Cursor review
An editor that understands the whole codebase, for people who really let AI write along.
Editorial verdict: The biggest productivity jump in this test, provided review discipline holds.
Cursor is a full editor based on VS Code in which AI is not an add-on but the operating principle. The decisive difference from classic completion: the tool searches the whole project, finds the affected places itself and proposes changes across several files, as a diff you accept or reject line by line.
For work that used to mean half a day of searching, renaming an interface, replacing a pattern with a better one, pulling tests along, the time saved is considerable. Its ability to explain relationships across file boundaries also helps when you are new to an unfamiliar project.
The flip side is temptation: accept suggestions minute after minute and you quickly produce code nobody on the team has really read. We recommend treating Cursor with the same care as a new colleague's contribution: review, tests and questions.
Strengths and weaknesses
What speaks for it
- Grasps the context of the whole project, not just the open file
- Changes across several files with a clear diff view
- Built on VS Code, so extensions and shortcuts carry over
- Privacy mode in which code is not stored permanently
What speaks against it
- Costs can rise sharply with heavy use
- Requires switching editors
- Tempts you into accepting generated code unchecked
Scores in detail
- Output quality4.6
- Usability4.4
- Feature set4.5
- Value for money4.0
- Data protection3.7
All criteria carry equal weight. How we test is described in our test methodology.
Who is Cursor worth it for?
Developers who write a lot of new code and iterate quickly. If that describes your situation, Cursor is a sound choice. If not, the alternatives are worth a look, the AI coding tools category holds 3 tools with different priorities, and the full overview compares all 17 tools we have tested.