AI Coding Tools Comparison
Side-by-side comparison of the top AI coding assistants.
| Feature | Claude Code | Cursor | GitHub Copilot | Windsurf | Cline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terminal/CLI Native | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Multi-file Editing | ✓ | ✓ | Partial | ✓ | ✓ |
| Plan Mode | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | Basic | ✗ |
| Context Window | 200K tokens | 128K tokens | 8K tokens | 100K tokens | 200K tokens |
| Autonomous Mode | ✓ | Limited | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Git Integration | Native | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Basic |
| MCP Support | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | Planned |
| IDE Required | No | Yes (VS Code fork) | Yes | Yes (VS Code fork) | Yes (VS Code ext) |
| Pricing (approx) | $20/mo | $20/mo | $10-19/mo | $15/mo | Free + API costs |
Best for...
Claude Code
Terminal-native workflows, large codebases, strategic planning, DevOps automation
Cursor
VS Code users wanting AI-first editing, frontend development, inline suggestions
GitHub Copilot
Autocomplete, quick snippets, GitHub integration, enterprise teams
Windsurf
Agentic editing, autonomous refactoring, collaborative AI pair programming
Cline
DIY setups, bring-your-own-API-key, VS Code extension users, cost control