Cursor vs Windsurf vs GitHub Copilot: honest comparison 2026
TL;DR
| Cursor | Windsurf | GitHub Copilot | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $20/mo | $15/mo (or free limited) | $10/mo |
| Base | VS Code fork | VS Code fork | VS Code extension |
| Main model | Claude, GPT-5 | Claude, GPT-5 | GPT-5 |
| Best at | Composer (multi-file editing) | Cascade (autonomous agent) | Native integration |
| Worst at | Highest price | Newer, less polished | No real agent mode |
| Best for | Devs who want control | Devs who want automation | Devs already using VS Code |
I’ve been using all three for months. I’m not going to sell you any of them. I’ll tell you what each does well, what it does poorly, and which makes sense based on how you work.
The state of AI-powered IDEs in 2026
Two years ago, Copilot was the only option. Today there’s open war.
Cursor appeared and proved that a native AI IDE could be better than an extension. Windsurf (from Codeium) came later with a more aggressive approach to automation. And Copilot remains the most used due to inertia and price.
All three use similar models (GPT-5, Claude). The difference is in how they integrate them into your workflow.
Cursor: total control
Cursor is a VS Code fork with truly integrated AI. It’s not an extension, it’s the complete editor redesigned.
What it does well
Composer: You can describe changes affecting multiple files and Cursor applies them all. “Add error validation to all API endpoints” → edits 8 files at once.
Smart context: It understands your codebase. You can ask “where is the authentication function defined?” and it takes you directly there.
Chat with code: You select code, ask questions, and responses have context from your project. It’s not generic ChatGPT.
Flexible model: You can choose between Claude (better for complex code) and GPT-5 depending on the task.
What it does poorly
Price: $20/month is the most expensive of the three. For freelancers or personal use, it adds up.
Learning curve: It has many features. It takes time to find your optimal flow.
Sometimes too clever: In large projects, it can suggest changes that break things. You have to review.
Who it’s for
Devs who want granular control over what the AI does. If you like approving each change before applying it, Cursor is your tool.
If you want to go deeper, I have a complete Cursor guide.
Windsurf: the autonomous agent
Windsurf is Codeium’s bet. It arrived later but with a clear idea: have AI do more work for you.
What it does well
Cascade: This is their agent mode. You describe a complex task (“implement Google OAuth login”) and it:
- Searches documentation
- Creates necessary files
- Writes the code
- Shows you changes for approval
It’s the closest to “AI that programs” I’ve seen actually work.
Generous free tier: You can use it free with limits. For small projects or trying it out, enough.
Natural flow: Fewer buttons, fewer options. You describe what you want, it does it.
What it does poorly
Less control: Agent mode is great when it works. When it doesn’t, it’s hard to know what went wrong.
Newer: It has bugs. The extension crashes sometimes. Autocomplete is less precise than Cursor.
Sparse documentation: It’s new and it shows. There are features you discover by accident.
Who it’s for
Devs who want to delegate more. If you prefer describing tasks and reviewing results instead of writing every line, Windsurf is interesting.
GitHub Copilot: the veteran
GitHub Copilot has been around longer and has the advantage of GitHub ecosystem integration.
What it does well
Price: $10/month or $100/year. It’s the cheapest. And free for students and open source.
No editor change needed: It’s an extension. If you already use VS Code, JetBrains, or Neovim, you install it and it works.
Solid autocomplete: For completing code as you type, it’s still very good. Fast, precise, not intrusive.
Copilot Chat: Chat improved a lot. You can now ask questions about your code and get useful answers.
What it does poorly
No real agent mode: It can’t do complex multi-file tasks like Cursor or Windsurf. It’s an assistant, not an agent.
GPT only: You can’t choose Claude or other models. Sometimes GPT-5 isn’t the best option for code.
Less innovation: Microsoft moves slower. Features arrive months after Cursor.
Who it’s for
Devs who don’t want to change their setup. If you’re already productive with VS Code and just want good autocomplete and chat, Copilot is enough.
Practical comparison
Task: “Add unit tests to this function”
| IDE | What it does | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Cursor | Composer generates test file, picks project’s framework | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Windsurf | Cascade creates file, installs jest if missing, writes tests | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (sometimes overdoes it) |
| Copilot | Suggests tests in chat, you copy and paste | ⭐⭐⭐ |
Task: “Refactor this component to use hooks”
| IDE | What it does | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Cursor | Shows diff, you approve change by change | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Windsurf | Auto-refactors, sometimes breaks things | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Copilot | Explains how to do it, you do it | ⭐⭐ |
Task: “Autocomplete while I type”
| IDE | What it does | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Cursor | Good, sometimes slow | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Windsurf | Decent, less precise | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Copilot | Very good, fast | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
My current setup
I use Cursor as my main IDE. The Composer for multi-file changes is irreplaceable for me.
I have Copilot active too for autocomplete (yes, you can use both). Copilot’s autocomplete is faster.
Windsurf I use for specific tasks where I want AI to do more work. Creating a complete CRUD, new project scaffold, that kind of thing.
Is paying for two overkill? Probably. But $30/month for tools that save me hours every week seems like good ROI.
Which to choose based on your profile
”I’m a freelancer and every dollar counts”
→ Copilot ($10/mo) or Windsurf free
”I want the most powerful tool, price doesn’t matter”
→ Cursor ($20/mo)
“I want AI to do the heavy lifting”
→ Windsurf ($15/mo)
“I don’t want to learn a new tool, I already use VS Code”
→ Copilot (extension)
“I do lots of complex code, I need Claude”
→ Cursor (lets you choose model)
Conclusion
There’s no absolute winner. All three are good. The difference is how they fit with your way of working.
Cursor for control. Windsurf for automation. Copilot for simplicity.
My advice: try all three. Cursor and Windsurf have trials. Copilot is free the first month. In a week you’ll know which fits you.
What I will tell you: using an AI-powered IDE in 2026 is not optional if you want to be competitive. The productivity difference is real.
If you want to see how I combine these tools in my daily work, I wrote about my complete AI development stack.
Which one do you use? Have you found a workflow that works better? Let me know.
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