Cursor

Key Features

• Codebase indexing for whole-repository context in completions
• Composer: multi-file AI edit agent with diff review before applying
• Chat mode with @ references for files, docs, symbols, and web
• Credit-based pricing with premium models (Claude 4.6, GPT-4o, o3)
• Cursor Marketplace for extensions and community tools
• JetBrains plugin (IntelliJ, PyCharm, WebStorm) as of 2025
• Shadow workspace: preview AI changes before applying to active files
• Notepads for reusable context templates across sessions

Pros & cons

Pricing

Pro starts $20/mo with frontier model access; Pro+/Ultra are higher individual tiers for power users. Usage-based billing (e.g. Bugbot) on top. Teams adds SSO, analytics, privacy mode.

Tips & Best Practices

1. Use @ to reference specific files or symbols in Composer prompts — it reduces hallucinated imports significantly
2. Set a default model to Claude 4.6 Sonnet for Composer tasks; switch to GPT-4o mini for autocomplete to conserve credits
3. Create Notepads with your project's architecture decisions and coding standards for consistent AI behavior
4. Use the Diff review screen in Composer to audit every change before applying — never auto-apply to production files

How Cursor compares

View full comparison

vs

Windsurf

4.0

5 advantages

vs

Claude Code

4.2

5 advantages

vs

GitHub Copilot

4.2

6 advantages

+8 more comparisons available

Alternatives to Cursor

Final Recommendation

Cursor is a freemium AI tool best suited for Professional developers wanting the most capable AI-native editor with multi-file editing, Teams standardizing on VS Code or JetBrains who want integrated AI without switching tools.