# Cursor vs Windsurf
_Coding Agents · independent comparison_

> Cursor and Windsurf are both commercial coding agents. GitHub stars don't measure commercial adoption, so weigh them on pricing model, capabilities, and how you want to buy — not on a star count.

## Side by side

**Cursor**
- Freemium · Agent
- Best for: Teams that want an AI-native IDE with agent mode, multi-file edits, and background tasks in a familiar VS Code feel.
- Avoid if: You need a self-hosted or open-source tool, or prefer working in your existing editor.
- [listing](https://agentsearchengine.app/agents/cursor) · [official](https://cursor.com)

**Windsurf**
- Freemium · Agent
- Best for: Developers who want an agentic IDE with strong codebase-context flows at a competitive price.
- Avoid if: You prefer terminal workflows or need open source.
- [listing](https://agentsearchengine.app/agents/windsurf) · [official](https://windsurf.com)

## Which to choose

**Choose Cursor if:** Teams that want an AI-native IDE with agent mode, multi-file edits, and background tasks in a familiar VS Code feel.

**Choose Windsurf if:** Developers who want an agentic IDE with strong codebase-context flows at a competitive price.

## FAQ

**What's the main difference between Cursor and Windsurf?**
Both are coding agents built for a similar job; the differences are subtle — compare them on pricing and delivery model in the table above.

**Is Cursor or Windsurf better?**
Neither is universally better. Cursor is the stronger fit for Teams that want an AI-native IDE with agent mode, multi-file edits, and background tasks in a familiar VS Code feel; Windsurf for Developers who want an agentic IDE with strong codebase-context flows at a competitive price. Use the side-by-side specs to decide by your own constraints.

**Is Cursor or Windsurf free?**
Cursor is free to start (freemium), with paid tiers; Windsurf is free to start (freemium), with paid tiers.

**Which is more popular, Cursor or Windsurf?**
We rank open-source projects by GitHub adoption, but at least one of these is a commercial product and stars don't measure commercial adoption — so compare them on capabilities and pricing instead.

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Source: [Agent Search Engine](https://agentsearchengine.app) — https://agentsearchengine.app/compare/cursor-vs-windsurf