Quick Verdict
Windsurf by Codeium is an AI-first IDE that combines editor and AI assistant into a unified coding experience. Features Cascade for multi-file agentic coding, deep codebase understanding, and flows that anticipate your next steps.
Best for: Developers wanting AI-first, Complex coding tasks, Codebase exploration, Budget-conscious devs
Windsurf
Windsurf by Codeium is an AI-first IDE that combines editor and AI assistant into a unified coding experience. Features Cascade for multi-file agentic coding, deep codebase understanding, and flows that anticipate your next steps.
Best for: Developers wanting AI-first • Complex coding tasks • Codebase exploration • Budget-conscious devs
Key Features
- Cascade agentic coding
- Flows (predictive actions)
- Multi-file editing
- Codebase understanding
- Terminal integration
- VS Code base
- Free tier available
- Custom model support
Pros
- Powerful agentic features
- Good free tier
- Deep context awareness
- Fast performance
- Active development
Cons
- Newer than competitors
- Learning new paradigm
- Some features beta
- Less extensions than VS Code
Pricing
| Plan | Details |
|---|---|
| Free | Free forever - unlimited autocomplete, 5 premium AI interactions/day |
| Pro | $15/month - unlimited flows, priority support |
| Enterprise | Custom pricing - SSO, on-prem deployment, dedicated support |
VS Code-based editor. Free tier very generous compared to competitors.
Tips & Best Practices
Use Cascade for multi-step tasks
Let it index your full codebase for best results
Combine autocomplete with Flows for efficiency
Use natural language in command palette
Features
- Cascade agentic coding
- Flows (predictive actions)
- Multi-file editing
- Codebase understanding
- Terminal integration
- VS Code base
- Free tier available
- Custom model support
Best for: Developers wanting AI-first • Complex coding tasks • Codebase exploration • Budget-conscious devs
Pros
- Powerful agentic features
- Good free tier
- Deep context awareness
- Fast performance
- Active development
Cons
- Newer than competitors
- Learning new paradigm
- Some features beta
- Less extensions than VS Code
Final Recommendation
Windsurf is a freemium AI tool best suited for Developers wanting AI-first and Complex coding tasks.