Cursor vs Windsurf in 2026: Windsurf Is Now Devin Desktop, So Which Should You Choose?
Windsurf no longer exists under that name: in June 2026, Cognition renamed it Devin Desktop, and windsurf.com now redirects there. So Cursor vs Windsurf today means Cursor vs Devin Desktop. Choose Cursor if you want an AI code editor with its own agent and a choice of plans from $8 to $200 a month. Choose Devin Desktop if you want a command center for managing several local and cloud agents, including third-party ones, with Pro at $20 a month. Both assume you can read code. If you don't, an AI app builder is the better category.
If you landed here searching for Windsurf, the short version is that the product carries on, built on Windsurf's IDE foundation, with a new name and a new focus. Plans and features below come from each vendor's own pages, checked on November 2, 2026.
What happened to Windsurf?
- June 2, 2026: Cognition announced "Windsurf is now Devin Desktop," describing it as the next generation of Windsurf, built on the same IDE foundation.
- The default view changed: the Agent Command Center lets you manage local and cloud agents from a single Kanban view, and a new feature called Spaces shares context between agents.
- Cascade was replaced: Devin Local is now the primary local agent, described as the successor to Cascade. Cognition said the legacy Cascade agent would remain available through July 1, 2026.
- It isn't only for Devin: Devin Desktop supports the Agent Client Protocol, and at launch it supported Codex, Claude Agent and OpenCode, among other compatible agents.
Cursor vs Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf): quick verdict
- Choose Cursor if you want an AI-first editor where you stay close to the code, and you want plans at several price points.
- Choose Devin Desktop if you run several agents and want one place to manage and review their work.
- Consider Greta.sh if you're non-technical and want a full app generated from a description rather than help with code you write yourself.
Got an idea? Build it now!
Just start with a simple prompt. No coding required: Greta.sh turns your idea into a working app in minutes.
How do Cursor and Devin Desktop compare at a glance?
| Cursor | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Working in an AI code editor with its own agent | Managing several local and cloud agents in one place |
| Main agent | Cursor Agent | Devin Local, the successor to Cascade |
| Own model | Grok models are built into its plans | SWE-2 |
| Other models | Third-party models at API list price, from Premium | Frontier models from OpenAI, Claude, Gemini and SpaceXAI on Pro |
| Third-party agents | Check Cursor's docs | Supports Codex, Claude Agent and others through ACP |
| Free plan | Yes, with limited agent requests | Yes, with a light agent quota and unlimited Tab completions |
| Entry paid plan | Plus, $8/month (Grok models only) | Pro, $20/month |
| Higher tiers | Premium $30, Super $100, Ultra $200 | Max $200/month |
| Team plan | From $30 per user a month | $80/month plus $40 per full user |
Pricing compared
Cursor: Free ($0, limited agent and chat requests), Plus ($8/month, Grok models only), Premium ($30/month, adds cloud agents, code reviews and third-party models billed separately by usage), Super ($100/month), Ultra ($200/month) and Teams (from $30 per user a month). Cursor says third-party model usage isn't included in the monthly price.
Devin Desktop: Free ($0, a light quota, limited model availability, unlimited inline edits and Tab completions), Pro ($20/month, increased quotas, frontier models, free use of SWE-2 and access to cloud agents), Max ($200/month, significantly higher quotas) and Team ($80/month plus $40 per full user, up to 200 users).
Devin also offers a custom-priced plan for large organisations.
These plans aren't directly comparable. Cursor's Premium plan costs $10 more than Devin's Pro, but what you get depends on which models you use, since both vendors meter usage. If you mostly want frontier models from OpenAI or Anthropic, compare how far each plan's allowance goes on a real task.
How do they differ for multi-file edits?
Both can plan and carry out changes across several files. Cursor's docs describe an Agent that can search your codebase, edit files and run terminal commands, plus checkpoints that save your code's state before significant changes, and Projects, where a coordinator agent plans larger work and delegates it to other agents.
Devin Desktop approaches the same work from a management angle. You start sessions, watch them on a board and review their pull requests. Devin Local handles local work, and cloud agents handle longer tasks.
So the practical difference is where you spend your time. In Cursor, you tend to stay in the editor. In Devin Desktop, you tend to stay on the board.
Got an idea? Build it now!
Just start with a simple prompt. No coding required: Greta.sh turns your idea into a working app in minutes.
Is Windsurf or Cursor better for AI-assisted software development?
It depends on how you like to work:
| Use case | Better choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Staying close to the code in one editor | Cursor | Agent and editing are the core of the product. |
| Running several agents at once | Devin Desktop | The Agent Command Center is built around it. |
| Using Codex or Claude Agent in one interface | Devin Desktop | It supports them through ACP. |
| Lowest paid entry price | Cursor | Plus is $8/month, though it only offers Grok models. |
| Frontier models at $20 a month | Devin Desktop | Pro lists models from OpenAI, Claude and Gemini. |
| Comparing models inside an editor | Cursor | Third-party models are available from Premium at API list price. |
| Enterprise rollout | Either | Check each vendor's current security and compliance terms directly. |
Neither is better for everyone, so try the same real task in both. For other comparisons, see Cursor vs Claude Code, Claude Code vs Codex and Cursor vs GitHub Copilot.
What if you don't write code?
Neither tool is built for that, since both assume you can evaluate the code they produce. Greta.sh generates a full-stack app from a plain-English description instead. The free plan gives you 5 credits a day but cannot deploy. Deployment starts on Starter (a $5/month welcome offer, normally $20/month), and Pro (a $20/month welcome offer, normally $50/month) adds the Database, Flows and GitHub version control. See AI Coding Assistants vs AI App Builders for the difference between the categories.
Frequently asked questions
Is Windsurf still available? Not under that name. Cognition renamed it Devin Desktop in June 2026, and windsurf.com now redirects to devin.ai. The product continues, built on Windsurf's IDE foundation.
Is Cursor better than Windsurf? Neither is strictly better. Cursor suits developers who want to stay inside an AI editor. Devin Desktop, the new name for Windsurf, suits developers who manage several agents and want to review their work in one place.
Is Cursor or Windsurf cheaper? Cursor has the lower entry price, with Plus at $8/month, but that plan only offers Grok models. Devin Desktop's Pro is $20/month and lists frontier models from several vendors. Cursor Premium is $30/month. Both have free plans.
What is Windsurf Cascade? Cascade was Windsurf's agent. Devin Local is now described as its successor and the primary local agent in Devin Desktop, and Cognition said legacy Cascade would remain available through July 1, 2026.
How do Cursor and Windsurf differ in planning multi-file edits? Cursor's Agent plans and edits inside the editor, with checkpoints and Projects for larger work. Devin Desktop runs local and cloud agents that you manage from a Kanban view, reviewing the work as it finishes.
What is SWE-2? SWE-2 is Cognition's own coding model. Devin's pricing page lists free use of SWE-2 on its plans, alongside frontier models from other vendors on Pro.
What if I don't write code at all? Neither tool is built for that. A no-code AI app builder like Greta.sh generates a full-stack app from a plain-English description instead.
AI Coding Assistants vs AI App Builders · All comparisons
Last updated: November 9, 2026. Plans and features from each vendor's pages, checked on November 2, 2026; confirm before relying on them.
