Back to Directory
Visit site Full review →
Visit site Full review →
AI Tool Comparison
Bolt.new vs Windsurf
A side-by-side breakdown to help you pick the right tool for your workflow.
Bolt.new
Generate, run, and deploy full-stack web apps directly in the browser using WebContainers — no local setup required. Token-metered pricing with unused tokens rolling over one month.
Coding
freemium
Windsurf
An agentic coding IDE pairing an editor with autonomous coding agents — renamed Devin Desktop after Cognition AI's acquisition, keeping the same editor and Claude/GPT/Gemini model choice.
Coding
freemium
Bottom Line
Windsurf edges ahead on rating (4.7 vs 4.5), but the right pick still comes down to which workflow you're running.
Choose Bolt.new if…
Coding
Choose Windsurf if…
Coding
| Attribute | Bolt.new | Windsurf |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Coding | Coding |
| Pricing | freemium | freemium |
| Pricing Detail | Free (1M tokens) / $25/mo Pro (10M tokens) / $30/member Teams | Free / $20/mo Pro / $40/seat Teams / $200/mo Max |
| Rating |
Key Features
Bolt.new
- Full browser IDE
- One-prompt app generation
- npm package support
- Real-time preview
- Netlify/Cloudflare deploy
Windsurf
- Cascade AI agent
- Multi-step task execution
- Full codebase awareness
- Terminal integration
- VS Code based
Pros
Bolt.new
- •Zero setup required
- •Surprisingly capable for full apps
- •Great for prototyping
- •Multiple framework support
Windsurf
- •Excellent autonomous coding agent
- •Tracks what it changed and why
- •Good free tier
- •Handles complex multi-file refactors
Cons
Bolt.new
- Complex apps require a lot of prompt iteration
- Token limits can cut off mid-build
- Less control than a local IDE
Windsurf
- Agent can go off-track on complex tasks
- Newer product with occasional instability
- Less plugin ecosystem than VS Code