Coding · Head-to-head
Windsurf vs Bolt.new
Windsurf vs Bolt.new: pricing, features, and which to pick in 2026.
The verdict
Pick Windsurf if…
- →overall capability matters more than price (AI Score 9.1 vs 8.7)
- →your primary use case is developers who want an ai ide that autonomously plans, codes, tests, and iterates across a project with minimal input.
- →you need: agents
Pick Bolt.new if…
- →you want our editor's pick for this category
- →your primary use case is developers building full-stack mvps and internal tools who want a working app with backend, database, and auth generated from a prompt with no local setup.
Side-by-side specs
| Spec | Windsurf | Bolt.new |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Coding | Coding |
| Pricing model | freemium | freemium |
| Headline pricing | Free $0 + Pro $20/mo + Max $200/mo + Teams $80/mo + $40/full-dev seat + Enterprise custom | Freemium |
| Free tier | Light quota to code with agents, limited model availability, unlimited inline edits, and unlimited Tab completions | Limited daily tokens with basic model access |
| AI Score | 9.1/10 | 8.7/10 |
| Best for | Developers who want an AI IDE that autonomously plans, codes, tests, and iterates across a project with minimal input. | Developers building full-stack MVPs and internal tools who want a working app with backend, database, and auth generated from a prompt with no local setup. |
| Editor's pick | — | ✓ Yes |
| Use cases | development agents | development |
| Date added | 2025-06-01 | 2026-04-30 |
Pros and cons
Windsurf
Coding · freemium
Pros
- ✓Autonomous agent capabilities that plan, implement, and iterate
- ✓Generous free tier with unlimited completions
- ✓Excellent multi-step task execution
- ✓Fast and responsive editor
Cons
- ×Newer tool with smaller community
- ×Agent mode can sometimes go off-track
- ×Less mature extension ecosystem than VS Code
- ×Heavy resource usage during agent tasks
Bolt.new
Coding · freemium
Pros
- ✓Zero-setup development — everything runs in the browser with no installs
- ✓Generates full-stack apps with backend, database, and auth out of the box
- ✓Live preview updates in real time as code is generated
- ✓Multiple AI model choices give flexibility for different coding tasks
Cons
- ×Limited to Node.js/web stack — no Python, Go, or native mobile support
- ×Free tier token limits are hit quickly on anything beyond simple apps
- ×Generated code for complex business logic often needs manual intervention
- ×WebContainers environment can feel slower than local development for larger projects
Related comparisons
Updated 2026-09-17. Spec data sourced from official product pages and tracked in our public directory at /tools.