Quick Summary
Windsurf
An AI-enhanced IDE offering intelligent code suggestions, collaborative tools, and advanced project management capabilities.
Rating:
4.5/5
Cline
An AI-powered development agent designed to optimize software workflows through intelligent task processing, real-time feedback, and cost-efficient operations.
Rating:
4/5
Tool Overview
1st
Windsurf
Agentic AI Assistant
2nd
Cline
AI Agent
Features
Features
| Feature | Windsurf | Cline |
|---|---|---|
| Subtype | IDE | Plugin, Web App |
| Recommendation | Recommended | Promising |
| Privacy | Contextual Data Encryption | — |
| AI Model Support | Limited AI model options | — |
| Collaboration | Real-time team collaboration with intelligent assistance | — |
| Terminal Integration | Direct command execution via chat | — |
| Code Checkpoints | Simplified reversion with checkpoint system | — |
| Intelligent Task Processing | — | Understands and executes complex coding tasks with natural language commands |
| Real-Time Development Support | — | Streams responses directly into IDEs with zero wait time |
| File Creation and Editing | — | Supports direct file operations within the development environment |
| Advanced Project Management | — | Human-in-the-loop approval via diff view previews |
| Browser Automation | — | Executes automated web testing and debugging tasks |
| Cost-Effective Architecture | — | Reduces API call costs by up to 40% using OpenRouter integration |
Pricing
Pricing Plans
| Plan | Windsurf | Cline |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 Basic access with limited features | $0 Basic plugin capabilities for small projects |
| Pro | $18/month Advanced AI model integration and collaboration tools | $18/month Enhanced browser automation and IDE integrations |
| Enterprise | Custom Scalable solutions for large teams | Custom Scalable deployment with dedicated support |
Pros & Cons
Windsurf
Pros
- •Deep contextual understanding of codebases
- •Powerful Cascade Technology for task automation
- •Real-time collaboration features
- •Strong terminal integration
Cons
- •Limited support for diverse AI models
- •Advanced features require familiarization
- •High resource consumption for large projects
Cline
Pros
- •Seamless IDE integration
- •Real-time task execution and debugging
- •Cost-efficient AI model usage via OpenRouter
- •Comprehensive project management tools
Cons
- •Steep learning curve for optimal prompt engineering
- •Context management limitations
- •Initial interactions can feel overly aggressive
Our Recommendation
Based on the comparison above, we recommend Windsurf for most users because:
- Best overall feature set
- Competitive pricing
- Strong user ratings