Windsurf
Free tier available
- Free$0
- Pro$20/month (raised from $15 in March 2026)
- Team$30/mo

Windsurf
Cognition hosted models + Claude / GPT / Gemini (user selects) + Devin cloud agent
Our pickMicrosoft Agent Framework 1.0
Tier-list head-to-head. Microsoft Agent Framework 1.0 takes the A-tier slot — here's the breakdown.
Spec sheet
| Tier | B-tier | A-tierwin |
| Overall score | 7.5 / 10 | 8.4 / 10win |
| Powered by | Cognition hosted models + Claude / GPT / Gemini (user selects) + Devin cloud agent | — |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Starting price | $0 | $0 |
| Best for | Developers who want agent-first coding (background + inline) inside a familiar VS Code-based editor, and wh… | Enterprise developers on. |
| Last reviewed | 2026-05-19 | 2026-04-17 |
Head-to-head
Rated 1-10 on the same rubric across all 130 tools we cover.
What you'll pay
Look past the headline number -- entry-tier limits drive most cost surprises.
Free tier available
Free tier available
The decision
Use-case anchors and category strengths, side by side.
Developers who want agent-first coding (background + inline) inside a familiar VS Code-based editor, and who value Cognition's Devin integration as a core part of the workflow. The April 2026 redesign makes Windsurf 2.0 a direct alternative to Cursor 3 for this use case.
Visit WindsurfEnterprise developers on .NET or mixed Python + .NET stacks who want an MIT-licensed agent orchestration framework with real enterprise credibility. Also good for Azure Foundry customers who want first-class native integration. Teams migrating from Semantic Kernel or AutoGen should plan the move to Microsoft Agent Framework 1.0 now rather than later.
Visit Microsoft Agent Framework 1.0Bottom line
Microsoft Agent Framework 1.0 edges out Windsurf by 0.9 points (8.4 vs 7.5) -- a A-tier vs B-tier split that's narrow but real. Not a blowout; both belong on a shortlist. The score gap shows up most clearly in the categories that matter for Microsoft Agent Framework 1.0's strengths, so if those categories are your priority, the lead translates.
Pricing-wise, both tools have a free tier (Windsurf starts $0, Microsoft Agent Framework 1.0 starts $0), so you can test either without committing. Compare what each free tier actually unlocks -- usage caps, model access, and feature gates differ a lot more than the headline price suggests, especially as both vendors have tightened limits in 2026.
By use case: pick Windsurf when developers who want agent-first coding (background + inline) inside a familiar vs code-based editor, and who value cognition's devin integration as a core part of the workflow. Pick Microsoft Agent Framework 1.0 when enterprise developers on . The two tools aren't fighting for the same person -- they're aiming at adjacent jobs that occasionally overlap. If you're squarely in Microsoft Agent Framework 1.0's lane, the tier-list ranking and the use-case fit point the same direction; if you're in Windsurf's lane, the score gap matters less than the fit.
Bottom line: Microsoft Agent Framework 1.0 is the safer default for most readers, but Windsurf is competitive enough that the tie-breaker is your specific workload, not the spec sheet.
Keep digging
Full Windsurf review
Tier B · 7.5/10
Full Microsoft Agent Framework 1.0 review
Tier A · 8.4/10
Windsurf alternatives
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Microsoft Agent Framework 1.0 alternatives
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Built from our daily AI-tool sweep, last touched May 19, 2026. Honest tier-list reviews — no affiliate-link pieces disguised as advice. See the rubric or how we review.