Cursor vs Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf): which AI editor is better?

How they differ

Dimension	Cursor	Devin Desktop
Made by	Anysphere	Cognition — was Windsurf until the June 2026 rebrand
Form factor	Standalone editor built on the VS Code codebase	Standalone editor built on the VS Code codebase
Signature feature	Tab — multi-line predictive edits — plus a full agent mode	Cascade — a guided, step-by-step agent flow
Models	Multi-model: Claude, GPT, Gemini and its own models	Multi-model, with in-house SWE models
Pricing	Free tier, then subscription with usage-based credits	Free tier, then subscription with usage-based credits
Best for	Developers who live in the editor and want the strongest autocomplete	Developers who prefer a guided agent flow over raw chat

Both sit in the full ranking: What are the best AI coding agents?

What power users lean on

Cursor

• 01Multitask runs parallel local agents isolated in git worktrees; multi-root workspaces let one session edit across repos
• 02Cursor Router picks a model per request — Intelligence, Balance or Cost mode — with org-level admin controls
• 03Bugbot reviews pull requests and deep-links each finding as a 'Fix in Cursor' jump into the editor
• 04Memories auto-capture project context (with approval), alongside Project, User, Team and AGENTS.md rules
• 05Companion iPad and iOS apps launch, steer and merge background agents away from the desk

Devin Desktop

• 01Formerly Windsurf — rebranded Devin Desktop in June 2026 after the Cognition acquisition, with Devin cloud agents embedded in the IDE
• 02The Agent Command Center organizes agent sessions kanban-style, grouped into task-level Spaces
• 03Plan mode restricts the agent to read-only research before it acts; worktree sessions merge back with one click
• 04Cascade memories persist corrections and preferences per workspace across sessions
• 05Browser preview proxies your local dev server so captured elements and console output land in agent context

Common questions

Can I bring my VS Code extensions and settings to Cursor or Devin Desktop?

Yes. Both are built on the VS Code codebase and import your extensions, themes and keybindings on first run. A small number of Microsoft-proprietary extensions are excluded from both.

Do Cursor and Devin Desktop let me pick which model to use?

Yes — both are multi-model and expose a model picker per request, including Claude and GPT options. The default tier and how model usage is metered against your plan is where the two differ.

Is Windsurf still called Windsurf?

The editor rebranded to Devin Desktop in June 2026, a year after Cognition acquired Windsurf, and it now ships with Devin's cloud agents embedded. The product continues; the name on the download page changed.