Windsurf vs Claude Code: Key Differences and Features

If you’re a developer, chances are an AI coding assistant has already found its way into your IDE. And if not, you might be here looking for one to boost your productivity.

Even at the enterprise level, teams are leaning into these tools. The reason is simple: AI coding assistants enhance developer efficiency and help companies maximize the value of their developer resources.

Two names you’ll hear a lot are Windsurf and Claude Code. Both are popular among coders and offer their own unique strengths. In this guide, we’ll walk through their key features, compare the differences, and discuss the factors to consider when choosing the one for your use case.

What Is Windsurf?

Codeium started out as an AI coding assistant, but it has now evolved into Windsurf, an AI-powered IDE built on top of VS Code. It’s designed to be simple, and automatically understands your code without extra setup.

The standout feature inside is its Cascade agent. It has two modes: chat and write. In chat mode, you ask questions about the project, explore logic, or identify bugs.

Write mode is an action mode. It makes the necessary changes to your code or generates new files based on your request.

Windsurf packs more advanced features than the popular Cursor AI while coming in at a lower price point. Instead of usage-based charges, Windsurf sticks to fixed monthly tiers so you always know what you’ll pay.

Core features

Cascade write mode: This is its most significant win. It automates multi-step coding and supports the entire flow. Set a high-level goal, such as “build me a puzzle app.” It breaks the work into steps, executes them, and asks for your approval at each stage.

In-line AI: The tool is handy right inside your IDE. While coding, you can select specific lines of code or functions, describe the change you want, and it applies only the necessary edits without touching the rest of your code.

Indexing engine: The Indexing Engine creates embeddings for your codebase that capture the meaning of your entire codebase. These embeddings live locally on your machine and can be retrieved with natural language. The result is faster responses and high-quality answers.

Previews: Windsurf shows a live preview of web projects within the IDE. You can click on any UI element and instruct the AI to adjust the styling or update the functionality, and the change is applied automatically.

Workflows: Workflows enable you to define a series of steps that Cascade can follow for repetitive tasks, such as deploying a release or responding to PR comments. Each workflow is saved as a markdown file, and once it’s in place, you can trigger it with a quick slash command like `/[name-of-workflow]`.

Strong privacy controls: Your chats, documents, and inputs are not used to train OpenAI models unless you allow it. For enterprise teams, there’s an option for zero-day retention, meaning memory is not stored at all after the session ends.

Free tier: The free tier is incredibly generous. It includes unlimited code completions and free unlimited previews.

What Is Claude Code?

Claude Code runs directly in your terminal. It deeply understands your codebase and supports development workflows through natural language prompts.

While the Claude web interface is designed for conversational AI, Claude Code integrates deeply into your development environment for coding tasks. It maps your project’s structure, interprets your files, and can take direct action on your repo — all without leaving the terminal.

Claude Code delivers impressive results, but the cost structure is a sticking point. Unlike Windsurf’s predictable tiers, Claude Code charges by the token. Therefore, scalable usage may result in higher bills.

Core features

Less manual context: You don't need to manually feed extra context to the tool. It directly understands the project repository and uses that context to answer your queries.

Access to the best models: The Claude family is known for its strongest AI coding models. Claude code natively accesses those models to answer your code queries.

Claude Code as an Editor: Instead of manually applying changes, you just tell it what you want, then Claude Code makes the changes directly, leaving you to focus on guiding and reviewing its output.

Deep customization: Claud Code supports custom hooks, slash commands, and project-specific configurations. You can define commands, testing instructions, or code style rules inside a CLAUDE.md file, and the agent will follow them. You can even add detailed task files in `.claude/commands/` and call them whenever you need, on whatever file you’re working with.

Run multiple agents in parallel: Since Claude Code runs in the terminal, it can operate across multiple sessions simultaneously. You can spin up several agents, each with its own context, and let them work independently. One agent might debug a Python traceback while another refactors your SQL models, both running in parallel.

Windsurf vs Claude Code: Table Comparison

Feature	Windsurf	Claude Code
Platform	AI-powered IDE built on VS Code. Also works as a browser extension for other editors.	Runs directly in the terminal.
Setup & configuration	Download from Windsurf's website and configure in the IDE settings.	Install via CLI commands. Configure using local .claude/ files and terminal.
Active sessions	Typically one active session per window.	Run multiple agents simultaneously in parallel terminal sessions.
Reasoning transparency	Cascade shows internal reasoning steps so you can review outputs before accepting changes.	Doesn't automatically expose internal reasoning.
AI Models	External models from providers like Gemini and its own proprietary SWE-1 models, which are optimized for coding tasks.	Tightly integrated with the Claude ecosystem. Uses Claude 3 and Claude 4 versions.
Pricing plans	Fixed monthly tiers with a free plan	Pay-as-you-go, priced by tokens. More usage means higher costs.
Learning curve	Beginner-friendly with the most intuitive UI	Not very easy for beginners. Should be familiar with CLI or terminal
Best for	Developers who want AI embedded in their everyday coding workspace.	Fits developers who live in the terminal

Windsurf vs Claude Code: Which is best?

Claude Code stands out for senior developers who are comfortable in the terminal. Its tight integration with Git and command-based workflows makes it a natural fit for advanced users.

It runs multiple agent sessions in parallel, handles tasks simultaneously, and supports deep customization through hooks and markdown-based commands.

It’s powered by Claude models optimized for coding, so the results are usually fast and accurate. The tradeoff is cost: pricing is token-based, which can add up quickly during heavy usage. Also, it requires terminal or CLI expertise to unlock its full potential.

Windsurf, on the other hand, is built for accessibility. It’s beginner-friendly with an intuitive UI and fits seamlessly into an IDE workflow. Inside the editor, it handles auto code completion, bug fixing, and file edits with strong context awareness.

Pricing is predictable with fixed monthly tiers, and the free plan is worth exploring for everyday tasks.

When to choose Windsurf

Choose Windsurf if:

• You want a fully AI-powered VS Code-like IDE for your everyday workflows.
• Your projects involve medium-sized codebases.
• You prefer an intuitive, chat-based interface.
• You need predictable monthly costs and are working with a limited budget.
• You want workflow automation.

When to choose Claude Code

Claude Code if:

• You want end-to-end automation and are willing to invest some effort upfront.
• You work with large, complex codebases.
• High accuracy is your top requirement.
• You prefer not to change your existing terminal-based setup.
• You have the budget to handle token-based pricing.
• You want custom, full automation.

Conclusion

Windsurf and Claude Code aren’t the only players in the space; there are other great coding assistants, such as Tembo. Tembo deeply integrates with existing development infrastructure to automatically detect issues, analyze system performance, and implement comprehensive solutions.

In production environments, Tembo can even operate as a fully autonomous engineer, monitoring systems and managing the full development cycle without human oversight.

Regardless of which tool you choose, the key is to align it with your workflow. The tool should understand your codebase context, integrate smoothly into your setup, and deliver value at a price that makes sense. Here are the top Windsurf alternatives worth exploring.