Every few years, a tool comes along that makes you wonder how you ever worked without it. In 2026, that tool is Cursor.
Our team tested Cursor extensively during real development projects. The AI-powered code completion and multi-file editing capabilities genuinely accelerated our workflow — particularly for TypeScript and React projects. Here’s what we found.
While most AI coding tools bolt a chatbot onto your existing editor and call it a day, Cursor took a different approach: they rebuilt the entire IDE around AI from the ground up. The result is something that feels less like “VS Code with a copilot” and more like having a senior developer pair-programming with you 24/7.
But at $60/month for the Individual plan (up from $20/month for the old Pro tier), is it actually worth it? I’ve spent weeks testing every major feature — Agent Mode, the new Subagents system, Cloud Agents, and more — to give you an honest assessment.
What Is Cursor?
Cursor is an AI-native code editor built by Anysphere, a San Francisco startup founded by Michael Truell, Sualeh Asif, Arvid Lunnemark, and Aman Sanger. It’s built on a fork of VS Code, which means you get the familiar interface, extensions ecosystem, and keybindings you already know — but with AI deeply integrated into every workflow.
The key distinction: AI isn’t a plugin in Cursor. It’s the architecture. Every feature — from tab completions to full autonomous agents — is designed to work together as a unified system, not a collection of bolted-on tools.
Key Features
Agent Mode
Agent Mode is Cursor’s flagship feature and the primary reason developers switch from VS Code + Copilot. Instead of just suggesting code completions, Agent Mode is a full autonomous coding agent that can:
- Read and understand your entire codebase
- Write new files and modify existing ones
- Run terminal commands (build, test, lint)
- Debug errors by reading stack traces and fixing root causes
- Iterate on its own output until tests pass
You describe what you want in natural language, and the agent executes multi-step plans to build it. It’s not perfect — complex architectural changes still need human guidance — but for implementing features, fixing bugs, and writing tests, it’s genuinely transformative.
Subagents (New in 2026)
Subagents are one of the most significant additions to Cursor this year. They’re independent, specialized agents that handle discrete parts of a parent agent’s task — running in parallel with their own context windows.
For example, when you ask Agent Mode to refactor a module, it might spawn subagents to: research your codebase for usage patterns, run terminal commands to check test coverage, and handle parallel file edits — all simultaneously.
Cursor ships default subagents for codebase research, terminal commands, and parallel work streams. You can also define custom subagents with specific prompts, tool access, and model configurations for your project’s needs.
Skills System (New in 2026)
Skills let you teach Cursor domain-specific knowledge and workflows. Define a SKILL.md file in your project, and the agent will discover and apply it when the task is relevant.
Unlike rules (which are always-on and declarative), skills are procedural “how-to” instructions that activate dynamically. Think of rules as “always do X” and skills as “when you encounter Y, here’s how to handle it.”
This is powerful for teams with specific coding standards, deployment workflows, or architectural patterns. Instead of re-explaining your conventions every session, you encode them once.
Cloud Agents (New in 2026)
Cloud Agents let you offload agent work to Cursor’s cloud infrastructure instead of running everything locally. This means you can kick off a complex refactoring task, close your laptop, and come back to the results later.
It’s particularly useful for long-running tasks that would otherwise tie up your local editor. Available on Individual plans and above.
Cursor CLI (New in 2026)
For developers who prefer the terminal, Cursor now offers a CLI agent. It brings the same Agent Mode capabilities to your command line — useful for headless environments, CI/CD pipelines, or developers who live in the terminal.
This puts Cursor in direct competition with terminal-native tools like Claude Code and Codex CLI.
Tab Completions
Tab completions are Cursor’s bread-and-butter productivity feature. Unlike basic autocomplete, Cursor predicts multi-line code blocks based on the full context of your file, recent edits, and project structure.
The completions are fast (sub-200ms) and eerily accurate. After a few days, you’ll find yourself accepting 60-70% of suggestions without modification. Unlimited on paid plans; limited on Hobby.
AI Code Review (New in 2026)
Cursor can now review your code changes before you commit. It analyzes diffs for bugs, security issues, performance problems, and style inconsistencies — functioning as an always-available code reviewer.
Integrations & MCP
Cursor supports Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers, letting agents connect to external tools and APIs. Built-in integrations include GitHub, GitLab, Slack, Linear, and AWS Bedrock (Teams/Enterprise).
Cursor Pricing (February 2026)
Important: Cursor restructured their pricing in late 2025. The old “Pro” plan at $20/month no longer exists. Here’s the current breakdown:
| Plan | Price | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Hobby | Free | Limited model access, limited agent & tab usage |
| Individual | $60/mo | All models, extended limits, Cloud Agents, CLI, Subagents, Skills, $70/mo usage credits |
| Teams | $40/user/mo | Everything in Individual + centralized billing, analytics, $20/user/mo usage credits |
| Enterprise | Custom | Everything in Teams + Cursor Blame, Analytics API, billing groups, MDM |
The Individual plan includes $70/month in usage credits, which covers model API calls. If you exceed that, you pay overage. There are spend limit controls so you won’t get surprise bills.
The pricing jump from $20 to $60 is significant, but it reflects the shift from “AI autocomplete tool” to “AI development platform.” Whether it’s worth it depends entirely on how much you code and how much your time is worth.
Cursor vs the Competition
Cursor vs GitHub Copilot
Copilot ($10-19/mo) is an extension that adds AI completions to VS Code. Cursor ($60/mo) is an entire IDE rebuilt around AI. If you primarily want better autocomplete, Copilot is the budget pick. If you want autonomous agents, subagents, and a unified AI workflow, Cursor is the clear winner — at 3-6x the price.
Cursor vs Windsurf
Windsurf (by Codeium) is the closest direct competitor — also an AI-native IDE with agent capabilities. Windsurf has been aggressive on pricing and performance claims. However, Cursor has the larger user base, faster feature velocity (Subagents, Skills, Cloud Agents all shipped in quick succession), and deeper integration ecosystem. For a detailed comparison, see our Windsurf review.
Cursor vs Claude Code / Codex CLI
Terminal-native agents like Claude Code and Codex CLI are powerful but serve a different workflow. They’re ideal for developers who live in the terminal and want maximum control. Cursor is for developers who want AI woven into a visual IDE experience. Many power users actually use both — Cursor for GUI work, a CLI agent for scripted/automated tasks.
Check our full Best AI Coding Assistants 2026 roundup for all the options.
Pros and Cons
What We Like
- Best-in-class Agent Mode — genuinely handles complex multi-file tasks
- Subagents — parallel execution makes complex work dramatically faster
- Skills system — customizable AI behavior per project is a game-changer for teams
- Familiar VS Code interface — near-zero learning curve for existing VS Code users
- Cloud Agents — offload work, don’t tie up your machine
- Tab completions — fast, accurate, and eerily context-aware
- Active development — major features shipping every few weeks
What Could Be Better
- $60/month is steep — 3x more than GitHub Copilot, especially for hobbyists
- Free tier feels like a trial — very limited, designed to push you to Individual
- Usage-based overages — can surprise you if you’re running agents heavily
- Not 100% VS Code compatible — some extensions don’t work or behave differently
- Closed source — if you care about open-source, check Kilo Code instead
- Agent hallucinations — still occasionally writes plausible but wrong code
Who Should Use Cursor?
Cursor is ideal for:
- Professional developers writing code daily who want maximum AI leverage
- Development teams needing centralized AI governance and analytics
- Solo founders and indie hackers shipping fast (the agent does the work of a junior dev)
- Anyone currently using VS Code who wants a seamless AI upgrade
Cursor is NOT ideal for:
- Casual coders or students (free tier is too limited, $60/mo is overkill)
- Developers happy with VS Code + Copilot (if it ain’t broke…)
- Open-source purists (Cursor is proprietary)
- Non-developers looking for general AI tools
The Verdict
Cursor is the most feature-complete AI code editor available in 2026. The new Subagents and Skills system puts genuine distance between it and every competitor. Cloud Agents and CLI access mean you can use it however you work — GUI, terminal, or both.
The $60/month price tag is the main objection, and it’s valid. But for professional developers billing $50-200+/hour, recovering even 30 minutes per day makes the math trivially positive. Cursor doesn’t just save time — it changes what’s possible for a single developer to build.
If you write code for a living, Cursor is the tool to beat in 2026.
Rating: 9.2/10
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cursor free?
Cursor has a free Hobby tier with limited model access and restricted agent/tab usage. For full features including Agent Mode, Subagents, and Cloud Agents, you need the Individual plan at $60/month.
What happened to Cursor Pro ($20/month)?
The old Pro tier no longer exists. Cursor restructured their pricing to Hobby (Free), Individual ($60/mo), Teams ($40/user/mo), and Enterprise (custom). The Individual plan includes $70/month in usage credits.
Is Cursor better than GitHub Copilot?
They serve different needs. Copilot is an autocomplete extension ($10-19/mo). Cursor is a full AI-native IDE with autonomous agents ($60/mo). Cursor is significantly more powerful but also more expensive. For most professional developers, the productivity gains justify the cost difference.
Can I use my VS Code extensions in Cursor?
Most VS Code extensions work in Cursor since it’s built on a VS Code fork. However, some extensions may behave differently or not be fully compatible. Check the Cursor docs for known limitations.
What models does Cursor use?
Cursor provides access to frontier models from multiple providers — including Claude (Anthropic), GPT (OpenAI), and Gemini (Google). The Individual plan gives access to all available models.
