly Windsurf, macOS download), Windsurf for JetBrains, Windsurf Plugin for VS Code |
| Terminal agent | Yes, Cursor CLI | Not listed; agents run in the editor and Devin Cloud |
| Usage limits | Weekly usage pool: Premium 4x Plus, Super 15x, Ultra 50x | Daily and weekly quotas, not published as numbers; extra at API pricing |
| Team plan | Teams $30, $100 or $200 per seat per month | Teams $80 per month plus $40 per full dev seat |
The short answer
Both are standalone AI editors built on the VS Code foundation, with an agent, completions, cloud agents and model choice. Both changed in 2026: Cursor moved into The X Subscription with Grok, and Windsurf was renamed Devin Desktop by Cognition.
- Choose Windsurf (Devin Desktop) if you want frontier models from several labs in a flat $20, unlimited Tab completions even on Free, free SWE-2, a JetBrains plugin, or Devin cloud agents on the same plan.
- Choose Cursor if you are buying for a team, want Bugbot code review and Origin hosting included, want a CLI, are happy with Grok and Composer models, or want usage stated as tier multiples.
Pricing
| Cursor | Windsurf (Devin Desktop) | |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Limited agent and chat | Light agent quota, unlimited Tab and inline edits |
| Cheapest paid | Plus $8 (Grok and Composer only) | Pro $20 |
| Main plan | Premium $30 ($300 a year) | Pro $20 |
| Third party models | API list price from prepaid credit | Included in quota; extra at API pricing |
| Heavy | Super $100, Ultra $200 | Max $200 |
| Annual | $80, $300, $1,000, $2,000 a year | Not listed |
| Team | $30, $100 or $200 per seat | $80 a month plus $40 per full seat |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom |
| Metering | Weekly pool, 4x, 15x, 50x Plus | Daily and weekly quota, no number |
Prices as listed in October 2026.
Solo developer using Claude Sonnet. Windsurf Pro: $20. Cursor Premium: $30 plus, for example, 20 million input and 2 million output Sonnet 5.5 tokens at $2 and $10 per million, $60, so $90.
Team of 3. Cursor: $90. Windsurf: $200.
Team of 10. Cursor: $300 plus third party usage and a $0.25 per million token rate. Windsurf: $480.
Models and features
| Cursor | Windsurf (Devin Desktop) | |
|---|---|---|
| Included models | Grok 4.7, 4.6, 4.5, Composer 2.5 | OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, SpaceXAI frontier models, open source, SWE-2 |
| Pay as you go models | Claude, GPT, Gemini at API list price | Extra usage at API pricing |
| Completions | Tab | Tab and Supercomplete, unlimited on all plans |
| Agent | Agent, Cursor Router on Teams | Cascade, Devin Local, Fusion mode |
| Cloud agents | Cloud Agents and Automations (Premium+) | Devin Cloud (Pro+) |
| Multi agent | Not a headline feature | Agent Command Center with ACP: Codex, Claude Agent, OpenCode |
| Code review | Bugbot (Premium+) | Diff review before push |
| Hosting | Origin (Premium+) | Not applicable |
| CLI | Cursor CLI | Not listed |
| JetBrains | No | Windsurf for JetBrains |
| Concurrent sessions | Not listed | Up to 10 on Pro and Max |
Head to head scenarios
Solo developer who wants Claude or GPT
Winner: Windsurf. $20 with those models in quota against $30 plus API list price on Cursor.
Small team of 2 to 10
Winner: Cursor. No base fee: $30 a seat against Windsurf's $80 plus $40. Cursor also adds SSO, a team marketplace and privacy mode enforcement on Teams.
Built in code review
Winner: Cursor. Bugbot reviews pull requests from Premium up. Windsurf has a diff review view, but not a pull request bot on the plan.
Running many agents at once
Winner: Windsurf. The Agent Command Center manages local, cloud and third party agents, including Codex and Claude Agent, through ACP, with up to 10 concurrent sessions on Pro.
JetBrains users
Winner: Windsurf. Windsurf for JetBrains is still available; Cursor requires its own editor.
Terminal workflows
Winner: Cursor. The Cursor CLI runs the same agent in a terminal. Windsurf does not list one.
Privacy
Cursor. With Privacy Mode on, code data is not used for training by Cursor or its model providers. Admins can enforce it on Teams. Enterprise adds audit logs, SCIM and controls for repositories, models and MCP. Regional data residency adds 10% to model prices. Your subscription sits in an X Subscription account.
Windsurf. Cognition says inputs and outputs remain your IP, zero data retention is enforced with model providers, each session runs in its own VM, and it holds SOC 2 Type II. Enterprise adds VPC deployment, SSO and teamspace isolation.
Both offer strong team controls. Cognition's zero retention claim applies across its platform; Cursor's training guarantee depends on Privacy Mode being on.
User sentiment
Both have poor Trustpilot scores driven by billing and pricing changes: Cursor 1.5 from 348 reviews and Windsurf 1.4 from 59. The Windsurf Plugin for VS Code rates 4.7 from 1,472, which suggests the coding experience itself is well liked.
Verdict
The scenarios split three to three, so the deciding factor is who is paying. For an individual who wants frontier models from several labs, Windsurf (Devin Desktop) is the better buy at $20 against $30 plus tokens. For a team, Cursor is cheaper and adds Bugbot, a CLI and SSO. If you mainly use Grok or Composer, Cursor Plus at $8 is the cheapest paid editor in the category. Full detail in our Cursor review and Windsurf review.
Frequently asked questions
Is Windsurf better than Cursor?
On included models and entry price, yes: Windsurf Pro at $20 includes frontier models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and SpaceXAI in its quota, while Cursor Premium at $30 includes only Cursor's Grok and Composer models and bills the rest at API list price. Cursor is the stronger pick for built in code review, small team pricing and clearer usage tiers.
Is Windsurf still around?
Yes, under a new name. Cognition renamed Windsurf to Devin Desktop and windsurf.com redirects to devin.ai. Plans, pricing, extensions and settings carried over, and Windsurf for JetBrains is still available.
Which is cheaper, Cursor or Windsurf?
For individuals who want Claude, GPT or Gemini, Windsurf: $20 against $30 plus token costs. For Grok only use, Cursor Plus at $8 is cheapest. For teams, Cursor is cheaper at every size because Windsurf adds an $80 base fee: 10 seats cost $300 on Cursor Premium seats before usage versus $480 on Windsurf.
Which has better usage limits?
Neither publishes a token count. Cursor states tiers as multiples of Plus (4x, 15x, 50x) with a weekly refresh. Windsurf refreshes daily and weekly and says most users will not hit limits, but gives no number. Cursor's multiples are at least comparable across its own tiers.
Do Cursor and Windsurf use the same models?
Both offer Claude, GPT, Gemini and Grok models. The difference is billing: Windsurf includes them in quota on Pro, while Cursor includes only Grok 4.7, 4.6, 4.5 and Composer 2.5 in its pool and charges API list price for third party models. Windsurf adds Cognition's SWE-2 free on Pro.
Which is better for JetBrains users?
Windsurf, because Cognition still offers Windsurf for JetBrains (IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, WebStorm and others). Cursor is its own editor.
Which has a CLI?
Cursor has the Cursor CLI. Cognition does not list a standalone CLI for Windsurf; its agents run in the editor and Devin Cloud.