Windsurf vs Cursor: AI IDE comparison
Windsurf and Cursor are both popular AI-powered IDEs that provide live coding suggestions and an embedded coding agent. Windsurf is the AI code editor that’s built to scale from a solo project to Fortune 100 codebases. Cursor is an AI editor that offers fast autocomplete and inline edits on single files and is useful for smaller teams. This page compares features, pricing, and performance.
What is Windsurf?
Windsurf was the first IDE to have an integrated agent, beyond simple autocomplete. It is now developed by Cognition, the team behind Devin.
What is Cursor?
Cursor is a popular AI-powered IDE based on VSCode. It is built by Anysphere. Cursor provides autocomplete and a coding assistant powered by 3rd party models.
Trusted by over a million developers including teams at
Quick comparison: Windsurf vs Cursor
Standard AI coding features: Windsurf vs Cursor
Windsurf and Cursor share many features you would expect in an AI code editor.
FULL LIST OF FEATURESWindsurf-exclusive features
Windsurf has advanced features designed to keep you in flow throughout the software development life cycle. From DeepWiki symbol analysis to massive multi-file refactoring, these demonstrate the best AI for coding experiences available.
Platform flexibility: Windsurf vs Cursor
Pricing: Windsurf vs Cursor
Enterprise Readiness: Windsurf vs Cursor
Windsurf: Certifications & Awards
SOC 2 Type II
Verified security, trusted by developers and teams
FedRAMP High
Verified security, trusted by developers and teams
HIPAA Compliance
Verified protection for healthcare-related code and data
RedPoint InfraRed 100
Top private companies in cloud infrastructure today
Forbes AI 50
Most promising AI companies of the year
Newsweek's Greatest Startup Workplaces
America’s boldest startup teams and cultures
Inc. Best in Business
Leaders driving outcomes, innovation, and impact
Fast Company’s Next Big Things in Tech
Disruptive businesses shaping the tech landscape
Gartner Magic Quadrant
Analyst-ranked in critical AI code assistance
"We are pleased to induct Windsurf into the JPMorganChase Hall of Innovation. Windsurf has demonstrated a novel approach to generative AI for software development, enabling our developers to quickly become productive on new and heritage codebases, iterate on new capabilities, and focus on delivering business value."
Sandhya Sridharan
Global Head of Engineers' Platform & Integrated Experience, JPMorgan Chase
Speed and Performance: Windsurf vs Cursor
Choose Windsurf for
Large Complex Codebases
Working with codebases as big as 100M+ lines
Need multi-file refactoring capabilities
Deep context understanding needed
Enterprise Security
Require advanced compliance certifications (HIPAA, FedRAMP, ITAR)
Multi-IDE Workflows
Team uses various development environments
Need plugins for JetBrains, Vim, etc.
Want consistent AI experience across IDEs
Cross-Functional Teams
Designers need to preview and share prototypes
Choose Cursor for
Small Development Teams
Team of 1-5 developers
Working on simple to medium projects
No compliance requirements
Basic AI Assistance Needs
Simple autocomplete and chat sufficient
Don't need advanced context understanding
Single-file editing focus
No team collaboration requirements
Migration to Windsurf from Cursor
- Download Windsurf for a free trial
- Click Import from Cursor.
