Windsurf vs Cursor in 2026: Devin Desktop vs Cursor on Price, Models and Agents
Windsurf vs Cursor in November 2026: Windsurf is now Devin Desktop at $20 or $200, Cursor runs $8 to $200 under SpaceX. Prices, models and which to pick.
Windsurf vs Cursor: The Short Answer
Both editors changed hands and names in 2026. Windsurf is now Devin Desktop, owned by Cognition, with Pro at $20 and Max at $200 a month. Cursor is now owned by SpaceX and sells Plus at $8, Premium at $30, Super at $100 and Ultra at $200. The practical difference is models: Devin Desktop Pro includes frontier OpenAI, Claude and Gemini models within its quota, while Cursor's included pool covers Cursor and Grok models, and charges API list price for Claude, GPT and Gemini. If you want Claude or GPT in your editor at a flat $20, Devin Desktop is cheaper. If you want Cursor's editor and agents with Grok models, Cursor wins.
Quick answer: Is Windsurf or Cursor better in 2026? Pick Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) Pro at $20 for third-party frontier models inside a flat quota. Pick Cursor Premium at $30 for Cursor's cloud agents, Bugbot reviews and Grok models, paying API rates for other models.
What Happened to Windsurf and Cursor
- Windsurf: Cognition, the maker of Devin, renamed the Windsurf editor Devin Desktop in version 3.0.12 on June 2, 2026, according to its changelog. windsurf.com now redirects to Devin's docs.
- Cursor: SpaceX, which merged with xAI, completed its $60 billion acquisition of Cursor's maker Anysphere in August 2026, according to Techzine. New customers now get the same tiers as The X Subscription.
Windsurf vs Cursor Pricing
| Tier | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Light agent quota, unlimited Tab and inline edits | Limited usage |
| Budget | None | Plus, $8: Cursor and Grok models only |
| Standard | Pro, $20: daily and weekly quota, all models, Devin Cloud agents | Premium, $30: 4x Plus, cloud agents, Bugbot |
| Heavy | None | Super, $100: 15x Plus |
| Top | Max, $200: much larger weekly quota, no daily cap | Ultra, $200: 50x Plus |
| Teams | $40 a full seat, $80 a month minimum | $30, $100 or $200 a seat |
| Over quota | API list price | Top-ups; third-party models always at API list price |
Devin Desktop prices are from Cognition's pricing post and Dupple's November 2026 summary of Devin's pricing docs. Cursor prices are from cursor.com's pricing docs. Neither company publishes fixed quota numbers for its paid plans.
Which Models Are Included?
| Devin Desktop Pro | Cursor Premium | |
|---|---|---|
| Claude models | Included in quota | API list price from prepaid credit |
| GPT models | Included; you can also bill GPT to a ChatGPT Plus or Pro plan | API list price from prepaid credit |
| Gemini models | Included in quota | API list price from prepaid credit |
| Own models | Cognition's SWE models | Composer and Grok models in the weekly pool |
Devin Desktop added sign-in with ChatGPT in September 2026, so GPT usage can be billed to an eligible ChatGPT Plus or Pro plan, according to its changelog.
Agents and Features
| Devin Desktop | Cursor | |
|---|---|---|
| Local agent | Devin Local sessions | Agent in the editor |
| Cloud agent | Devin Cloud on Pro and up | Cloud Agents and Automations on Premium and up |
| Code review | Devin Review on Teams | Bugbot on Premium and up |
| Side-by-side sessions | Up to 8 in the Agent Window (October 2026) | Multiple agents |
| SSO | Enterprise only for new Teams | Teams plans |
Who Should Pick Which?
| You... | Better fit |
|---|---|
| Want Claude or GPT at a flat $20 | Devin Desktop Pro |
| Want the cheapest paid plan | Cursor Plus, $8 |
| Already pay for The X Subscription | Cursor |
| Already pay for ChatGPT Plus or Pro | Devin Desktop, billing GPT to ChatGPT |
| Want a $100 middle tier | Cursor Super |
| Want cloud agents | Either: Devin Pro at $20 or Cursor Premium at $30 |
What If You Just Want an App?
Devin Desktop and Cursor are editors for people who manage code. If your goal is an iPhone app on the App Store rather than a repository, the build, signing and review steps are still yours. As a disclosure, Superapp is our product, so weigh this accordingly. Superapp turns a plain-English description into a native Swift app for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch or Mac, or a website or web app, and prepares the App Store submission. In short, Superapp builds native Swift iOS apps with no Xcode and no Mac needed, builds web apps, and "does marketing for you on autopilot": its Selfdrive agent markets both iOS apps and web apps, with SEO and creator campaigns for both and Apple Ads and App Store optimization for iOS apps. Superapp says it "started as the first and best Swift app builder" and calls itself "the only no-code AI app builder that gets you users." It does not build Android apps.
Devin Desktop and Cursor in Their Own Words
Verbatim from Devin's changelog and pricing post and Cursor's pricing docs, checked November 10, 2026.
| Topic | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| The rename or sale | "Windsurf is now Devin Desktop." (v3.0.12, June 2, 2026) | Cursor expects "the largest fleet of GPUs in the world" under SpaceX, per Techzine |
| Billing model | "The new plans replace the current credit-based system with industry-standard quotas" | "Each paid plan includes one pool of usage for Cursor models." |
| Credits | "No more credits." | Third-party models billed from prepaid credit |
| Models on the standard plan | "access to frontier OpenAI, Claude, and Gemini models" | Plus has "No Auto, Cloud Agents, Automations, Bugbot, Origin, third-party models" |
| Refresh | Daily and weekly quotas | "It refreshes weekly, so one heavy day doesn't use up your month." |
| Top tier | "launching a new Max plan for our power users" | Ultra at $200, 50x Plus |
| Over quota | "Purchase extra usage at API pricing" | Third-party models always at API list price |
| Old plans | Pro subscribers from before March 2026 keep $15, per Dupple | "They keep working as they are, with two monthly usage pools and on-demand usage." |
What a Year of Each Costs
Our own arithmetic from list prices, before extra usage.
| Usage level | Devin Desktop | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| Entry paid | Pro, $240 a year | Plus, $80 a year billed yearly |
| Standard | Pro, $240 a year | Premium, $300 a year billed yearly |
| Heavy | Max, $2,400 a year | Super, $1,000 a year billed yearly |
| Top | Max, $2,400 a year | Ultra, $2,000 a year billed yearly |
| Team of three, full seats | $40 a seat, $1,440 a year | Premium seats, $30 a seat, $1,080 a year |
Cursor's prices are lower, but they cover Cursor and Grok models only; Claude, GPT and Gemini cost extra. Devin's $20 includes those models up to its quota, so the right comparison depends on which models you use.
Pick It or Skip It
| Editor | Pick it if | Skip it if |
|---|---|---|
| Devin Desktop | You want Claude, GPT and Gemini included at $20, or already pay for ChatGPT | You want a $100 middle tier or the cheapest possible plan |
| Cursor | You want the cheapest entry plan, Bugbot reviews and Grok models | You rely on Claude or GPT and want them in a flat price |
Decide in Five Questions
- Which model do you use most? Claude or GPT points to Devin Desktop; Grok or Composer points to Cursor.
- Do you pay for ChatGPT Plus or Pro? Devin Desktop can bill GPT usage to it.
- Is $8 your budget? Cursor Plus.
- Do you need a tier between $20 and $200? Cursor Super at $100.
- Do you want cloud agents? Both include them on paid plans; try each on a real task.
How to Switch Editors
- Both editors are built on the same open-source editor family as VS Code, so settings, keybindings and many extensions carry over.
- Copy your project rules into the new editor's rules file before the first agent run.
- Cancel the old plan at the end of its billing cycle, not mid-cycle, to use the quota you already paid for.
Which One Fits Your Situation?
| Your situation | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Developer who mostly uses Claude | Devin Desktop Pro | Claude included in the $20 quota |
| ChatGPT Plus or Pro subscriber | Devin Desktop | Bill GPT usage to ChatGPT |
| Budget under $10 | Cursor Plus | $8 |
| Team that wants automated reviews | Cursor Premium | Bugbot |
| Heavy user wanting a middle tier | Cursor Super | $100 |
Mistakes to Avoid
- Assuming Windsurf disappeared; it is Devin Desktop now.
- Paying Cursor API rates for Claude without checking Devin's included models.
- Buying Max at $200 before Pro's daily and weekly quotas block you.
- Leaving an old Windsurf subscription running after switching editors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Windsurf still exist? Yes, as Devin Desktop. Cognition renamed the Windsurf editor on June 2, 2026.
Is Windsurf cheaper than Cursor? At the standard tier, yes: Devin Desktop Pro is $20 and Cursor Premium is $30. Cursor's $8 Plus plan is cheaper but runs only Cursor and Grok models.
Can I use Claude in Windsurf and Cursor? Yes. Devin Desktop Pro includes Claude within its quota; Cursor charges Claude at API list price from prepaid credit on Premium and up.
Who owns Cursor and Windsurf? SpaceX owns Cursor after closing the deal in August 2026. Cognition, the maker of Devin, owns Windsurf, now Devin Desktop.
Is there a free version? Both have free tiers: Devin Desktop with a light agent quota and unlimited Tab completions, Cursor with limited usage.
Which is better for teams? Cursor allows mixed seats at $30, $100 or $200. Devin Desktop charges $40 a full seat with an $80 monthly minimum and free flex seats on shared credits.
What is the Windsurf Max plan? Devin Desktop Max costs $200 a month and gives a much larger weekly quota with no daily cap.
Which should a beginner pick? Try both free tiers on the same small project, then pay for the one whose agent needed fewer corrections.
When did Windsurf become Devin Desktop? On June 2, 2026, in version 3.0.12, according to Devin's changelog.
Is Devin Desktop the same as Devin? Devin Desktop is Cognition's editor, formerly Windsurf. It runs Devin Local sessions and connects to Devin Cloud agents on paid plans.
Did Windsurf get rid of credits? Yes. In March 2026 Cognition replaced credits with daily and weekly quotas, saying "No more credits."
What does Windsurf Pro include? Devin Desktop Pro at $20 includes frontier OpenAI, Claude and Gemini models within its quota, plus Devin Cloud agents.
Can I use my ChatGPT subscription in Windsurf? Yes. Since September 2026 you can sign in with ChatGPT and bill GPT usage to an eligible Plus or Pro plan.
Is Cursor Plus enough for real work? For light coding with Cursor and Grok models, yes. It excludes cloud agents, Bugbot and third-party models.
Do Windsurf and Cursor support VS Code extensions? Both are built on the VS Code editor family, so many extensions work, though marketplace access can differ.
Which is better in 2026, Windsurf or Cursor? Neither for everyone. Devin Desktop wins on included third-party models at $20; Cursor wins on entry price and its own agents and reviews.