Windsurf vs Cursor comparison
Windsurf vs Cursor vs Kilo Code
Windsurf is now Devin Desktop, a local-to-cloud agent editor. Cursor remains an AI-native editor, while Kilo Code is the open-source alternative for teams that want model choice, local models, and multi-surface workflows.
Quick verdict
Devin Desktop
AI editor, formerly WindsurfDevelopers who want a dedicated agent-first editor with direct handoff to Devin Cloud.
- •Local-to-cloud Devin workflow
- •Parallel agents, worktrees, and Arena
- •Free, Pro, Max, Teams, and Enterprise plans
Cursor
AI-native IDEDevelopers who want a mature AI-first editor with strong Tab autocomplete, background agents, and enterprise controls.
- •Cursor Tab and next edits
- •Background agents
- •Business controls at team tier
Kilo Code
Open-source agentTeams that prefer open-source code, transparent usage, flexible models, and agents across IDE, CLI, cloud, and Slack.
- •MIT IDE and CLI clients; free individual platform access
- •500+ hosted models plus local model support
- •Teams billing and analytics; Enterprise SSO/SCIM and audit logs
Feature-by-feature comparison
Devin Desktop and Cursor are closest when you want a replacement editor. Kilo is strongest when you want the agent to follow your workflow rather than move your workflow into one editor.
Primary interface
Devin Desktop
Standalone AI editor
Cursor
Standalone AI editor
Kilo Code
Desktop (beta), VS Code, JetBrains, CLI, and Cloud
Open-source boundary
Devin Desktop
Proprietary product
Cursor
Proprietary product
Kilo Code
MIT IDE/CLI clients; source-available hosted backend
Individual entry price
Devin Desktop
Free / Pro $20 / Max $200
Cursor
Free and paid X Subscription tiers; legacy plans also exist
Kilo Code
Free individual platform; inference and cloud compute separate
Team plan
Devin Desktop
Check current Desktop and Cloud packaging separately
Cursor
Teams tiers plus separately billed eligible third-party models
Kilo Code
$15/user/month plus usage; Enterprise custom
Model access
Devin Desktop
Curated hosted models
Cursor
OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, xAI, Cursor, and more
Kilo Code
500+ hosted models, BYOK, local models
Local models
Devin Desktop
Not publicly documented
Cursor
Not documented by Cursor
Kilo Code
Ollama and LM Studio supported
Autocomplete
Devin Desktop
Tab completions and inline edits
Cursor
Cursor Tab
Kilo Code
Autocomplete plus agent workflows
Agent workflow
Devin Desktop
Devin Local, CLI, and Cloud
Cursor
Agent mode and background agents
Kilo Code
Specialized agents, custom agents, cloud agents
Enterprise controls
Devin Desktop
Team and enterprise controls
Cursor
SSO, SCIM, analytics, privacy controls
Kilo Code
Enterprise: SSO/SCIM and audit logs; Teams: billing and analytics
Where Kilo fits
Kilo is the better fit when your team likes parts of the AI editor experience but does not want the editor itself to become the platform boundary. You can keep familiar IDEs, use the CLI, run cloud agents, and choose the model/provider per job.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find quick answers to common questions.
It depends on workflow preference. Devin Desktop emphasizes local-to-cloud handoff, parallel agents, worktrees, and Arena, while Cursor emphasizes Cursor Tab, cloud agents, and a mature AI editor workflow. Kilo is the alternative when open source, local models, and multi-surface support are more important.
Yes. Cognition renamed Windsurf to Devin Desktop in June 2026. Windsurf and Codeium names remain relevant for legacy plugins, configuration paths, and search intent.
No. Keep VS Code, JetBrains, CLI, or Cloud workflows, or choose Kilo Desktop beta for a separate code-and-data workspace. Desktop is optional, not a forced editor migration.
Yes. Kilo Desktop is in beta for macOS Apple Silicon, Windows, and Linux. It uses the Kilo CLI agent engine and combines agent chat with files, git, terminals, interactive Python notebooks, and conda environments. Its built-in local model server, notebooks, and conda environments require a Kilo account. Desktop is an alternative workspace, not a requirement to replace your existing IDE.
Individual platform access is free. Teams costs $15/user/month; Enterprise is custom. Paid inference and cloud compute are separate. Kilo Gateway charges provider rates with no inference markup; a 5% processing fee applies to card purchases of credits, including optional Kilo Pass. Seat subscriptions and non-card payments are excluded from that processing fee. BYOK covers inference through your provider, not Kilo cloud compute.
The VS Code extension, JetBrains plugin, and CLI are MIT-licensed. Gateway and Cloud backend code are source-available under their repository license, with security and abuse-protection exclusions. These component licenses should not be generalized to the entire hosted platform or Desktop application.
Yes. Kilo supports provider credentials and compatible local inference, including Ollama and LM Studio. Desktop also has a managed local model server for imported GGUF files. Local inference keeps prompts out of hosted model providers, but does not by itself make the whole application offline or air-gapped. Hosted features and connected tools have their own data flows.
Cloud Agents support repository-based work, webhook triggers, and scheduled triggers; triggers are in beta. The current documentation limits each message to 15 minutes, so break long jobs into steps. Cloud compute is billed separately from inference, including with BYOK. Local tools and MCP support should not be assumed to work identically in a hosted environment; check the current Cloud Agent documentation for limits.