Windsurf

by Cognition AI💻 Coding

Cognition's AI IDE with Cascade — an agent that reads your codebase and makes changes proactively

Our take: Strong alternative to Cursor with good autocomplete and inline editing. Worth trying the free tier before committing to Cursor or Copilot.
Formerly Codeium, now owned by Cognition (the Devin team). Windsurf's Cascade agent works autonomously — it reads your codebase, makes changes, and runs tests without step-by-step prompting. Pro is $20/mo.
Proactive agent, deep codebase awareness, parallel sessions
Free tier From $20/moEnterpriseAPI: Included
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Last updated: March 29, 2026 · Pricing verified from official sources. Prices are subject to change by the provider.

Pricing

Price stable
Free TierYes — limited
Entry Plan$20/mo Pro
Team Plan$40/user/mo
EnterpriseCustom pricing
API PricingIncluded
See full API pricing & compare models →
Prices exclude applicable taxes (VAT/GST/sales tax varies by region). Monthly prices shown — annual plans typically save 15-20%.

Specifications

Context / InputFull codebase
Max OutputMulti-file edits
ModalitiesCode, terminal
Agent / AgenticYes — Cascade autonomous agent
SecuritySOC 2 ready
Self-hostedEnterprise option

AI Fit Score Benchmark Data

Performance indicators used in our Fit Score engine. Scores are normalised 0–100 based on industry benchmarks and testing.

84
Reasoning
88
Code Quality
90
Speed
72
Ecosystem

Models & Tiers — Which Windsurf to Use?

Windsurf uses 3 different models/tiers. Choose based on your task complexity, speed needs, and budget.

SWE-1.5 (proprietary)Recommended
Great
Code understanding, fast retrieval via SWE-grep
💰 Included📐 Context: ~50-70K effective⚡ Speed: Fast
Claude Sonnet/Opus
Best
Complex reasoning, deep refactors
💰 Credit-based📐 Context: 200K⚡ Speed: Medium
GPT-5.x
Great
General coding, speed
💰 Credit-based📐 Context: 400K⚡ Speed: Fast

Windsurf — Who Is It Best For?

Autonomous coding, agentic workflows

Ideal for:DevelopersFoundersFreelancers
✅ Strengths
• Free tier available
• Competitive pricing ($20/mo)
• Full codebase context
• Yes — Cascade autonomous agent
• SOC 2 ready certified
• Proactive agent
💭 Consider
💡 Budget tip: Start with Windsurf's free tier to test it. Paid plans start at $20/mo. For a free alternative, check out Cursor.

Alternatives to Windsurf

Cursor
Anysphere
The IDE built around AI from day one — Composer agent edits entire codebases at once
Free$20/mo
GitHub Copilot
Microsoft
Lives inside VS Code and GitHub — autocomplete, code review, and a coding agent for $10/mo
Free$10/mo
Claude Code
Anthropic
Anthropic's coding agent that runs in your terminal — works with any editor, thinks before it acts
Free$20/mo
Tabnine
Tabnine
The only AI code assistant you can run fully on-premise — built for regulated industries
$39/mo
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Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Windsurf cost?
Windsurf offers a free tier. Paid plans start at $20/month. Team plans are $40/user/month. Enterprise pricing is available on request.
Is Windsurf free?
Yes, Windsurf offers a free tier with limited features. For full access, paid plans start at $20/month.
What is Windsurf best for?
Windsurf is best for Autonomous coding, agentic workflows. Key features include: Proactive agent, deep codebase awareness, parallel sessions.
Is Windsurf right for you?
Get a personalised AI Fit Score based on your role, budget, team size, and priorities.
Start the recommendation wizardStart wizard

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AiToolsMentor.com · Pricing verified March 29, 2026 · AI Tools Mentor Fit Score

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