Side-by-side

Zed vs Windsurf

ZedWindsurf

	Zed Blazing-fast, open-source code editor with built-in AI agents and real-time collaboration Visit	Windsurf Windsurf (now rebranded as Devin Desktop) is an AI-powered coding IDE that manages local and cloud agents for software development Visit
Votes	0	0
Pricing	Freemium	Freemium
Category	Coding	Coding
Tags	code-editorai-codingcollaborative	write-code
Best for	Performance-focused developers frustrated by editor lag Teams that want native real-time collaboration Developers who prefer to bring their own AI keys or agents	Software developers who want AI agents integrated into a real IDE Engineering teams looking to orchestrate multiple coding agents Power users who delegate large coding tasks to cloud agents
Pros	Exceptional performance thanks to Rust and GPU-accelerated rendering Free and fully open source Built-in real-time collaboration with voice and screen sharing AI-native with edit prediction, agents, and MCP support Flexible AI options: bring your own keys, use local models, or Zed-hosted	Combines a genuine full IDE — syntax highlighting, autocomplete, and debugging — with agent orchestration, so developers can trace and review every change rather than blindly accepting AI output. Unlimited inline edits and tab completions on every tier, including the free plan, lower the barrier to everyday AI-assisted editing. Broad model flexibility on paid plans, with first-class support for OpenAI, Claude, and Gemini frontier models plus the proprietary SWE 1.6 and open-source options. The agent command center gives a clear board/list view of running, in-review, and completed tasks, making it practical to delegate and supervise multiple agents at once. Strong enterprise posture with SAML/OIDC SSO
Cons	Smaller extension ecosystem than VS Code No mobile app or browser-based version Windows support is newer and less mature than macOS/Linux Hosted AI usage is metered and can add cost beyond included credits Fewer enterprise features (SSO/SAML/SCIM still planned)	The credit-and-quota usage model makes spending harder to predict; heavy users can exceed included allowances and pay extra at API pricing, with cost-per-message varying by model and task complexity. The agent-fleet workflow introduces a learning curve, and getting good results depends on writing precise prompts and managing context carefully. The recent rebrand from Windsurf to Devin Desktop and absorption into Cognition's ecosystem means branding, plans, and features are in flux, requiring users to verify current details. Reliance on the proprietary Devin Cloud and SWE models for the fullest experience creates some platform lock-in for teams that standardize on it.

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