Cursor
The AI-native code editor with autonomous agent mode
Windsurf
The AI-powered IDE that keeps you in flow
Google Antigravity
Agent-first agentic IDE powered by Gemini 3
/// THE_VERDICT
Cursor retains the crown with its unmatched multi-file editing via Composer mode and the deepest model flexibility across all major LLM providers. Its codebase-wide context understanding remains the benchmark every competitor chases. Windsurf earns a strong second place — its Cascade agent delivers impressive multi-step reasoning at a more affordable $15/mo price point, making it the best value play for developers who want agent-level power. Google Antigravity brings a genuinely novel agent-first paradigm with its Manager view for orchestrating parallel agents, and its free preview pricing is hard to beat, but the tool is still maturing and its long-term pricing remains unconfirmed.
SCORE BREAKDOWN
DEEP DIVE
Cursor
The AI-native code editor with autonomous agent mode
/// JUDGE_SUMMARIES
"Cursor remains the benchmark AI coding editor, with Composer mode and intelligent tab completions that set the standard competitors chase. Its model-agnostic architecture supporting all major LLM providers future-proofs it against the rapidly shifting model landscape. The $20/mo price is justified for daily professional use but adds up quickly for teams."
"Cursor is an AI-first code editor with strong inline completions and a multi-file editing workflow that can apply coordinated changes across a project. Recent releases added subagents and skills to improve longer-running agent tasks and context management, alongside ongoing editor and CLI improvements. Pricing/quotas and occasional performance issues on very large repos are the main drawbacks."
"Cursor remains the undisputed king of AI IDEs in 2026. Version 2.4's introduction of 'Subagents' and the new 'Self-driving' research preview demonstrate an engineering lead that others are still chasing. Its deep integration of custom models (including the 'Tab' model) provides a latency/quality balance that feels like magic."
/// SYSTEM_DIAGNOSTICS
Power users who want the deepest AI integration in their editor with autonomous agent mode for complex multi-file tasks
Windsurf
The AI-powered IDE that keeps you in flow
/// JUDGE_SUMMARIES
"Cascade delivers genuinely impressive multi-step reasoning that handles complex coding tasks with minimal intervention, and the flow-state philosophy translates into less interruption during productive coding sessions. Core AI capabilities are top-tier with strong multi-file editing. The OpenAI acquisition introduces meaningful uncertainty about future direction, pricing, and model independence that tempers an otherwise excellent tool."
"Windsurf is an AI-first editor that combines fast completions with an agentic mode (Cascade) for multi-step changes across a project. It's great for iterative refactors, file creation, and wiring features end-to-end without constantly context-switching, with recent updates adding Arena and Plan Mode for tighter iteration loops. Expect occasional rough edges on very large repos, and keep an eye on credit usage for heavy agent work."
"Windsurf (rebranded from Codeium in 2025) has rapidly matured into a formidable Cursor competitor, focusing on 'Flow' over raw feature count. The 'Cascade' agent and 'Tab Tab Tab...Ship' workflow offer a more polished, less chaotic experience. Its 'Memories' feature for persistent project context is a standout engineering achievement."
/// SYSTEM_DIAGNOSTICS
Developers seeking Cursor-level AI capabilities at a more competitive price point with excellent agentic coding features
Google Antigravity
Agent-first agentic IDE powered by Gemini 3
/// JUDGE_SUMMARIES
"Google Antigravity introduces a genuinely novel agent-first paradigm with its Manager view for orchestrating multiple parallel agents across workspaces. The concept is powerful and the Gemini 3 Pro backing delivers solid code quality. However, the tool remains in public preview with unproven stability at scale, and the long-term pricing model is still unconfirmed—making current value assessments inherently temporary."
"Google Antigravity is an agent-first IDE with split Editor/Manager views designed for coordinating autonomous agents across a project. The public preview emphasizes transparency via artifacts (plans, task lists, and verification outputs) so you can review what the agent did and why. Its broad permissions and early-stage stability mean you should keep autonomy conservative on important repos and rely on tests and diff review."
"Google Antigravity is a promising glimpse into the future of 'Agent-First' IDEs. Powered by Gemini 3's massive context window, it handles entire repository orchestrations in memory. While still in preview, its ability to manage parallel agents for differing tasks (frontend, backend, db) hints at a shift away from linear coding assistance."
/// SYSTEM_DIAGNOSTICS
Developers who want an agent-first IDE with parallel agent orchestration and free access to Gemini 3
PRICING COMPARISON
| Metric | Cursor | Windsurf | Google Antigravity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Tier | ✓ 2000 completions, 50 slow premium requests/mo | ✓ Limited AI interactions per month | ✓ Free during public preview with generous Gemini 3 Pro limits |
| Pro Price | $20/mo | $15/mo | $19/mo (expected) |
| Team / Enterprise | $40/mo/seat | $30/mo/seat |
RELATED BATTLES
Methodology & Disclosure ▼
How we rate: Each AI model receives the same structured prompt asking it to evaluate each tool across our criteria on a 1-10 scale. Models rate independently — no model sees another's scores. Consensus score = weighted average. Agreement level = score spread.
Data verification: Pricing and feature data is manually verified against official sources weekly.
Affiliate disclosure: Links to tool signup pages may earn us a commission. This never influences AI ratings.