PE Collective
Windsurf Pricing: What Each Plan Actually Gets You
Windsurf (formerly Codeium) has carved out a niche between GitHub Copilot and Cursor, pitching itself as the AI code editor that handles multi-file edits without burning through credits. The pricing reflects that positioning. Here's what each tier costs, where the limits show up, and which plan fits your workflow.
Free
- ✓ Unlimited basic code completions
- ✓ 5 User Flows (multi-step AI actions) per day
- ✓ 5 Cascade (multi-file edit) sessions per day
- ✓ Access to base models only
- ✓ Community support
Pro
- ✓ Unlimited code completions
- ✓ Unlimited User Flows
- ✓ Unlimited Cascade sessions
- ✓ Access to GPT-4o, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, and Gemini
- ✓ Priority model access during peak hours
- ✓ Codebase-wide indexing and context
Team
- ✓ Everything in Pro
- ✓ Centralized billing and seat management
- ✓ Usage analytics dashboard
- ✓ Admin controls and policies
- ✓ SSO integration
- ✓ Priority support
Hidden Costs & Gotchas
- ⚠ The free tier's 5 Cascade sessions per day sounds fine until you realize a single complex refactor can eat all 5 in an hour.
- ⚠ Pro at $15/mo is cheaper than Cursor Pro ($20/mo), but Windsurf's Cascade quality lags behind Cursor's Composer on large codebases.
- ⚠ There's no way to buy additional Flows or Cascade sessions a la carte. If you hit the free tier limits, you're upgrading to Pro or waiting until tomorrow.
- ⚠ Model selection on the free tier is limited to Windsurf's base models. You won't get Claude or GPT-4o without Pro.
- ⚠ Annual billing isn't discounted. It's $15/mo whether you pay monthly or yearly.
Which Plan Do You Need?
Developer evaluating AI editors
The free tier gives you a real taste of multi-file editing with 5 daily Cascade sessions. That's enough to compare against Cursor and Copilot over a week.
Individual developer (daily use)
Pro at $15/mo hits a good price point. It's $5/mo cheaper than Cursor Pro and includes unlimited Cascade. Worth it if Windsurf's editing quality works for your stack.
Small to mid-size team
Team at $30/user/mo makes sense if you need seat management and SSO. Otherwise, individual Pro licenses save you $15/user/mo.
Enterprise with compliance needs
Windsurf doesn't have a full enterprise tier yet. If you need audit logs, data residency controls, or custom SLAs, Cursor Business or Copilot Enterprise are better options today.
The Bottom Line
Windsurf Pro at $15/mo undercuts Cursor by $5 and includes unlimited multi-file editing. The quality gap has narrowed, but Cursor still handles larger codebases more reliably. If you're price-sensitive and working on small-to-medium projects, Windsurf is a strong pick. The free tier's daily limits are tight but fair for evaluation.
Related Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Windsurf free?
Yes. Windsurf has a free tier with unlimited basic completions and 5 Cascade (multi-file edit) sessions per day. It's enough to evaluate the tool but not for heavy daily use. Most developers who stick with Windsurf upgrade to Pro within a couple of weeks.
How does Windsurf pricing compare to Cursor?
Windsurf Pro ($15/mo) is $5 cheaper than Cursor Pro ($20/mo). Both offer unlimited completions. Windsurf includes unlimited Cascade sessions while Cursor limits premium requests to 500/month. Cursor's Composer is generally considered more capable for large projects.
What is Cascade in Windsurf?
Cascade is Windsurf's multi-file editing feature, similar to Cursor's Composer. It can read your codebase, understand context across files, and make coordinated edits. Free users get 5 Cascade sessions per day. Pro users get unlimited.
Does Windsurf support custom API keys?
Windsurf doesn't currently support bring-your-own API keys the way Cursor does. You use their allocated model access, which is included in the subscription price. This is simpler but less flexible if you have specific model preferences.
Is Windsurf Pro worth upgrading from the free tier?
If you're using Windsurf daily, yes. The free tier's 5 Cascade sessions run out fast during active development. Pro removes all limits and gives you access to better models. At $15/mo, it's the cheapest unlimited AI editor plan available.