Head-to-head
Cursor vs Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf): which one in 2026?
Cursor from Anysphere and Devin Desktop from Cognition, the product Windsurf was renamed to, are the two AI-first code editors most developers shortlist. Cursor sells included usage for its own models and bills outside models separately. Devin Desktop covers frontier models inside one quota shared with Cognition's cloud agent.
Verdict
Cursor is the safer choice on data terms and brings code review and cloud agents, but outside models cost extra and the bill grows with how you work. Devin Desktop is cheaper to start with, since frontier models share a quota, though it trains on data until you opt out and its product line is still settling after the Windsurf rename. Run the same two real tasks in each free tier first.
Cursor and Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) side by side
| Cursor | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) | |
|---|---|---|
| Price entry | $8 per month (Plus) | $20 per month (Pro) |
| Name and ownership | Cursor is made by Anysphere and is now sold as part of The X Subscription, which bundles Grok, Cursor and X under one account. | Devin Desktop is the new name for Windsurf and belongs to Cognition. The vendor says existing plans, extensions and settings carried over. |
| Free plan | The Free tier gives limited agent and chat requests. It is a trial of the editor rather than a working allowance for daily use. | Free adds unlimited Tab completions and unlimited inline edits, with a light quota for agents and limited model availability. |
| First paid step | Plus costs $8 per month but only runs Cursor's own models. Premium at $30 is the first tier with cloud agents, Bugbot and outside models. | Pro costs $20 per month and includes frontier models from OpenAI, Claude, Gemini and SpaceXAI, free use of SWE-2 and access to cloud agents. |
| Highest individual tier | Ultra costs $200 per month and gives 50 times the usage of Plus, with earliest access to new products and models. | Max also costs $200 per month and lifts the quota well above Pro, but the page gives no multiple to compare against. |
| Outside models | Claude, GPT and Gemini are not part of the included pool. Premium and above pay API list price from prepaid credit. | Frontier models draw on the plan quota first. Extra usage past that quota is bought at API pricing and rolls over without expiring. |
| Team pricing | Teams seats cost $30, $100 or $200 each, matching the individual tiers. Third-party requests add a $0.25 per million token Cursor rate. | Teams charges at least $80 per month, with $40 per full seat. Flex seats are free but draw on shared credits and exclude the desktop app. |
| Quota rhythm | Paid plans share one weekly pool across the editor, CLI, cloud agents and Grok, and the pool refreshes weekly. | Pro and full seats get a daily and a weekly allowance, shared across Devin sessions, the CLI and the desktop app. Max has a weekly one only. |
| Training default | With Privacy Mode on, Cursor does not train on customer data. With it off, Cursor may use codebase data and prompts. | Cognition may use data for training by default. Paid users opt out in Data Controls, Teams admins control it, and Enterprise is never trained on. |
| Multi-agent workflow | An agents window runs the Cursor agent, with cloud agents and automations on Premium and above for work that continues without the laptop open. | Spaces share context and git worktrees across agents, and a Kanban view tracks sessions. The model picker lists Codex, Claude Agent and OpenCode beside Devin. |
Where each one wins
Cursor wins on
- Privacy Mode is a plain switch with a clear promise of no training and zero-retention deals with model providers.
- A $8 Plus tier lets a hobbyist keep a paid seat on Cursor's own models for less than a $20 plan.
- SOC 2, ISO 27001, ISO 42001 and AIUC-1 are shown on the pricing page, which helps a security review.
Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) wins on
- Frontier models from several labs sit inside the $20 Pro quota, so a model switch does not trigger a second bill.
- Free keeps unlimited Tab completions and inline edits, which is a more usable free tier than a trial.
- A flat $40 full seat in Teams is easier to forecast than seats that vary by tier.
Which to pick
Pick Cursor if
You want a clear no-training switch, are comfortable paying API rates for outside models, and want Bugbot review and cloud agents in one subscription.
Pick Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) if
You want several labs' models inside one $20 quota, a free tier with unlimited completions, and one workspace for many agents.
Each tool in context: Cursor profile, Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) profile, and the full Best AI Coding Assistants in 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is Devin Desktop the same product as Windsurf?
Yes. The Devin Desktop page on devin.ai says it is the new name for Windsurf, built on the same IDE foundation, and that plan, pricing, extensions and settings carry over after an over-the-air update. The old Windsurf for JetBrains plugin continues to be available for download.
Which is cheaper for one developer, Cursor or Devin Desktop?
Devin Desktop is cheaper to cover several models, because its $20 Pro quota includes frontier models. Cursor starts lower at $8 for Plus, but that tier only runs its own models, and outside models need Premium at $30 plus prepaid credit billed at API list price.
Do Cursor and Devin Desktop train on my code?
Cursor does not train on customer data when Privacy Mode is on, and may use codebase data and prompts when it is off. Cognition may use data for training by default, paid plans can opt out in Data Controls, and Enterprise customers are not trained on without written consent.
Can a team mix light and heavy users on one plan?
Both allow it in different ways. Cursor Teams lets admins mix Premium, Super and Ultra seats on one team. Devin Teams mixes $40 full seats with free flex seats, but flex seats draw on shared credits and do not include the desktop app.