If you're comparing Windsurf vs Cursor, you're choosing between two AI-native code editors built on VS Code—each with a different philosophy about how AI should assist development.
Cursor treats AI as a collaborator embedded in your editing session. Windsurf treats AI as an agent that can take over multi-step tasks while you watch.
Both support Claude, GPT, and Gemini models. Both offer inline completions, chat, and agent modes. The difference is in how they structure the AI interaction—and what that means for your workflow.
Cursor: AI as Collaborator
Cursor is a VS Code fork rebuilt around AI. It pioneered the "AI-native IDE" category and remains the default choice for developers who want tight integration between editing and AI assistance.
Key strengths:
Composer mode: Multi-file edits with diff previews before applying
Tab completion: Context-aware suggestions that feel like a smarter autocomplete
Model flexibility: Switch between Claude, GPT, and Gemini based on the task
Speed: Optimized for low latency in interactive sessions
Cursor's approach keeps you in control. You prompt, review, accept or reject. The AI assists your session rather than running its own.
Pricing: Free tier with limited completions. Pro at $20/month includes 500 "fast" requests; heavy users report hitting limits and needing to upgrade or wait.
Windsurf: AI as Agent
Windsurf (formerly Codeium) is built around Cascade—an agentic system that plans multi-step tasks, tracks dependencies across files, and iterates until code actually works.
Key strengths:
Cascade agent: Reasons across your entire codebase, not just open files
Flow mode: Watch the AI plan, execute, and self-correct in real time
DeepWiki integration: Hover cards that explain functions using documentation context
Lower barrier: More beginner-friendly with structured agent runs
Windsurf's approach is more autonomous. You describe what you want, then observe as the agent figures out the steps. Good for greenfield projects and learning codebases.
Pricing: Free tier with generous limits. Pro at $15/month—cheaper than Cursor, with similar feature depth.
Head-to-Head Comparison
Interactive coding sessions: Cursor wins. Its tight feedback loop between you and the AI is better for "vibe coding"—rapidly building features while staying in flow.
Large refactors and multi-file tasks: Windsurf's Cascade is built for this. It can reason across hundreds of files and track what changed where.
Learning a new codebase: Windsurf's DeepWiki-powered context and structured agent runs make it easier to understand unfamiliar code.
Cost-conscious usage: Windsurf's $15/month Pro tier and more generous free limits make it more accessible. Cursor's request limits can surprise heavy users.
Model quality: Roughly equivalent—both support Claude Sonnet/Opus, GPT-4, and Gemini. The difference is in how the editor orchestrates the model, not the model itself.
When to Choose Which
Choose Cursor if:
You want AI tightly integrated into your existing VS Code muscle memory
You prefer reviewing changes before they apply
You're doing a lot of interactive, fast-iteration coding
You're already comfortable with AI-assisted development and want precision
Choose Windsurf if:
You want AI to handle multi-step tasks more autonomously
You're working with large codebases or unfamiliar code
You prefer watching an agent work rather than prompting step-by-step
Price matters—$15/month vs $20/month adds up
The Bigger Picture
Both editors assume you're sitting in front of them, guiding the AI session. That works well for active development—but neither handles the case where you want AI to work independently on a long-running task while you do something else.
Zo Computer takes a different approach: instead of adding AI to your editor, you get a server where AI has full access to your files, tools, and integrations. Your AI can run scheduled tasks, respond to emails, and execute multi-hour projects without you watching.
The three approaches aren't mutually exclusive. Many developers use Cursor or Windsurf for interactive sessions, then hand off longer tasks to a system that can work autonomously.
For more on AI-assisted coding, see: