AI Code Editors Showdown: Cursor vs Windsurf vs Cline vs Roo Code vs Augment Code

In the rapidly evolving world of AI-powered coding tools, finding the right assistant for your programming journey can be overwhelming. This comprehensive comparison breaks down the features, pricing, and capabilities of five leading AI code editors to help you make an informed decision - whether you're just starting out or looking to level up your coding efficiency.

What Are AI Code Editors?

AI code editors are special programs that use artificial intelligence to help you write code faster and with fewer errors. Think of them like having a super-smart coding buddy who can suggest what to write next, explain concepts, or even create entire sections of code based on your instructions.

These tools have become incredibly popular because they can:

• Complete your code as you type
• Generate functions from natural language descriptions
• Help debug problems in your code
• Answer your programming questions
• Write entire programs based on your instructions

The Major Players: A Detailed Look

Cursor

Cursor is one of the more established AI coding assistants that has built a strong reputation among developers.

Key Features:

• Built on VSCode (a popular code editor), making it familiar for many coders
• Offers both code completion and a chat interface for asking questions
• Includes "Cursor Tab" - a powerful autocomplete feature that's more advanced than GitHub Copilot[18]

Pricing:

• Hobby: Free (includes 2-week Pro trial, 2,000 completions, 50 slow requests)
• Pro: $20/month (unlimited completions, 500 fast premium model uses)
• Business: $40/user/month (adds team features)[18]

Cursor also offers a "Max Mode" with token-based pricing, charging the model provider's API price plus a 20% margin[19].

Windsurf (formerly Codeium)

Windsurf recently rebranded from Codeium and has been making waves by aggressively cutting prices to compete with Cursor.

Key Features:

• Their own SWE-1 family of models (SWE-1, SWE-1-Lite, SWE-1-Mini)
• Integration with OpenAI models
• Recently eliminated complex "flow action credits"[10]

Pricing:

• Free: $0/month (25 prompt credits/month, unlimited SWE-1 Lite)
• Pro: $15/month (500 prompt credits/month, SWE-1 model access)
• Teams: $30/user/month (adds centralized billing, admin dashboard)[3][10]

Windsurf is reportedly generating about $100 million in annual recurring revenue, though this is smaller than Cursor's estimated $300 million[10].

Cline

Cline (previously known as Claude-Dev) is a newer AI coding assistant that works as a plugin for Visual Studio Code.

Key Features:

• Model flexibility through OpenRouter integration
• Real-time assistance as you code
• Natural language understanding for coding instructions[11]
• 100% transparent codebase[5]

Pricing:

• Subscription-based: $20/month
• No token-based limitations
• Free trial period available[11]

Roo Code

Roo Code is unique because it's completely free and open-source. It's designed to work like a junior developer that can code with minimal human guidance.

Key Features:

• Autonomous coding capabilities
• Open-source (meaning anyone can view and improve the code)
• Multi-turn coding sessions
• Integration with your terminal and development environment[6][12]

Pricing:

• Free
• Open-source[6]

Augment Code

Augment Code is the newest and most expensive option among these AI coding assistants.

Key Features:

• Designed for individuals or small teams
• Features for shipping code to production quickly[8]

Pricing:

• Developer: $50/month
• 14-day free trial available
• Messages are pooled at team level[8]

Pricing Comparison: Who Offers the Best Value?

For an easy comparison, here's how these tools stack up on price:

Windsurf has explicitly positioned itself as more affordable than Cursor, cutting its Pro plan to $15/month compared to Cursor's $20/month[10]. As Windsurf's product marketer Rob Hou stated, they now have "BY FAR the best and most affordable pricing structure of all AI coding tools on the market"[10].

Understanding API Pricing vs. App Pricing

An important concept to understand when choosing AI coding tools is the difference between API pricing and app pricing:

App Pricing means you pay a fixed monthly fee (like $20/month for Cursor Pro) regardless of how much you use the tool. This makes budgeting simple and predictable.

API Pricing means you pay based on your actual usage, usually measured in "tokens" (pieces of text) or requests. Cursor's "Max Mode" uses this approach, charging based on the underlying AI model's rates plus a 20% fee[19].

For context, paying $20/month for 500 requests to powerful AI models like Claude 3.7 Sonnet ($3/million tokens[7]) is actually quite cost-effective compared to using these models directly through their APIs. For beginners or casual users, app pricing is usually more budget-friendly and predictable.

The Backends: What Powers These Tools?

The "backend" refers to the AI technology and models that actually power these coding assistants:

Cursor integrates with various AI models including OpenAI's GPT-4/4o and Anthropic's Claude models. In Max Mode, it directly uses these providers' APIs[19].

Windsurf has developed its own family of coding-specific AI models:

• SWE-1: Their most capable model (currently free for Pro users)
• SWE-1-Lite: A free model replacing their previous base model
• SWE-1-Mini: Optimized for tab completion[4]

Cline primarily uses Anthropic's Claude models, particularly Claude 3.5 Sonnet, through OpenRouter integration which allows access to various AI models[11].

Roo Code is open-source and can potentially work with various AI models depending on configuration[12].

Augment Code doesn't have specific backend information available in the search results.

Which One Is Best For Beginners?

If you're just starting your coding journey:

Roo Code is the most budget-friendly option since it's completely free, making it perfect if you're just experimenting with coding.

Windsurf's Pro plan at $15/month offers good value if you're ready to invest a little money, giving you access to powerful AI models at the lowest paid price point.

Cursor has been around longer and might have a more polished experience, though it costs $5 more per month than Windsurf.

Cline could be good if you're already familiar with VSCode, as it integrates directly with that popular editor.

Augment Code, at $50/month, is likely too expensive for most beginners unless you have specific needs that only it can meet.

Development Status: Works in Progress

It's important to know that all these tools are undergoing rapid development:

• Cursor recently released version 0.50, adding features like "max mode" and "background agents"[2]
• Windsurf recently rebranded from Codeium and launched its SWE-1 family of models[4]
• Cline, Roo Code, and Augment Code are also regularly updated

None of these tools have reached version 1.0 yet, which means they're still considered to be in relatively early development despite their impressive capabilities. This also means features and pricing could change quickly.

Industry Developments Worth Noting

The AI coding assistant space is experiencing significant business activity:

• Windsurf is reportedly being considered for acquisition by OpenAI for $3 billion
• Cursor's creator Anysphere is reportedly in talks to raise funding at a $10 billion valuation
• Windsurf is generating approximately $100 million in annual recurring revenue while Cursor is at about $300 million[10]

These developments suggest that major tech companies see these tools as extremely valuable, which could lead to more investment and improvement.

Conclusion: Which One Should You Choose?

The best AI coding assistant for you depends on your specific situation:

For absolute beginners or those on a tight budget: Roo Code is free and open-source, making it the most accessible entry point.

For beginners willing to spend a little: Windsurf Pro at $15/month offers good value with access to powerful models.

For those wanting the most established option: Cursor Pro at $20/month has been a leader in this space.

For VSCode users: Cline integrates directly with your existing editor.

For professional teams with specific needs: Consider Augment Code if its features justify the higher price.

Remember that these tools are evolving rapidly, so it's worth trying the free trials of several options to see which works best for your specific needs and learning style.

Whichever tool you choose, AI coding assistants can dramatically accelerate your programming progress by providing guidance, suggestions, and automating repetitive coding tasks.

Glossary of Terms

API: Application Programming Interface - a way for different software programs to communicate with each other.

Tokens: The small pieces of text that AI models process. For example, "The cat sat" might be 3 tokens.

Open-source: Software whose source code is publicly available for anyone to view, use, or modify.

VSCode: Visual Studio Code, a popular code editor made by Microsoft.

GPT-4/Claude: Advanced AI models that power many AI tools.

Autonomous agent: An AI system that can perform tasks with minimal human intervention.

Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR): The money a company makes from subscriptions over a year.

Sources

[1] https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/278f3b666c4e09210b13a45d6d34d2fffc44a6d2
[2] https://forum.cursor.com/t/where-to-find-0-50-update/90726
[3] https://windsurf.com/pricing
[4] https://windsurf.com/changelog
[5] https://cline.bot
[6] https://aiagentstore.ai/ai-agent/roo-code
[7] https://www.anthropic.com/pricing
[8] https://www.augmentcode.com/pricing
[10] https://techcrunch.com/2025/04/23/windsurf-slashes-prices-as-competition-with-cursor-heats-up/
[11] https://www.wisp.blog/blog/cline-vs-cursor-the-battle-of-ai-code-editors
[12] https://github.com/RooVetGit/Roo-Code
[18] https://www.cursor.com/pricing
[19] https://docs.cursor.com/models