Coding & Development

Cursor: AI Code Editor with Agent Mode and GPT-4 / Claude

Cursor: AI Code Editor with Agent Mode and GPT-4 / Claude
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Cursor

  • Hobby (free): 2000 autocompletions, 50 requests/month
  • Pro - $20/month: unlimited autocompletions + 500 quick requests
  • Business - $40/user/month: Privacy Mode + team analytics
  • Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
  • Models: Claude 3.7 Sonnet, GPT-4o, o1, o3, Gemini
  • 14-day Pro trial on registration
4 million+
Active users
$9 billion
Company valuation (2025)
2023
Launch year
$900 million+
Investments

AI-first editor. Fork VS Code. Agent writes code for you.

Cursor is an AI code editor from Anysphere Inc., built as a fork of Visual Studio Code with deep integration of language models directly into the development workflow. Unlike assistant plugins, Cursor indexes the entire project's codebase and provides AI with complete context - fundamentally changing the quality of suggestions and agent mode capabilities.

Fact: In March 2025, Anysphere raised $900 million in investments with a company valuation of $9 billion - one of the largest rounds for an AI startup in history.

Key Features of Cursor

  • Tab Autocomplete with Next Edit Mode - analyzes the entire project's context and predicts not only the next line but several spots in the file where changes are needed.
  • Composer / Agent Mode - describe a task in natural language, the agent creates and edits multiple files simultaneously, runs terminal commands, and iteratively corrects errors.
  • AI Chat with Codebase Access - supports @-mentions of files, symbols, documentation, and web pages; understands dependencies and architecture of the whole project.
  • AI Model Selection - offers Claude 3.5/3.7 Sonnet, GPT-4o, o1, o3, Gemini models; you can choose the model for a task directly in the interface.
  • Cursor Rules - AI behavior rules are stored in a repository and automatically applied to all team members: code style, preferred libraries, constraints.
  • MCP (Model Context Protocol) - connect external data sources (PostgreSQL, APIs, file systems) directly from the editor; support for creating custom MCP servers.
  • Privacy Mode + SOC 2 - in privacy mode, code is not saved on servers and is not used for training models; SOC 2 certification for corporate requirements.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Cursor

Pros
  • Deep context of the entire codebase
  • Agent truly saves hours of work
  • All VS Code extensions work immediately
  • Wide selection of LLM models
  • Weekly updates from the team
  • Active community on Reddit and Discord
Cons
  • 500 quick Pro queries are quickly exhausted
  • Offline mode is heavily limited
  • Electron application - heavy for weak machines
  • Rare hallucinations in specific frameworks

Cursor Pricing for 2025

Hobby
$0/month
  • 2000 autocompletions per month
  • 50 slow requests to premium models
  • Access to GPT-4o mini
  • Basic editor features
Business
$40/user/month
  • Everything from Pro
  • Mandatory Privacy Mode for organization
  • Centralized team management
  • Usage analytics
  • Priority support and billing
Lifehack: On registration, a 14-day trial of Pro is automatically activated - be sure to test Claude 3.7 Sonnet and agent mode before deciding on a subscription.

Cursor vs Competitors

The main competitor, GitHub Copilot, works as a plugin within existing IDEs, whereas Cursor is a standalone editor. This gives Cursor an advantage in context depth and agent capabilities but requires switching work environment.

Windsurf (Codeium) - the closest equivalent: also a fork of VS Code with an AI agent. Windsurf offers a more generous free plan, but Cursor significantly outpaces in agent mode quality and community size. Claude Code from Anthropic operates only from the terminal without GUI - suitable for CI/CD pipelines but not for everyday IDE development. Zed Editor is significantly faster and lighter, consuming fewer resources, but its AI functions are considerably less developed.

Usage Scenarios for Cursor

Agent Refactoring
Describe outdated architecture - Composer will go through all the files, update dependencies, and fix tests autonomously.
Quick MVP
Technical founders describe a feature in requirement language, the agent generates routes, middleware, tests, and documentation.
Project Onboarding
Ask questions about unfamiliar codebases - Cursor explains logic, dependencies, and architectural decisions by specific files.
Corporate Development
Business plan with mandatory Privacy Mode, SOC 2, and Cursor Rules ensures uniform code style and security for the whole team.

Who is Cursor Suitable For

  • Freelance and indie developers - accelerate their work and tackle tasks outside the usual stack.
  • Junior and middle developers - use AI as a learning tool: code explanations, best practices, error analysis.
  • Full-stack developers - quickly switch between frontend, backend, and DevOps with a unified AI assistant.
  • Startup teams - Business plan for tool unification, Cursor Rules, and code security policy.
  • Technical founders - rapid acceleration of MVP development without hiring additional developers.

How to Get Started with Cursor

  1. 1
    Download Cursor - go to cursor.com and download the version for Windows, macOS, or Linux. Installation takes 2-3 minutes.
  2. 2
    Import VS Code settings - on first launch, Cursor will offer to automatically transfer extensions, themes, and keybindings from VS Code with one click.
  3. 3
    Activate 14-day Pro trial - register to gain access to Claude 3.7 Sonnet, GPT-4o, and full agent mode without payment.
  4. 4
    Open a project and set up Cursor Rules - create a .cursorrules file in the root of the repository, describe the code style, and preferred libraries for accurate AI suggestions.
  5. 5
    Try Composer on a real task - press Cmd/Ctrl+I, describe the feature in Russian or English, and watch as the agent autonomously creates files and corrects errors.

Frequently Asked Questions about Cursor

Is Cursor free?

The Hobby plan is free forever: 2000 autocompletions and 50 slow requests to premium models per month. A 14-day Pro trial with full access to Claude 3.7 and GPT-4o is automatically activated on registration.

How does Cursor differ from GitHub Copilot?

Cursor is a standalone editor with agent mode and deep codebase indexing, whereas Copilot is a plugin for existing IDEs. Cursor offers multifile editing via Composer, which Copilot does not provide in the base version.

Is it safe to use Cursor for corporate code?

In Privacy Mode, code is not stored on Cursor servers and is not used for model training. The tool is SOC 2 certified; the Business plan forcibly includes Privacy Mode for the entire organization.

Can Cursor be used offline?

Basic code editing works offline, but all AI features - autocompletion, chat, Composer - require an internet connection to access model servers.

Cursor is one of the few AI tools where the difference between “plugin” and “editor” is felt immediately: the agent truly works autonomously with the project rather than just completing lines. With a $9 billion valuation and over 4 million active users in 2025, it is no longer an experiment but a mature tool for professional development - try the free trial at cursor.com.

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