Cursor vs Windsurf

Cursor and Windsurf are both AI-powered code editors forked from VS Code. Cursor costs $20/mo, Windsurf has a generous free tier. Here is how they compare for AI-assisted coding.

Updated 2026-09 · 2026

Cursor

The AI code editor that changed how developers write code

$20/moper month (Pro)

Strengths

+Tab completions are fast, accurate, and context-aware
+Composer agent mode can make multi-file changes autonomously
+Codebase-wide context with @-mentions and docs indexing

Weaknesses

-$20/mo is steep when free alternatives exist
-Can be resource-heavy on older machines
-Agent mode sometimes makes unexpected changes across files

Best for

Professional developers who want the most capable AI coding assistant and are willing to pay for it.

Windsurf

AI code editor with a generous free tier from Codeium

Freefree tier available

Strengths

+Generous free tier with solid AI completions at no cost
+Cascade agent mode handles multi-step coding tasks
+Familiar VS Code interface with minimal learning curve

Weaknesses

-AI quality can lag behind Cursor on complex tasks
-Smaller community and fewer resources for troubleshooting
-Model selection is more limited than Cursor

Best for

Developers who want solid AI coding assistance without paying $20/mo, especially for everyday coding tasks.

Feature Comparison

Feature	Cursor	Windsurf
Free tier	Limited (2 weeks trial)	Yes, generous
AI completions	Excellent, fast	Good, improving
Agent mode	Composer (powerful)	Cascade (capable)
Codebase context	Full repo indexing	File and folder context
Model options	GPT-4, Claude, custom	Codeium models, limited choice
VS Code extensions	Most compatible	Most compatible
Multi-file edits	Excellent	Good
Performance	Heavy on resources	Lightweight

The Verdict

Cursor is the more powerful tool. Its tab completions, Composer agent, and model flexibility are best-in-class for serious development work. But Windsurf is surprisingly good for free. If you are a solo developer or just getting into AI-assisted coding, Windsurf is a great starting point. Cursor is worth the $20/mo when AI coding is central to your daily workflow.

How to switch from Cursor to Windsurf

1Back up your Cursor configuration: open Settings Sync in Cursor to push your settings.json, keybindings.json, and snippets to your GitHub or Microsoft account, or manually copy those files from ~/Library/Application Support/Cursor/User/ (Mac) or %APPDATA%\Cursor\User\ (Windows).
2Install Windsurf and sign in with the same GitHub/Microsoft account, then turn on Settings Sync there to pull your backed-up settings automatically, or manually paste your saved settings.json and keybindings.json into Windsurf's User folder.
3Run `cursor --list-extensions` to get your full extension list, then install the matching extensions in Windsurf through the Open VSX marketplace one by one.
4Convert any .cursorrules files into Windsurf's .windsurfrules format so your custom AI coding instructions and project context carry over to Cascade.
5Re-enter any model API keys (OpenAI, Anthropic, etc.) in Windsurf's settings, since credentials stored in Cursor do not transfer automatically between the two apps.
6Roll out to the team by having each developer repeat these steps, then update onboarding docs, README setup instructions, and CI references from Cursor to Windsurf.

Cursor vs Windsurf: common questions

How do I export my settings and data from Cursor before switching to Windsurf?+

Cursor doesn't have a dedicated 'export' button since your data is mostly local files, not a hosted database. Use Cursor's built-in Settings Sync (it works the same way as VS Code's) to back up your settings.json, keybindings.json, and snippets to your GitHub or Microsoft account, or just copy those files manually from the Cursor User folder on disk.

What do I lose by switching from Cursor to Windsurf?+

You lose Composer's more mature multi-file agent behavior, access to GPT-4/Claude with your own API keys, and any .cursorrules custom instructions you've written, since Windsurf uses its own .windsurfrules format instead. Chat history and Composer conversation threads also don't transfer over.

Is Windsurf's free tier enough for a small team, or do we need a paid plan?+

For light to moderate daily coding, the free tier is usable, but teams doing heavy Cascade agent usage will likely hit monthly credit limits fast. Most small teams end up on a paid Windsurf plan once more than one or two developers rely on it daily, so budget for that before committing to a full team migration.

Does Windsurf support the same extensions and integrations I use in Cursor?+

Yes, both are VS Code forks and support most extensions from the Open VSX marketplace, which covers the majority of popular VS Code extensions. Run `cursor --list-extensions` to get your current list, then reinstall matching ones in Windsurf; a handful of Microsoft-published or proprietary extensions may not be available outside the official VS Code Marketplace.

How does the cost compare over a year if my team switches from Cursor to Windsurf?+

A 5-person team on Cursor Pro at $20/mo per seat runs about $1,200/year. Staying on Windsurf's free tier costs nothing, but if usage forces you onto a paid Windsurf plan, the savings shrink significantly, so the real payoff depends on how much AI usage your team actually needs.