Cursor and Windsurf defined the AI-native editor category together: both are VS Code forks with an AI agent wired into the core, both promised that the editor itself would do the coding. For a year they were the two names in every 'which AI editor' thread. Then the market moved underneath them. Cognition — the company behind the Devin autonomous software agent — acquired Windsurf, and on June 2, 2026 the product was rebranded Devin Desktop. The editor still exists, the agent still works, but the name changed, and so did the default screen: an Agent Command Center now greets you instead of a code editor.
That makes this comparison slightly different from a normal head-to-head. You are choosing between Cursor, the independent AI editor now operating under SpaceX after a 2026 acquisition, and the former Windsurf, now the desktop arm of Cognition's agent platform. Both remain excellent at agentic multi-file editing. They differ in philosophy more than in feature checklists: Cursor is an editor with an agent inside; Devin Desktop is becoming an agent command center that happens to edit code.
There is also a practical wrinkle worth stating up front. If you were already a Windsurf user, you did not need to do anything: the rebrand shipped as an over-the-air update with the same plans, settings, and extensions. The legacy Cascade agent stayed available for a transition period while the new Devin Local agent — a rewrite with subagent support — took over as the default. New buyers in late 2026 are really choosing a roadmap, not just a product.
This page compares the two on the dimensions that actually matter — price, free tier, agent quality, model choice, and who each is best for — using current pricing and documented features. Scores on this site are research-based: compiled from official documentation, changelogs, and public user feedback. No paid placements; rankings can't be bought.
One more thing to know before you compare prices: this market reprices constantly. Cursor restructured its Teams plans into Standard and Premium seats in mid-2026; GitHub moved Copilot to usage-based AI Credits billing; Windsurf's legacy plans carried over to Devin Desktop but will keep evolving under Cognition. Treat every price on this page — and every price on any comparison site — as a snapshot. The official pricing page is the only number that matters at checkout.
| Cursor | Windsurf (now Devin Desktop) | |
|---|---|---|
| Current name | Cursor | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) |
| Owner | Anysphere (acquired by SpaceX in 2026) | Cognition (maker of Devin) |
| Starting price (Pro) | $20/mo | Pro from $15/mo — confirm current Devin Desktop plans on the official site |
| Free tier | Limited — aimed at trial, not daily use | Usable free tier with rate limits, full agent access |
| Form factor | AI-native editor (VS Code fork) | AI-native editor (VS Code fork) with Agent Command Center |
| Flagship agent | Composer / Agent mode | Devin Local (Rust rewrite, subagent support); legacy Cascade during transition |
| Model choice | Curated frontier models plus custom API endpoints | SWE-1.5 and partner models; third-party ACP agents supported |
| Multi-file editing | Excellent — the category reference | Excellent |
| Terminal integration | Built-in terminal; the agent can run commands | Deep terminal integration through the agent |
| Privacy on paid tiers | Privacy Mode prevents storage and training | Check the official docs for the current policy |
The AI-first code editor built for pair-programming with AI.
Free tier available; Pro from $20/mo
Try Cursor →The agentic IDE formerly known as Windsurf — now Devin Desktop.
Free tier available; Pro from $15/mo (confirm current Devin Desktop pl
Try Windsurf (now Devin Desktop) →Pick Cursor if you want the most refined AI-native editor and trust its trajectory: it remains the daily driver for developers who live in their editor, with the strongest multi-file editing experience in the category and the deepest extension compatibility. Pick Windsurf — now Devin Desktop — if you want nearly the same agentic power at a lower entry price, with a genuinely usable free tier, and you're comfortable betting on Cognition's agent-first roadmap. The rebrand is mostly good news for users: plans and settings carried over, and the new Agent Command Center plus ACP support make it the more extensible choice for agent-heavy workflows. If you were already a happy Windsurf user, nothing forces a switch. New buyers in late 2026 should weigh one thing above price: Cursor is an editor company perfecting the editor; Devin Desktop is an agent company absorbing the editor. Choose the philosophy that matches how you want to work two years from now. For teams deciding in late 2026, run the cheapest experiment available: put five developers on each for a sprint and measure merged PRs, not vibes. The editors are close enough in raw capability that workflow fit — not feature matrices — decides the winner.
It still exists, renamed. Cognition acquired Windsurf and rebranded it Devin Desktop on June 2, 2026; windsurf.com now redirects to devin.ai. Existing users received the new product as an over-the-air update with the same plans, settings, and extensions. The legacy Cascade agent remained available through a transition period while Devin Local took over as the default agent.
Devin Desktop (Windsurf). Its free tier includes full agent access with rate limits — genuinely usable for side projects. Cursor's free tier is limited and aimed at trial rather than daily use. If budget is the deciding factor, start with Devin Desktop's free tier and only pay when you hit the limits.
Cursor allows custom API endpoints on paid plans, though it works best with its bundled models. Devin Desktop historically locked users to its own SWE models plus partner models; the newer ACP agent support may change the picture, so check the current docs before committing. If bring-your-own-key is a hard requirement, Aider and Continue are the cleaner choices.
Both are VS Code forks, so your extensions, keybindings, themes, and settings import directly — the switching cost is a day, not a month. The real question is workflow: if you want AI assistance inside the editor you already use instead of switching, GitHub Copilot at $10/mo is the cheaper lane that avoids the switch entirely.
Cognition has said Graphite-style independence applies: Devin Desktop continues as its own product while the companies explore tighter integration between local coding and agent workflows. The visible direction is agent-first — the Agent Command Center default surface, subagent support, and ACP compatibility all point toward supervising fleets of agents rather than driving a single editor. Cursor, by contrast, keeps perfecting the editor itself.
Cascade was Windsurf's signature in-editor agent — the thing that made Windsurf feel different from a Copilot plugin. After the June 2026 rebrand, Cognition replaced it with Devin Local, a Rust rewrite with subagent support, and made the Agent Command Center the default surface. Legacy Cascade stayed available through July 1, 2026 for teams mid-migration. If you see old docs or forum posts referencing Cascade, mentally substitute Devin Local: same job, new engine.
Both now have credible team stories. Cursor's Teams plans come in Standard and Premium seats with predictable billing; Devin Desktop inherits Windsurf's enterprise customers and adds Cognition's agent-management angle. The differentiator is philosophy, not checkboxes: Cursor optimizes the individual editor experience, Devin Desktop optimizes supervising agent fleets. Pilot both with a small group for two weeks — the VS Code fork base means onboarding cost is near zero either way, so the trial is the evaluation.