Windsurf

What it does

Windsurf (formerly known as Codeium) is an AI code editor built on VS Code, similar in approach to Cursor. Its headline feature is Cascade, an agentic mode that can execute multi-step coding tasks: reading files, making edits across your project, running terminal commands, and iterating on results. Beyond Cascade, Windsurf offers standard AI coding features: inline completions, chat, and code generation from natural language descriptions. The editor indexes your codebase for context-aware suggestions and supports most popular languages and frameworks. The rebrand from Codeium to Windsurf came with a shift in focus from autocomplete plugin to full AI editor.

Who it's for

Windsurf appeals to developers who want an AI editor but are price-sensitive or curious about agentic coding. The free tier is more generous than Cursor's, making it a low-risk way to explore AI-assisted development. Developers who have experimented with using AI to automate multi-step tasks (writing a feature, adding tests, fixing lint errors) will find Cascade interesting, even if the results are not always perfect. It is less suited for enterprise teams that need mature admin controls or organizations that prioritize reliability over experimentation. If you need your AI tool to be predictable and consistent on every interaction, Cursor is currently the safer choice.

Cascade agentic mode

Cascade is what distinguishes Windsurf from a standard copilot plugin. You describe a task ("add input validation to the signup form and write tests for it") and Cascade plans the steps, reads the relevant files, makes the edits, and can even run your test suite to verify the changes. When it works, it is impressive. The catch is reliability: on straightforward tasks it performs well, but complex multi-file changes can result in edits that break other parts of the codebase or miss edge cases. The quality has improved noticeably over the past six months, and the trajectory is promising. For now, treat Cascade as a capable assistant that still needs supervision, not an autonomous agent you can trust blindly.

The bottom line

Windsurf is a solid AI code editor with an ambitious agentic feature that is still maturing. At $15 per month, it undercuts Cursor on price while offering a comparable core experience for everyday coding tasks. The free tier is genuinely usable. Where it falls short is consistency. Cascade does not yet match the reliability you need for production-critical work, and the overall polish is a step behind Cursor. If you are evaluating AI editors and want to try something with strong potential at a lower price point, Windsurf deserves a look. If you need the most reliable option today, Cursor remains the better choice.