Cursor
Cursor is a standalone software development tool supporting a wide range of operating systems including Windows, macOS, and Linux. Developed by Cursor, it boasts compatibility with various large language models such as GPT-4, GPT-4 Turbo, and even upcoming models like GPT-5 (High MAX). One of its standout features is the extensive context window of 1M tokens, enabling complex processing tasks. Although it does not offer local inference, its agentic editing capabilities extend across multiple files. Users can enjoy full terminal access and benefit from predictive edits, enhancing coding efficiency. Cursor offers a free tier, with premium options up to $20/month. It follows a standard privacy policy and holds SOC2 Type II certification, ensuring enterprise-level security.
Pros
- ✓ Supports a wide range of LLMs including future models.
- ✓ Extensive context window of 1M tokens.
- ✓ Full terminal access.
- ✓ Predictive edits enhance coding efficiency.
- ✓ Available on major operating systems.
- ✓ Free tier available.
Cons
- ✕ No local inference capability.
- ✕ Limited to standard privacy mode.
VS Code
Visual Studio Code, often abbreviated as VS Code, is a versatile standalone code editor developed by Microsoft. It is compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it a popular choice among developers. The tool supports models like GPT-5 and Claude 4.5, although its context window is more limited at 200k tokens. One of VS Code’s notable advantages is its local inference capability, allowing for efficient onsite processing. It also offers multi-file agentic editing and full terminal access, along with predictive editing features. Like Cursor, VS Code provides a free tier option, with pricing extending up to $20/month. It adheres to a standard privacy policy and is SOC2 Type II certified, ensuring data security for enterprise users.
Pros
- ✓ Local inference supported.
- ✓ Available on major operating systems.
- ✓ Full terminal access.
- ✓ Predictive edits enhance coding efficiency.
- ✓ Free tier available.
Cons
- ✕ Limited context window of 200k tokens.
- ✕ Fewer supported LLMs compared to Cursor.
Comparison Table
| Feature | Cursor | VS Code |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture Type | standalone | standalone |
| Supported Os | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Developer | Cursor | Microsoft |
| Supported Llms | GPT-4, GPT-4 Turbo, GPT-4o, GPT-5 (High MAX), Claude 3.5 Sonnet, Gemini, cursor-small, Supermaven | GPT-5, Claude 4.5, Gemini 3.0 |
| Custom Model | cursor-small | – |
| Context Window | 1M tokens | 200k tokens |
| Agentic Editing | Yes, multi-file | Yes, multi-file |
| Terminal Access | Full | Full |
| Privacy Mode | Standard Privacy Policy | Standard Privacy Policy |
| Certifications | SOC2 Type II (Enterprise) | SOC2 Type II (Enterprise) |
| About Price | Free – $20/mo | $0 – $20/mo |
| Config File | .cursorrules | .vscode/ai.json |
| Migration | Seamless | Seamless |
Conclusion
Both Cursor and VS Code are powerful tools for developers, each with unique strengths. Cursor offers a broader range of supported LLMs and an extensive context window, while VS Code provides local inference capabilities and integrates seamlessly across various platforms. Choosing between them depends on the specific needs of your development environment.