Windsurf vs Cursor

In a test creating a contact form with Zod validation, Cursor demonstrated faster response and better context understanding than Windsurf.

In a test creating a new note-taking app feature from scratch, Windsurf completed the code changes faster and prompted to install/start the project, while Cursor was slower and appeared sloppy.

Cursor provides a detailed to-do list before generating code, helping developers understand the plan upfront, while Windsurf may not show such a plan initially.

Windsurf includes a built-in Chromium browser preview and a deploy feature for platforms like Netlify or Vercel, which are not available in Cursor.

Cursor allows setting coding rules via .mdc files and has a community directory (cursor.directory) with hundreds of pre-made rules, while Windsurf also supports rules but lacks an equivalent community directory.

Both Cursor and Windsurf offer free tiers that include 500 prompt credits and free usage of the SWE model.

Windsurf's Pro plan is $15 per user per month, team plan $30, enterprise plan starts at $60; Cursor's Pro is $20, team $40, and its Ultra plan reaches up to $2,000 per month.

Windsurf offers a dedicated pricing comparison section explaining each plan, while Cursor does not provide such a comparison.