Windsurf vs Bolt.new
A detailed side-by-side comparison to help you choose the right AI coding agent for your needs.
Best credit-based AI IDE with Cascade agent
Windsurf
Windsurf, acquired by Cognition AI and now operating as a credit-based AI IDE, features Cascade, a sophisticated multi-file agent that indexes your entire project to build a deep understanding of arch...
AI Models
SWE-1.5Claude Sonnet 4.6GPT-5.2-CodexGemini 3.1 Pro
Key Features
- Cascade multi-file agent with full project indexing
- Auto-loads relevant context from entire codebase
- Iterative debugging via terminal integration
- Multi-step edit planning with safe incremental changes
- Auto-fix for linting errors and style issues
Pricing
Free — $0/month
Pro — $15/month
Teams — $30/user/month
Enterprise — $60/user/month
Pros
- Affordable Pro tier at $15/month with 500 credits
- Project indexing provides superior context awareness
- Iterative debugging loop saves significant time
Cons
- Credit-based system can be costly for heavy users
- Teams tier required for enterprise management features
Best for instant full-stack app prototyping
Bolt.new
Bolt.new is an AI-powered app builder by StackBlitz that lets users create, run, and deploy full-stack web applications directly in the browser from natural language prompts. The platform uses WebCont...
AI Models
Claude Sonnet 4GPT-4oGemini 2.5 Pro
Key Features
- Full-stack app generation from natural language in browser
- WebContainers technology for instant Node.js environment
- Token-based system with monthly rollover on paid plans
- Built-in deployment with custom domain support
- Support for React, Next.js, Vue, Svelte, and more
Pricing
Free — $0/month
Pro — $25/month
Teams — $30/user/month
Enterprise — Custom pricing
Pros
- Fastest path from idea to deployed app with WebContainers
- Token rollover prevents waste on paid plans
- No local setup needed — everything runs in browser
Cons
- Free tier includes Bolt branding on deployed sites
- Token-based pricing can be unpredictable for complex projects