The verdict
Windsurf — acquired by Cognition and rebranded Devin Desktop in June 2026, though everyone still searches for it by name — competes with Cursor on free-tier value: Cascade combines copilot suggestions with autonomous multi-step actions, the editor experience is polished, and the free tier has usable request limits. For users evaluating AI IDEs without paying $20/mo to find out if AI coding even fits their workflow, Windsurf's free tier is the lowest-friction entry point. The honest tradeoffs: it's less mature than Cursor (smaller plugin ecosystem, fewer community resources, occasional rough edges in the Cascade flow), and the free tier still has request caps that get hit on heavy days. The standalone editor means leaving VSCode/JetBrains familiarity behind. For cost-sensitive teams, students, and developers evaluating the category, Windsurf's free tier is the cheapest viable entry point. For developers committed to the Cursor workflow or with JetBrains habits, alternatives fit better.