Agents UI
Both are proprietary AI-first IDEs built around autonomous editing. Cursor is the more established; Windsurf emphasizes agentic flows. The choice usually comes down to UX preference and pricing.
At a glance
| Feature | Cursor | Windsurf |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | macOS, Linux, Windows | macOS, Linux, Windows |
| Price | Freemium | Freemium |
| Open source | No | No |
| License | Proprietary | Proprietary |
| Interface | IDE | IDE |
| Built for AI agents | Yes | Yes |
| Terminal-native | No | No |
| MCP support | Yes | Yes |
When to choose Cursor
You want the most established AI IDE with a large user base.
Cursor strengths
- Tight AI integration inside a familiar VS Code UI
- Inline edits and codebase chat
- Cross-platform
When to choose Windsurf
You prefer Windsurf's agentic flow UX.
Windsurf strengths
- Agentic flows inside the editor
- Clean UX
- Cross-platform
How Agents UI compares
If your work centers on AI coding agents, it's worth weighing a third option. Agents UI is an open-source macOS terminal built specifically to run agents like Claude Code, Codex, and Gemini CLI — with multi-agent orchestration, SSH, and a Python SDK in one workspace. See Agents UI vs Cursor, or explore the best terminals for multi-agent workflows.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cursor better than Windsurf?
Both are proprietary AI-first IDEs built around autonomous editing. Cursor is the more established; Windsurf emphasizes agentic flows. The choice usually comes down to UX preference and pricing.
When should I choose Cursor?
You want the most established AI IDE with a large user base.
When should I choose Windsurf?
You prefer Windsurf's agentic flow UX.