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Windsurf vs Cursor (2026): Devin Desktop vs Cursor Compared
Comparing Windsurf and Cursor (Agentdex profile) in 2026 starts with a name change. Windsurf was renamed Devin Desktop (Agentdex profile) on June 2, 2026, after Cognition, the company behind the Devin agent, took it over. Its Cascade agent was replaced by Devin Local. Cursor is still Cursor, but its plans have changed too. This guide compares the two as they actually are on October 24, 2026: features, models, pricing and the kind of developer each one suits.
Key Takeaways
- Windsurf is now Devin Desktop. Windsurf.com redirects there, and Devin Local has replaced Cascade.
- Both have free plans. Devin Desktop Pro is $20/month. Cursor's paid plans are Plus ($8, Grok models only), Premium ($30), Super ($100) and Ultra ($200).
- The biggest pricing difference is models. Devin Desktop Pro includes frontier models within its daily and weekly quotas. Cursor bills third-party models such as Claude and GPT at API list price on top of the plan.
- Cursor is the more polished choice if you want one editor with strong agents, cloud agents and code review. Devin Desktop suits people who want a hub for running Devin agents locally and in the cloud.
- JetBrains users should note that the Windsurf JetBrains plugin is in maintenance mode.
Windsurf vs Cursor at a glance
Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) | Cursor | |
|---|---|---|
Company | Cognition (maker of Devin) | Cursor |
Free plan | Yes, light quota with unlimited Tab and inline edits | Yes, limited agent and chat requests |
Main individual plan | Pro $20/month | Premium $30/month (Plus $8 for Grok models only) |
Top individual plan | Max $200/month | Ultra $200/month |
Teams | $80/month plus $40 per full seat, up to 200 users | From $30/user/month |
Usage resets | Daily and weekly quotas | Weekly allowance, shared with Grok |
Third-party models | Included within quota on Pro; extra usage at API pricing | Billed separately at API list price (Premium and above) |
Local agent | Devin Local (replaced Cascade) | Cursor agent |
Cloud agents | Devin Cloud included on Pro | Cloud agents and automations on Premium and above |
Prices are from devin.ai/pricing and cursor.com/pricing as of October 24, 2026.
What happened to Windsurf
- April 4, 2025: Codeium rebranded as Windsurf.
- July 14, 2025: Cognition reached an agreement to take over Windsurf.
- June 2, 2026: Windsurf became Devin Desktop, and Devin Local replaced Cascade as the in-editor agent.
So "Windsurf vs Cursor" today really means "Devin Desktop vs Cursor". If you are still on a Windsurf install, the product you are comparing against Cursor is Devin Desktop. Our Windsurf pricing and Devin pricing guides cover the plans in more detail.
Editing, completions and agents
Both tools cover the same basic ground: tab completion, inline edits, chat about your codebase, and an agent that can plan and make changes across many files.
Cursor is built around a single AI-first editor based on VS Code, so most VS Code extensions and settings carry over. Its agent handles multi-file changes in the editor, and Premium adds cloud agents that keep working in the background, automations and Bugbot for AI code review on pull requests.
Devin Desktop now positions itself as a place to run Devin agents. Devin Local works in the editor on your machine, and Devin Cloud, included on Pro, takes on longer tasks remotely. The free plan keeps unlimited Tab completions and inline edits, which is generous for people who mainly want autocomplete.
Which agent writes better code depends heavily on the model you choose and how you prompt it, so treat any blanket "X writes better code" claim with caution. Try both on a real task from your own codebase before deciding.
Models and how they are billed
This is where the two differ most, and it affects your real monthly cost.
On Devin Desktop Pro, frontier models from major labs are included within your daily and weekly quota, and Pro includes Cognition's SWE-2 model for free. If you go beyond the quota, extra usage is charged at API pricing.
On Cursor, Plus only covers Grok models. Premium and above unlock third-party models, but those are billed separately by usage at the provider's API list price. That means a developer who uses Claude or GPT models all day pays the plan price plus model usage.
If you mainly want frontier models at a predictable price, Devin Desktop Pro at $20 is easier to budget for. If you want Cursor's features and are happy to pay for models as you use them, Cursor Premium is the better fit.
Pricing compared
Tier | Devin Desktop | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
Free | $0 | $0 |
Entry paid | Pro $20/month | Plus $8/month (Grok only) |
Full features | Pro $20/month | Premium $30/month |
Heavy use | Max $200/month | Super $100/month or Ultra $200/month |
Team | $80/month plus $40 per full seat | From $30/user/month |
Enterprise | Custom (SSO, VPC options) | Custom (pooled usage, SCIM, audit logs) |
For a small team, the maths depends on headcount. Devin Desktop Teams has a $80 monthly base plus $40 per full developer seat. Cursor Teams starts at $30 per user with no base fee, but third-party model usage is billed on top.
IDE support and ecosystem
Both are standalone desktop editors, so switching means moving your daily editor. Cursor's VS Code roots make that move easy for VS Code users. The Windsurf JetBrains plugin is now in maintenance mode, so developers who live in IntelliJ, PyCharm or WebStorm should not pick Devin Desktop expecting active plugin development. For JetBrains users, GitHub Copilot or a terminal agent such as Claude Code (Agentdex profile) alongside your IDE are safer bets.
Teams and enterprise
Cursor Teams includes centralized billing, usage analytics, team privacy controls, SAML/OIDC SSO and mixed seat types. Cursor Enterprise adds pooled usage, invoicing, SCIM, audit logs and controls over which repositories, models and MCP servers people can use.
Devin Desktop Teams supports up to 200 users, and Enterprise adds options such as SSO and VPC deployment. Both companies offer custom enterprise contracts, so large buyers should compare security reviews and data handling terms directly with each vendor.
Which should you choose?
- Choose Cursor if you want one polished AI editor with cloud agents, Bugbot code review and a large community, and you are fine paying for third-party models as you use them.
- Choose Devin Desktop if you liked Windsurf, want frontier models bundled into a $20 plan, or want to run Devin agents both locally and in the cloud.
- Choose neither if you live in JetBrains or prefer the terminal. Look at GitHub Copilot (Agentdex profile) or Claude Code instead.
Many developers end up pairing an editor with a terminal agent. Cursor vs Claude Code explains how that combination works, and Windsurf alternatives covers more options.
FAQ
Is Windsurf the same as Devin Desktop?
Yes. Windsurf was renamed Devin Desktop on June 2, 2026, and windsurf.com now redirects to it. Its Cascade agent was replaced by Devin Local.
Is Windsurf cheaper than Cursor?
It depends on the models you use. Devin Desktop Pro is $20/month with frontier models included within quota. Cursor Plus is $8/month but only covers Grok models, and Cursor Premium is $30/month with third-party models billed separately at API list price.
Can I use Windsurf and Cursor on the same project?
Yes. Both work on ordinary project folders and Git repositories, so you can open the same repo in either. Just avoid running agents from both on the same files at the same time.
Which is better for JetBrains users?
Neither is ideal. The Windsurf JetBrains plugin is in maintenance mode, and Cursor is its own editor. GitHub Copilot supports JetBrains IDEs directly.
Do both tools have free plans?
Yes. Devin Desktop Free includes a light quota with unlimited Tab and inline edits. Cursor Free includes a limited number of agent and chat requests.
Written by Agentdex Editorial. Agentdex is an independent directory reviewing AI coding tools; we are not affiliated with the companies mentioned. Prices and features are as of October 24, 2026, from official sources linked above. Always confirm on the vendor's site.