Cursor Review 2026: A VS Code Fork With AI Built In

What Is Cursor?

Cursor is a standalone code editor built as a fork of VS Code, with AI integrated into the editing workflow rather than added as an extension. It launched in 2023 and has built a large user base among professional developers. Because it is a VS Code fork, existing extensions, themes, and keybindings transfer over without reconfiguration.

What It Does

Multi-File Editing (Composer)

Cursor’s Composer mode lets you describe a change in natural language and apply it across multiple files at once. For example, asking it to “add JWT authentication to the API routes” will modify route handlers, create middleware files, update type definitions, and fix imports in a single pass.

In practice, Composer works well for common patterns — adding a new feature that touches several files, renaming across a codebase, or applying a consistent refactor. It is less reliable on novel logic or domain-specific business rules, where you should expect to review and correct its output.

Codebase-Aware Chat

Cursor indexes your project and lets you ask questions with full project context. Queries like “how does the auth flow work in this project?” return answers that reference specific files and functions. The accuracy depends on how well-structured the codebase is — well-typed TypeScript projects get better answers than loosely organized JavaScript.

Tab Completion

Tab completion in Cursor goes beyond standard autocomplete. It predicts your next edit based on your recent changes — if you renamed a variable in one file, it suggests the same rename in related files. This is noticeably useful during refactoring sessions.

Terminal Integration

Cursor can suggest terminal commands based on your project context (npm scripts, test commands, build steps). It reads your package.json and project structure to make relevant suggestions.

Pricing

Plan	Price	Key Features
Hobby	Free	2,000 completions/mo, 50 slow premium requests
Pro	$20/mo	Unlimited completions, 500 fast premium requests
Business	$40/mo	Everything in Pro + admin controls, SSO, privacy mode

The free tier works for evaluation but runs out quickly with daily use — most active developers exhaust 2,000 completions within a few days. The $20/mo Pro plan is where most individual developers end up.

Pricing verified February 2026. Check cursor.com/pricing for current pricing.

Strengths

Multi-file editing is Cursor’s main advantage over extensions like Copilot. Describing a change and having it applied across your project in one step saves real time, especially for repetitive refactors. Other tools offer this in some form, but Cursor’s Composer has been the most consistent in our use.

The VS Code base means low switching cost. If you already use VS Code, the transition takes minutes. Your workflow stays largely the same, with AI features layered on top.

Codebase understanding reduces context-switching. Being able to ask “what does this function do in the context of the overall auth system?” and get a project-aware answer means less time reading code manually.

Weaknesses

Large codebases slow it down. Projects with hundreds of thousands of lines of code cause noticeable indexing lag. Cursor has improved this over time, but it remains an issue for monorepos and large enterprise codebases.

The free tier is a trial, not a plan. With 2,000 completions and 50 slow requests per month, the free tier demonstrates the product but is not practical for regular development.

AI-generated code still requires review. Composer output on complex logic — things like race conditions, edge-case handling, or custom algorithms — needs careful human review. Cursor is a productivity tool, not an autonomous programmer.

Who It’s For

Cursor fits well for:

• Professional developers writing code daily who want AI integrated into their editor
• Teams that want a shared AI-enhanced development environment
• Developers working on medium-sized codebases (thousands to tens of thousands of files)
• VS Code users who want multi-file AI editing without switching editor paradigms

Cursor is a harder sell for:

• Developers who only need occasional AI help (the free tier is too limited, and $20/mo may not justify light use)
• Teams requiring on-premise deployment (Cursor is cloud-dependent)
• Developers committed to JetBrains, Vim, or Emacs workflows

Sources

• Cursor
• Cursor Pricing
• Cursor GitHub