Windsurf vs Bolt.new
An honest, side-by-side comparison from the ToolHund editors — plus what the community actually votes for.
Windsurf
Agentic IDE from Codeium
Windsurf (formerly Codeium) ships an agentic editor with Cascade — a flow-aware agent that keeps full context of your repo and your last actions.
Visit WindsurfBolt.new
Prompt to running web app in browser
Bolt runs Node + npm inside the browser via WebContainers, so you can prompt, edit and deploy without any local setup.
Visit Bolt.newWindsurf takes the ToolHund Score (83/100 vs 81/100) — but the right pick depends on your workflow.
Pick Windsurf if you need: devs who want a cursor alternative with strong free tier. · Pick Bolt.new if you need: hackers prototyping js apps entirely in the browser.
Which one should you pick?
- You need devs who want a cursor alternative with strong free tier.
- Your team fits: works for solo creators all the way up to small teams
- Learning curve OK: steep — expect a few hours to feel productive
- Pricing works: Free · Pro $15/mo
- You need hackers prototyping js apps entirely in the browser.
- Your team fits: works for solo creators all the way up to small teams
- Learning curve OK: steep — expect a few hours to feel productive
- Pricing works: Free · Pro $20/mo
Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | Windsurf | Bolt.new |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Code | Code |
| Pricing | Free · Pro $15/mo | Free · Pro $20/mo |
| Best for | Devs who want a Cursor alternative with strong free tier. | Hackers prototyping JS apps entirely in the browser. |
| Active users | 400K+ | 500K+ |
| Editor rating | 4.7 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
- Cascade agent
- Repo-wide context
- Generous free tier
- JetBrains & VS Code
- Browser-native Node runtime
- Edit & preview live
- Deploy to Netlify
- Mobile via Expo
Which one would you pick?
Be the first to vote.
Why did you choose Windsurf or Bolt.new?
Share your real-world experience. No signup required.
Common questions
Is Windsurf better than Bolt.new?+
Windsurf scores 83/100 on the ToolHund rubric vs Bolt.new at 81/100 — but "better" depends on your workflow. Windsurf wins if you need devs who want a cursor alternative with strong free tier.
What is the pricing difference between Windsurf and Bolt.new?+
Windsurf: Free · Pro $15/mo. Bolt.new: Free · Pro $20/mo.
Can I use both Windsurf and Bolt.new together?+
Yes — many teams pair them. Use Windsurf for devs who want a cursor alternative with strong free tier. and switch to Bolt.new when you need hackers prototyping js apps entirely in the browser.
Who should avoid Windsurf?+
Teams that need on-prem deployment or strict data-residency guarantees
Who should avoid Bolt.new?+
Teams that need on-prem deployment or strict data-residency guarantees
Other Code comparisons
Keep comparing — see how Windsurf stacks up against more tools in the same category.