Windsurf
AI IDE by Codeium, main Cursor competitor
- Category
- Coding
- Tested version
- Windsurf 2026 (Cascade Agent)
- Free tier
- Yes
- API
- Not available
- Platforms
- macOS, Windows, Linux
- Pricing
- Free tier with generous prompt credits · Pro $15/mo (500 prompt credits) · Ultimate $60/mo (unlimited fast credits and premium models).
- Official site
- codeium.com
- Updated
- 2026-07-21
- Editorial status
- Editorially reviewed
TL;DR — Key Takeaways
- Windsurf is a coding AI tool: AI IDE by Codeium, main Cursor competitor.
- Pricing: Free tier with generous prompt credits · Pro $15/mo (500 prompt credits) · Ultimate $60/mo (unlimited fast credits and premium models).
- Best for: Refactor.
- Editorially reviewed by AI Tool Hub (tested version: Windsurf 2026 (Cascade Agent)).
What is Windsurf?
Windsurf by Codeium is an AI-native IDE with multi-file editing, agent mode, and context awareness.
Our take
Windsurf. Windsurf by Codeium is an AI-native IDE with multi-file editing, agent mode, and context awareness.
Screenshots
Real test data
Windsurf is editorially reviewed (tested version: Windsurf 2026 (Cascade Agent)). Our standardized real-test data will be published here once the shared benchmark suite completes.
We do not display fabricated or vendor-supplied benchmark numbers.
Key features
| Feature | What it does |
|---|---|
| Agent mode | Refactor |
| Multi-file | Feature build |
| Context-aware | Autocomplete |
| Free tier | Debug |
Use cases that actually work
- Refactor
- Feature build
- Autocomplete
- Debug
Best for
- Multi-file refactor
- Agent tasks
- Autocomplete
- Debugging
Target audience
Pricing
Free tier with generous prompt credits · Pro $15/mo (500 prompt credits) · Ultimate $60/mo (unlimited fast credits and premium models).
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Generous free tier
- Strong agent mode
- VS Code compatible
Cons
- Young ecosystem
- Occasional perf issues
Example
Our verdict
Pick Windsurf if: Windsurf is a fit if you need a reliable coding AI tool with generous free tier.
Skip Windsurf if: Windsurf is not the right fit if you need capabilities outside coding — look at the alternatives below.
Head-to-head comparisons
Alternatives to Windsurf
GitHub Copilot
AI pair programmer embedded in your IDE
CodingCursor
AI-native code editor built on VS Code
CodingCline
Autonomous coding agent for VS Code
CodingAider
CLI AI coding assistant, Git-native
CodingCodeium
Free AI code completion, Copilot alternative
CodingReplit
Cloud AI dev environment, code and deploy in browser
CodingFrequently asked questions
Is Windsurf free to use?
Yes. The free tier ships Cascade agent and autocomplete with a monthly credit cap. Pro at $15/month unlocks 500 prompt credits and higher-tier models.
How does Windsurf compare to Cursor?
Cursor emphasizes hand-guided edits and codebase chat; Windsurf's Cascade agent leans more autonomous, executes commands and iterates until tests pass. Windsurf's free tier is more generous; Cursor's plugin ecosystem is bigger.
What is Cascade Agent?
Cascade is Windsurf's autonomous coding agent that reads the whole workspace, plans multi-step tasks, runs commands, edits multiple files and can retry until objectives are met — all inside the IDE.
Can Windsurf run against my own model?
Yes. Team and Enterprise plans support custom endpoints for OpenAI-compatible APIs, Azure OpenAI, and self-hosted models via LiteLLM-style proxies.
Is Windsurf a VS Code fork?
Yes. It is built on the VS Code open-source base, so most VS Code extensions and keybindings work. Codeium plans a JetBrains variant on the same agent runtime.
How good is Windsurf for large codebases?
Cascade indexes the workspace and maintains long-term context per branch. In our testing it handles repos up to a few hundred thousand lines cleanly; beyond that you should scope work with folder filters.
Does Windsurf work offline?
Autocomplete works with local models via Windsurf's on-device inference; agentic and chat features require a network connection to the Codeium or your enterprise endpoint.
Is Windsurf safe for proprietary code?
Enterprise plans include zero-data-retention agreements, on-prem deployment and audit logging. On the free/Pro plans, code snippets sent for inference follow Codeium's public data policy — review it before uploading trade secrets.
What language and framework support does Windsurf have?
70+ languages including Python, TypeScript/JavaScript, Go, Rust, Java, C#, PHP, Kotlin and Swift. Cascade is stronger on TypeScript/Python/Go than niche languages like OCaml or Erlang.
Is Windsurf worth switching from Cursor or Copilot?
Try it side-by-side for a week. Windsurf wins if you rely on autonomous multi-step agent runs and want a generous free tier; Cursor wins if you prefer manual precision and richer plugins; Copilot wins if you never want to leave your existing IDE.
Curated by the AI Tool Hub editorial team — last updated 2026-07-21. We publish real-test benchmark numbers only after running our standardized suite.