Cursor suits developers who want an AI-first editor and are happy working mainly with Grok models, because its entry Plus plan includes Grok models only. Windsurf suits developers who want to run several coding agents from one screen, with models from OpenAI, Anthropic and Google inside the Pro plan, but windsurf.com now opens as Devin Desktop from Cognition. Decide which models you need, then pick.
Type windsurf.com into a browser and you land somewhere you might not expect: Devin's site. I read that page, Devin's plans page, and Cursor's plans page and FAQ, so everything below comes from the two companies' own words.
Windsurf and Cursor plans compared
| Windsurf (Devin Desktop) | Cursor | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes, Free (a light quota to code with agents) | Yes, Free (limited agent and Chat requests) |
| Name on the site | Devin Desktop; windsurf.com redirects there | Cursor |
| Models on the entry level | Free: limited model availability | Plus: Grok models only |
| Other labs' models | Pro: OpenAI, Claude, Gemini and SpaceXAI models in the quota | From Premium, at API list rates outside the allowance |
| Own coding model | SWE-2, free to use on Pro | Grok models through a shared pool |
| Cloud agents | Devin Cloud, from Pro | From Premium |
| Allowance refresh | Daily and weekly on Pro and above | Weekly |
| Teams | Up to 200 users with an admin dashboard | Central admin, usage analytics and SSO |
What Windsurf looks like now
The page at windsurf.com is titled Devin Desktop, and it calls itself the home for every agent you run. The settings screen in its own product shots is still labelled Windsurf, so the editor now sits under Cognition's Devin name. It's a full IDE with syntax highlighting, autocomplete and debugging, plus Supercomplete for tab predictions and Fast Context for finding the right files in a big codebase.
The bigger idea is agents. Devin Desktop lets you run local and cloud agents side by side, including Devin, Codex, Claude Agent and OpenCode through the Agent Client Protocol, and Spaces share context and Git worktrees between them. The Free plan gives you a light quota for agents, unlimited inline edits and unlimited Tab completions. Pro adds frontier models from OpenAI, Claude, Gemini and SpaceXAI, free use of the SWE-2 model and Devin Cloud.
Where Cursor stands on its plans page
Cursor is an AI-first editor too, and its Free plan includes the Cursor Agent with limited agent and Chat requests. Plus is the introductory plan, with one usage pool shared across Cursor and Grok, and the page says only Grok models are available on it. Premium adds four times the Plus usage, cloud agents and automations, code hosting through Origin and AI code reviews through Bugbot.
Cursor's allowance refreshes weekly, so one heavy day doesn't drain the month, and privacy mode stops your code being used for training. Teams adds central admin, usage analytics and SSO. The plans also carry X account features such as a premium checkmark, because the FAQ says they're sold only through X.
The model question that splits them
Here's the difference I'd weigh first. On Cursor's Plus plan you get Grok models only, and on Premium and above other labs' models are still there but metered outside your allowance. On Devin's Pro plan, models from OpenAI, Claude, Gemini and SpaceXAI sit inside the increased quotas, and its own SWE-2 model is free to use.
So if your team already trusts a model from one of those labs, Windsurf's new home is the simpler fit. If you're happy working mostly with Grok, Cursor's single pool covers your coding and Grok's chat, image and voice tools together.
Which coder each editor suits
Windsurf, as Devin Desktop, suits developers who want to hand work to several agents and review their diffs from one screen. Cursor suits developers who want an AI editor with Grok built in and don't mind tracking usage of other models. If you're new to agents, my guide to AI agents for business explains the basics, and these prompts for faster coding work carry over to either editor.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
My advice on Windsurf or Cursor
Start with the models. List the two or three your team relies on, then read each plans page for where those models sit. If they come from OpenAI, Anthropic or Google, try Devin Desktop's Free plan first and move up when the light quota runs out. If Grok suits you, Cursor's Free plan is the quickest way to see whether its agent fits how you work. Either way, give each one a real task from your backlog rather than a demo project.
Do you make AI coding tools? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place in comparisons like this one.
Frequently asked questions
Is Windsurf now called Devin Desktop?
The windsurf.com address now opens Devin's Devin Desktop page, and the settings screen shown on that page is still labelled Windsurf.
Does Windsurf have a free plan?
Yes. Devin's plans page lists a Free plan with a light quota to code with agents, limited model availability, and unlimited inline edits and Tab completions.
Is Cursor free?
Yes. Cursor's Free plan includes the Cursor Agent with limited agent and Chat requests.
Which models does Cursor's Plus plan include?
Cursor's FAQ says Plus includes Grok models only. Other labs' models stay available at API list rates, outside the plan allowance.
Can I run Claude or Codex agents in Windsurf?
Devin Desktop's page lists Codex, Claude Agent, OpenCode and Devin's own agents, connected through the Agent Client Protocol.
