Windsurf

Windsurf (formerly Codeium) is an AI-native code editor that competes directly with Cursor, built around a generous free tier that includes unlimited basic completions — a meaningful difference for students, hobbyists, and anyone evaluating AI coding tools before committing financially.

Its agent, called Cascade, can plan and execute multi-step coding tasks across files, similar to Cursor's agent mode, with a clean visual interface for reviewing and applying changes. Windsurf also includes features like automatic terminal command execution with approval prompts and contextual awareness of recently edited files.

Pricing moved from $15 to $20/month for the Pro tier in 2026, putting it roughly at parity with Cursor, though the free tier remains one of the most generous in the category. For developers on very large codebases, some report Cascade's reliability lagging slightly behind Cursor's agent on complex refactors, but for everyday development and for budget-conscious users, Windsurf is one of the easiest ways to try AI-assisted coding without paying anything upfront.