Cursor vs Devin Desktop: which is right for your business?
Pick Cursor if you want a mature, VS Code-based AI editor with strong agent features and a large extension ecosystem. Pick Windsurf, renamed Devin Desktop by Cognition in June 2026, if you want an editor built around managing several local and cloud agents from one command centre, or you already use Cognition's Devin agent. Both are VS Code-based and feel familiar. The main differences are product direction, defaults on training data and ownership: Cursor belongs to SpaceX, Windsurf to Cognition. Both changed hands recently, so confirm current terms and roadmaps before committing a team.
Last reviewed October 2026
Side-by-side comparison
| Cursor | Devin Desktop | |
|---|---|---|
| Best at | Codebase-aware editing, multi-file agent changes and cloud agents in a polished editor. | Running and supervising several coding agents at once through its Agent Command Center. |
| Current status | Owned by SpaceX since August 2026; product and brand unchanged. | Renamed Devin Desktop in June 2026; the Cascade agent was replaced by Devin Local. |
| Plan structure | Free Hobby tier, paid individual plans, per-seat Teams and custom Enterprise. | Free, Pro and Max individual plans, a Teams plan and custom Enterprise through Cognition. |
| Editor support | Its own VS Code-based editor only; JetBrains users need another tool. | Its own VS Code-based app, with a separate Windsurf plugin still available for JetBrains IDEs. |
| Training defaults | Privacy mode, available on every plan, stops training on your code; teams can enforce it. | Data may be used for training by default; paid plans can opt out, and Enterprise is excluded by contract. |
| Team and admin controls | SSO and team privacy mode on Teams; SCIM, audit logs and model controls on Enterprise. | Team membership and roles, enterprise local agent controls, SSO and usage limits through Cognition's platform. |
| Integrations | Most VS Code extensions, MCP servers, skills, hooks and a team plugin marketplace. | VS Code extensions, MCP servers and links to Devin's integrations such as Slack and Linear. |
| Data residency | No Australian hosting option; subprocessors listed on its trust portal. | No Australian option published; Cognition offers dedicated and FedRAMP deployments mainly aimed at US customers. |
| Learning curve | Low for VS Code users; agent features take a week or two to use well. | Low for the editor, but the agent board is a new way of working to learn. |
Choose Cursor if…
- →You want a stable product direction focused on the editor itself
- →You need privacy mode available on every plan, including free
- →Your team relies on a wide set of VS Code extensions
- →You prefer to start agents from the web, phone or command line as well as the editor
Choose Devin Desktop if…
- →You already use Cognition's Devin agent and want one vendor
- →You want to supervise several local and cloud agents from one board
- →Some developers use JetBrains IDEs and need a plugin option
- →You are an existing Windsurf customer and your plan carried over unchanged
For Australian businesses
Neither tool offers Australian data residency, so source code and prompts are processed overseas. Under the Privacy Act 1988, check whether repositories hold personal information and how APP 8 applies to cross-border disclosure. Windsurf's default of possible training on non-Enterprise data means admins on paid plans should opt out deliberately. Both vendors changed ownership recently, which can change terms and subprocessors, so record the version of the terms you accepted. Billing is in US dollars for both, and client contracts may forbid sending their code to AI services at all.
Our verdict
For most Australian teams Cursor is the more predictable choice in October 2026: privacy mode on every plan, a large extension ecosystem and an editor-first roadmap. Windsurf, now Devin Desktop, makes sense if you are buying into Cognition's agent platform and want to supervise many agents from one place, or you need a JetBrains plugin from the same vendor. Given the rebrand and the retirement of Cascade, run a fresh trial rather than relying on older reviews, and check training settings on day one.
Full reviews
Cursor
Free plan + paidCoding IDE
An AI code editor built on VS Code. It indexes your codebase so it can suggest completions, make edits across many files, and run agent-style tasks from plain-language instructions, with cloud agents you can also start from the web, a phone or the command line.
Best for: Professional developers who already work in VS Code
Cursor review →Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)
Free plan + paidCoding IDE
Cognition's AI code editor, sold as Windsurf until June 2026 and now called Devin Desktop. It pairs a full VS Code-style IDE with an agent command centre for dispatching and reviewing local and cloud agents, Tab-style completions, and Devin Local, the in-editor agent that replaced Cascade. Settings and plans carried over unchanged.
Best for: Developers who want an AI-first editor with a free starting plan
Devin Desktop review →
Frequently asked questions
Is Windsurf still available?
Yes, under a new name. Cognition renamed Windsurf to Devin Desktop in June 2026 and windsurf.com now redirects to Devin's site. Existing installs updated automatically and accounts, extensions and settings carried over. The Cascade agent was replaced by Devin Local.
Does either tool train on my code?
Cursor does not train on your code when privacy mode is on, which any user or team admin can enable. Cognition says it may use data for training by default, with an opt-out on paid plans and no training for Enterprise customers without written consent.
Which is better for a JetBrains team?
Windsurf has the edge, because a separate Windsurf plugin for JetBrains IDEs remains available. Cursor works only inside its own editor. A JetBrains team could also consider GitHub Copilot or JetBrains' own AI tools.
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Still deciding?
AI Lab Australia can trial both tools against your own documents and workflows, and set up the one that fits with the right privacy controls.