Windsurf is the underdog of AI code editors. It does not have Cursor’s hype or Copilot’s install base. But it has something neither of them has — Cascade.
Cascade is an AI agent that understands your entire codebase, plans multi-step edits, and executes them while explaining every decision. It is Windsurf’s killer feature.
I used Windsurf for real projects over several weeks. Here is my honest review.
What Is Windsurf?
Windsurf is an AI-first code editor built on VS Code. It was originally called Codeium, and it started as a free AI autocomplete extension. In 2024, it became a full IDE. In late 2025, Cognition AI (the company behind Devin) acquired Windsurf for around $250 million.
Like Cursor, Windsurf supports all VS Code extensions, themes, and keybindings. If you use VS Code, the switch is seamless.
But Windsurf is not trying to be “VS Code plus AI.” It is designed from the ground up to be an AI-first editor where the AI is a core part of every workflow.
Key Features
Cascade — The Star of the Show
Cascade is Windsurf’s agentic AI assistant. It is not just a chatbot. It is a multi-step planner that can:
- Read your entire codebase for context
- Plan a sequence of changes before making them
- Edit multiple files in one operation
- Run terminal commands
- Install dependencies
- Fix errors it finds along the way
What makes Cascade different from Cursor’s Composer or Copilot’s Agent mode is how it plans. Before making changes, Cascade shows you its plan. You see every step it intends to take. You can approve, modify, or reject the plan before any code changes.
User: "Add authentication to the Express API using JWT"
Cascade Plan:
1. Install jsonwebtoken and bcrypt packages
2. Create auth middleware in src/middleware/auth.ts
3. Create login and register routes in src/routes/auth.ts
4. Add auth middleware to protected routes in src/routes/api.ts
5. Create User model with hashed passwords
6. Update environment variables
7. Add tests for auth flow
Proceed? [Yes / Edit Plan / Cancel]
This plan-first approach gives you control. You know exactly what will happen before it happens.
Flows
Flows are Windsurf’s way of saving and replaying common AI workflows. Think of them as macros for AI tasks.
For example, you can create a Flow for “Add a new API endpoint” that always:
- Creates the route file
- Adds input validation
- Creates the service layer
- Adds tests
- Updates the API documentation
Save it once, use it on every new endpoint. Flows make repetitive tasks consistent.
Memories
Windsurf’s Memories system learns your codebase over time. It remembers:
- Your coding patterns and preferences
- Project architecture decisions
- Common libraries and frameworks you use
- How you structure files and folders
The longer you use Windsurf on a project, the better its suggestions become. It is like having a teammate who gets better every week.
Autocomplete
Windsurf’s autocomplete is solid. It is fast, context-aware, and handles multi-line predictions well. It is not quite as impressive as Cursor’s Tab completion, but it is better than basic Copilot completions.
MCP Support
Windsurf supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP), which lets Cascade connect to external tools. This means it can:
- Pull commit histories from GitHub
- Query your database directly
- Read Jira tickets or Linear issues
- Access documentation from external sources
MCP turns Cascade from a code editor into a development platform.
Pricing in 2026
| Plan | Price | Credits | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 25/month | Basic autocomplete, limited Cascade |
| Pro | $15/month | 500/month | Full Cascade, all models, Flows |
| Teams | $30/user/month | 1,000/month | Admin controls, shared Flows |
| Enterprise | $60/user/month | Custom | Zero data retention, SSO, SCIM |
Credits work differently from Cursor. Each Cascade interaction costs credits based on complexity. A simple question costs 1 credit. A multi-file refactor might cost 5-10 credits.
The Free Tier Problem
Windsurf’s free tier gives you 25 credits per month. That is not much. You will burn through them in 2-3 days of active use. The free tier is good for trying Windsurf, but not for daily work.
If you want to seriously evaluate Windsurf, use the 2-week Pro trial that comes with 100 credits.
Is $15/Month Worth It?
At $15/month, Windsurf is cheaper than Cursor ($20/month) and offers a unique set of features. If Cascade’s plan-first approach matches how you think about coding, it is worth every penny.
The 500 credits on the Pro plan are enough for most developers. You might run low near the end of the month if you use Cascade heavily for big refactors.
Windsurf vs Cursor vs VS Code + Copilot
| Feature | Windsurf | Cursor | VS Code + Copilot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autocomplete | Good | Best | Good |
| Chat | Cascade — plan-first | Chat + Composer | Copilot Chat |
| Multi-file editing | Cascade — good | Composer — best | Agent — improving |
| Agent | Cascade agent | Background agents | Agent mode |
| Unique feature | Flows, Memories | Background agents | Widest IDE support |
| MCP support | Yes | Limited | Limited |
| Price | $15/month | $20/month | $10/month |
| Stability | Some long-session issues | Occasional update bugs | Very stable |
| Codebase learning | Memories — learns over time | .cursorrules — manual | — |
Where Windsurf Wins
Price. $15/month is the cheapest premium AI editor. Five dollars less than Cursor, and you get strong features.
Plan-first approach. Seeing the plan before execution gives confidence. You catch mistakes before they happen.
Memories. Automatic learning of your codebase is something neither Cursor nor Copilot does well.
Flows. Reusable AI workflows save time on repetitive tasks.
Where Windsurf Falls Short
Autocomplete quality. Cursor’s Tab completion is still a step ahead. Windsurf is good, not great.
Long session stability. After extended Cascade sessions (30+ minutes of continuous agent work), Windsurf sometimes slows down or needs a restart.
Smaller community. Cursor and Copilot have larger communities. You will find more tutorials, tips, and troubleshooting help for those tools.
Free tier is too limited. 25 credits per month is barely enough to try the tool. Cursor’s free tier is more generous.
Who Should Use Windsurf?
Use Windsurf if:
- You want an AI editor that plans before it acts
- You do a lot of repetitive tasks that Flows can automate
- You want the cheapest premium AI editor
- You value MCP integration for connecting to external tools
- You work on long-term projects where Memories can learn your codebase
Use Cursor instead if:
- You want the best autocomplete experience
- You need background agents for parallel work
- You want the largest community and most tutorials
Use VS Code + Copilot instead if:
- You use JetBrains IDEs
- You want the most stable experience
- You need enterprise compliance features
- Budget is your top priority ($10/month)
What I Like Most
Cascade’s planning is excellent. Seeing the plan before execution changed how I think about AI coding. Instead of hoping the AI gets it right, I know exactly what it will do. I can catch mistakes at the plan stage, not after the code is written.
The price is right. At $15/month, Windsurf undercuts Cursor by $5/month while offering unique features. For budget-conscious developers, this matters.
Memories actually work. After two weeks on a project, Windsurf’s suggestions became noticeably better. It learned my patterns and stopped suggesting things that did not fit the project.
What I Do Not Like
The free tier is too stingy. 25 credits is not enough to evaluate the tool properly. Windsurf should offer at least 50-100 credits for free.
Long sessions get unstable. If you run Cascade for a complex, 45-minute refactoring session, you might hit performance issues. Restarting fixes it, but it breaks your flow.
The Cognition acquisition adds uncertainty. With Cognition (Devin’s parent company) owning Windsurf, the long-term direction is unclear. Will Windsurf stay an IDE, or become part of Devin? Nobody knows yet.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Windsurf
- Use Flows for repetitive tasks — create one for every common pattern in your project
- Let Memories build up — use Windsurf on the same project for at least a week before judging its context quality
- Review Cascade plans carefully — the plan stage is where you save the most time
- Use MCP to connect Windsurf to your external tools — it makes Cascade much more powerful
- Restart after long sessions — if things slow down, a quick restart fixes most issues
Final Verdict
Windsurf is a strong AI editor with a unique approach. Cascade’s plan-first methodology, Flows for automation, and Memories for codebase learning set it apart from Cursor and Copilot.
It is not the best at everything. Cursor has better autocomplete. Copilot has wider IDE support. But Windsurf has its own strengths that neither competitor matches.
At $15/month, it is worth trying — especially if you value seeing the plan before the AI starts editing your code.
Rating: 7.5/10
Great AI features and the best price among premium editors. Held back by stability issues in long sessions and a limited free tier. The Cognition acquisition adds some uncertainty about the future.