Windsurf (Devin Desktop) vs Cursor
Both ship a usable free tier. For one flat paid subscription that includes frontier-model quota, choose Devin Desktop (the product formerly shipped as Windsurf, now under Cognition). For a cheap Grok-only start, or a mid-tier plan that unlocks multiple models together with cloud agents, choose Cursor.
Windsurf has been renamed and rolled into Cognition’s Devin line: windsurf.com now redirects to devin.ai, and the editor ships as Devin Desktop. That matters for this comparison because the old advice — "Windsurf Pro is cheaper than Cursor Pro" — no longer holds. Devin Desktop sells a single paid tier that includes frontier models, while Cursor splits paid access into a ladder: its cheapest paid tier only serves Grok models, a mid tier multiplies usage and unlocks multi-model access plus cloud agents, and the two upper tiers merely multiply that usage again. The decision is therefore about subscription shape, not about which one is cheaper: one flat paid tier with frontier models, versus a ladder you climb only as usage grows.
Ideal For: Developers who want one paid tier with frontier models and a single place to drive multiple agents, locally or in the cloud.
Ideal For: Teams that want to start at a low per-seat price and pay only for the usage tier they actually need, with cloud agents at the mid tier.
- Entry Price
- Devin Desktop: Pro $20/mo (frontier models included); Cursor: Plus $8/mo (Grok models only), Premium $30/mo for multi-model accessWindsurf (Devin Desktop) pricing
| Evaluation Pillar / Focus | Windsurf (Devin Desktop) (Qualitative Assessment) | Cursor (Qualitative Assessment) |
|---|---|---|
Architectural Control Who picks the model, where inference runs, and how much of the agent harness you can swap out Baseline Weight:35% | Windsurf (Devin Desktop)Recommended Devin Desktop exposes the Agent Client Protocol so you can drive your own agents and the frontier models you already use, and its Devin Local harness runs on your machine as the primary local agent. “Using the Agent Client Protocol (ACP) , you can manage your favorite agents and all the frontier models in one place” “Runs on your machine as the primary local agent.” | CursorConditional Prompts and code context go to third-party model providers, and model selection is mediated by Cursor Router on team plans — you cannot hand-pick which model handles a given request. “When you use AI features, we send prompts and code context to language model providers like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google.” “Cursor Router is data-driven and managed by Cursor. You can't hand-pick which model handles a request, and the model pool changes over time as new models ship.” “Cursor Router is currently only available on Teams and Enterprise plans.” |
Token & Cost Predictability Subscription shape, included usage and what happens when you exceed it Baseline Weight:30% | Windsurf (Devin Desktop)Conditional Two paid tiers only: Pro at $20/month with frontier models from OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, SpaceXAI and leading open-source models included, and Max at $200/month for significantly higher quotas; teams pay $80/month for the plan plus $40/month per full dev seat. Sources:Windsurf (Devin Desktop) pricing “Free $0 Download Light quota to code with agents Limited model availability Unlimited inline edits Unlimited Tab completions Pro POPULAR $20 per month” “Max NEW $200 per month Select plan Everything in Pro, plus: Significantly higher quotas TEAM PLANS Teams $80 /month for team plan + $40/mo per full dev seat” “Increased quotas, including access to frontier models from OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, and SpaceXAI, plus leading open source models” | CursorConditional A ladder of tiers with usage pools that refresh weekly: Plus $8/month (Grok models only), Premium $30/month (4x Plus usage, latest Grok models, cloud agents), Super $100/month (15x), Ultra $200/month (50x), and Teams from $30 per seat per month; third-party models bill at API list price outside the pool. “Higher tiers include larger pools, and usage costs vary by product. Your allowance refreshes weekly, so one heavy day never wipes out your whole month.” “Super $100 /month Get Super Everything in Premium, and: 15x more usage compared to Plus” “Enhanced creator tools ✓ Advanced Analytics *Only Grok models are available on this plan” “Plus $8 /month Get Plus Premium $30 /month Get Premium Super $100 /month Get Super Ultra $200 /month Get Ultra” “Third-party models aren't included; on Premium and above you can use them at API list price, paid from prepaid credit.” |
Privacy & Security Assurance Published certifications and where prompts and code actually travel Baseline Weight:25% | Windsurf (Devin Desktop)Conditional Cognition states SOC 2 Type II certification since September 2024, with auditors reviewing security policies, procedures and internal and third-party controls. “Cognition has been SOC 2 Type II certified since September 2024.” “As part of the SOC 2 audit, Cognition’s auditors reviewed all of Cognition’s security policies, procedures, internal and third party controls related to data security, privacy, processing integrity, confidentiality and availability.” | CursorConditional Cursor states zero-data-retention agreements for most models and publishes its security posture, while still sending prompts and code context to third-party providers. “Cursor holds AIUC-1, ISO/IEC 27001:2022, and ISO/IEC 42001:2023 certifications, along with a SOC 2 Type II attestation.” “Most models run under Cursor's ZDR agreements, so providers don't store inputs or outputs or train on your data” |
Developer Ergonomics & Friction How much of the daily loop is covered without leaving the editor Baseline Weight:10% | Windsurf (Devin Desktop)Recommended Inline completion is pitched as predicting the next thought rather than the next edit, and one command center drives every agent and model you connect. “Supercomplete predicts your next thought, not just your next edit” “Using the Agent Client Protocol (ACP) , you can manage your favorite agents and all the frontier models in one place” “Runs on your machine as the primary local agent.” | CursorRecommended Tab completion and the agent surface are documented as first-class features, and the usage ladder lets a single developer start at the lowest paid tier. “Tab is Cursor's AI-powered autocomplete. It suggests code as you type, based on your recent edits, surrounding code, and linter errors.” “Agent is Cursor's assistant that can complete complex coding tasks independently, run terminal commands, and edit code.” |
Interactive Constraint Matcher
The four dimensions below are this matrix’s own pillars, not a fixed taxonomy. Weights express how much each one matters to you; the fit score is a weighted average of the three-tier ratings, not a measured benchmark.
Who picks the model, where inference runs, and how much of the agent harness you can swap out
Subscription shape, included usage and what happens when you exceed it
Published certifications and where prompts and code actually travel
How much of the daily loop is covered without leaving the editor
Under your weights Windsurf (Devin Desktop) scores higher; Cursor still applies where other constraints dominate.
When You Should NOT Adopt Either System
Every architectural choice introduces structural compromises. If your team matches these trigger conditions, adoption will create engineering debt rather than leverage.