Codeium vs Windsurf

Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, and ratings

Analysis reviewed Live tool data as of 2026-09-29
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At a glance

DimensionCodeiumWindsurf
PricingFree tier (SWE-1.6), usage-based quota, Max plan availableFree unlimited access to SWE-1.6/SWE-1.7, premium plans available
Core Model AccessSWE-1.6, GPT-5.6, Claude Fable 5, Sonnet 5, Kimi K2.7, GLM 5.2, Codex, CascadeSWE-1.6/SWE-1.7 (free), Claude Opus 5, GPT-5.6, others via ACP
Multi-Agent OrchestrationAgent Command Center, Spaces for shared context, Devin OutpostsAgent Command Center, Spaces, Agent diffs, Handoff to cloud agents
IDE FeaturesSyntax highlighting, autocomplete, debugging, Supercomplete, Fast ContextSyntax highlighting, autocomplete, debugging, Supercomplete, Fast Context
IntegrationsSlack, Teams, Linear, Jira, GitHub, GitLab, BitbucketGit, GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Slack, Teams, Linear, Jira
Security & ReviewBuilt-in security review for PRsSecurity Swarm for automated bug discovery

If you're an engineering lead or power user juggling multiple agent workflows, Windsurf's free unlimited SWE-1.7 and Security Swarm give it a slight edge over Codeium's quota-based model. But if you need a pragmatic, cost-conscious start with SWE-1.6 and can skip the newest model, Codeium's freemium tier is more than enough—just expect to pay as you scale.

C
Codeium

Devin Desktop (formerly Codeium) is a free AI coding assistant and multi-agent IDE with unlimited Tab completions and an Agent Command

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W
Windsurf

Agent orchestration IDE for managing fleets of local and cloud coding agents from one Agent Command Center

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Pricing
Freemium
Freemium
Plans
$0
$20/mo
$200/mo
$80/mo + $40/mo per full dev seat
Custom
$0/mo
$20/mo
$200/mo
$80/mo for team plan + $40/mo per full dev seat
Custom
Popularity
5.7k views
5.4k views
Skill Level
Intermediate
Intermediate
API Available
Platforms
DesktopCLIWeb
DesktopCLIAPI
Categories
🛠️ Autonomous Coding Agents💻 Code & Development
💻 Code & Development🛠️ Autonomous Coding Agents
Features
Unlimited Tab completions on every plan including Free
Unlimited inline edits on every plan including Free
Supercomplete predicts your next thought, not just your next edit
Agent Command Center manages fleets of local and cloud agents from one surface
Spaces share context and git worktrees across all your agents
Fast Context retrieves the exact files and lines an agent needs in milliseconds
Agent Client Protocol (ACP) session picker spanning SWE-2 Max, Devin Local, Devin Cloud, Codex, Claude Agent, OpenCode,
ACP always-on as of v3.10.23
SSH remote agent hosts with saved hosts and sidebar status (v3.10.23)
Session transcripts load instantly and recover on reconnect (v3.10.23, v3.10.31)
Effortless handoff moves a local session to Devin Cloud
Full IDE with syntax highlighting, autocomplete, and debugging tools
Rapid or deep diff review of every agent change before pushing
Devin API for programmatic agent runs
DeepWiki for codebase documentation and answers
Orchestrate fleets of local and cloud coding agents from one Agent Command Center
Run local agents including Codex, Claude Agent, OpenCode, Cascade, and Devin Local
Hand off long jobs to Devin Cloud and close your laptop while they run
Agent Client Protocol (ACP) for working across frontier and open source model providers, now always on
Spaces share context and Git worktrees across all agents you run
Free use of SWE-2 coding model in Devin Desktop and CLI through October 10, 2026
Fast Context finds the exact files and lines your agent needs in milliseconds
Review agent diffs rapidly or deeply before you push
Full IDE with syntax highlighting, autocomplete, and debugging
Unlimited inline edits and unlimited Tab completions on paid plans
CLI access alongside the desktop app
Connect to agents over remote SSH hosts with saved hosts and status dots (v3.10.23)
Drag files onto the agent panel and send editor selections to chat (v3.10.27)
MacOS desktop download
Integrations
GitHub
GitLab
Bitbucket
Slack
Microsoft Teams
Linear
Jira

What real users say: Codeium vs Windsurf

Not marketing copy and not our opinion — a structured sweep of public discussion (reviews, forums, communities and video comments), showing what people praise and what they complain about for each tool.

Codeium

71 mentions across 6 sources · 55% positive — mixed (averaged across 6 sources)

Hacker News, YouTube, Product Hunt, Stack Overflow, GitHub, Lemmy

What users praise

  • • Free tier offers generous daily completions, making it accessible to everyone.
  • • Autocomplete quality is comparable to Copilot, as widely reported by users.
  • • Supports a wide range of IDEs including VS Code, JetBrains, Vim, and Emacs.
  • • In-house models are fast and accurate, with no external API costs.

What frustrates them

  • • Emacs plugin has long-standing bugs with slow or no completions.
  • • Language server can cause conflicts in JetBrains IDEs and Windows.
  • • Rebrand to Windsurf creates confusion and mixed messaging for users.
  • • Free tier quality can be inconsistent, with some users calling it 'terrible'.

Researched Aug 18, 2026

Windsurf

87 mentions across 5 sources · 46% positive — mixed (averaged across 5 sources)

Hacker News, YouTube, App Store, Stack Overflow, Lemmy

What users praise

  • • Free unlimited access to SWE-1.7 models — great for budget-conscious devs.
  • • Agent Command Center lets you dispatch and monitor multiple agents at once.
  • • Spaces share context and Git worktrees across all agents seamlessly.
  • • Support for multiple models (Claude, GPT, Kimi) in one interface is powerful.

What frustrates them

  • • Free model SWE-1.5 makes coding mistakes and doesn't self-correct.
  • • UI is chat-first and minimalist, frustrating for experienced developers.
  • • Multiple reports of path errors and UI bugs persisting after reinstalls.
  • • 94+ unpatched Chromium vulnerabilities pose a security risk.

Researched Aug 18, 2026

Who should pick which

  • Solo developer on a budget
    Pick: Windsurf

    Free unlimited SWE-1.7 covers most tasks without quota anxiety, and you can hand off to cloud agents only when needed.

  • Enterprise team needing model variety
    Pick: Codeium

    Broad model catalog (GPT-5.6, Claude Fable 5) lets you pick the best tool per task, with VPC deployment on Enterprise plan.

  • Security-conscious team
    Pick: Windsurf

    Security Swarm automates bug discovery across agent outputs, integrating security checks into your workflow.

  • Power user on heavy AI workloads
    Pick: Codeium

    Max plan offers high quotas (exact unspecified), plus you can buy extra API-priced quota when peaks hit.

  • Team with shared worktrees
    Pick: Windsurf

    Spaces + Agent diffs streamline collaborative review; you already get agent handoff to Devin Cloud.

Frequently Asked Questions

Codeium vs Windsurf: which should you choose?

If you're an engineering lead or power user juggling multiple agent workflows, Windsurf's free unlimited SWE-1.7 and Security Swarm give it a slight edge over Codeium's quota-based model. But if you need a pragmatic, cost-conscious start with SWE-1.6 and can skip the newest model, Codeium's freemium tier is more than enough—just expect to pay as you scale.

Are Codeium and Windsurf now the same product?

Both have rebranded under Devin Desktop, so the core IDE and orchestration layer are largely identical. Differences now lie in pricing, model access, and specific security tools.

Which tool offers the best free model?

Windsurf gives free unlimited access to SWE-1.7, while Codeium's free tier is limited to SWE-1.6 with quotas. So Windsurf is better for cost-free power.

Can I use GPT-5.6 in Windsurf?

Windsurf supports multi-model via ACP, and latest news confirms Claude Opus 5, but GPT-5.6 availability isn't explicitly stated in the data—check current docs.

Which is better for enterprise security?

Codeium offers VPC on Enterprise plan, plus PR security review. Windsurf's Security Swarm automates bug discovery but lacks explicit VPC mention. If strict data residency is key, pick Codeium.

Do both support local agents?

Yes, both support local agents and cloud agents (Devin Cloud/Outposts). Windsurf adds Handoff to cloud, while Codeium has Devin Cloud too.

What is the Agent Client Protocol (ACP)?

ACP is an open protocol that lets you run different agent models (e.g., SWE-1.6, Claude) in the same IDE. Both Codeium and Windsurf support it.

Which integrates with Slack and Jira?

Both integrate with Slack, Teams, Linear, Jira, GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket, so no difference there.

Is there a free trial for premium plans?

Pricing details for premium plans aren't specified in the data, so contact vendors directly for current trial offers.

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Last reviewed: August 6, 2026