Cursor

Cursor is an AI-native code editor built on VS Code. It combines familiar VS Code features with AI completions, inline chat, multi-file editing, and codebase awareness. You describe what you want in natural language, and Cursor writes, edits, and refactors code across your project.

Free Hobby plan includes 2,000 completions per month and 50 slow premium requests. Pro at $20/mo adds 500 fast premium requests and unlimited completions. Business at $40/user/mo adds admin controls, team features, and centralized billing.

Yes. The Hobby plan is free with 2,000 completions per month and limited premium model access. This is enough to evaluate Cursor thoroughly. Most developers upgrade to Pro ($20/mo) when they use it daily and need faster responses and more premium requests.

Cursor offers more features: multi-file editing, Cmd+K inline code generation, Composer for large changes, and codebase-wide context awareness. Copilot is simpler (works in your existing IDE), cheaper ($10/mo), and doesn't require switching editors. See our comparison.

Cursor IS VS Code under the hood — it is a fork. Your VS Code extensions, themes, keybindings, and settings transfer directly. The switch is usually seamless, though some extensions may have minor compatibility issues.

Cursor supports multiple models: Claude Sonnet 4.6 and Opus, GPT-4o, and Cursor's own custom models for completions. Pro subscribers can choose their preferred model. This multi-model approach means you are not locked into one provider.

Composer is Cursor's tool for making large, multi-file changes. You describe what you want (add authentication to my app, refactor this module), and Composer plans and executes changes across multiple files. It shows you a diff preview before applying changes.

Cursor has a larger community, more model choices, and is more established. Windsurf is cheaper ($15/mo vs $20/mo) and has the Cascade agent for more autonomous coding. Choose Cursor for flexibility and maturity, Windsurf for price and agentic coding. See our comparison.

Cursor requires an internet connection for AI features (completions, chat, Composer). Basic code editing works offline since it is built on VS Code, but the AI features that make Cursor valuable need connectivity.

Yes, code context is sent to AI model providers (OpenAI, Anthropic) for processing. Cursor offers a Privacy Mode that limits what is sent. Business plans include SOC 2 compliance and data handling agreements. For fully private AI coding, consider Tabnine's on-premise option.