Cursor AI Review: Is It Worth $20/Month for Developers? (2025)
Cursor AI Review: Is It Worth $20/Month?
Cursor is the most popular AI-powered code editor in 2025. After months of daily use, here is an honest review.
TL;DR: Cursor is worth $20/month if you write code daily. The Cmd+K inline editing and Composer multi-file feature genuinely save 30-60 minutes per day. The free tier is generous enough to try before committing. If you are happy with VS Code + Copilot, Cursor offers a meaningful upgrade.
What Cursor Does Well
- Cmd+K (Inline Editing): Select code, describe what you want changed, and Cursor edits it in place. Feels like magic for refactoring.
- Composer: Multi-file editing from a single prompt. Describe a feature, and Cursor creates/edits files across your project.
- Tab Completion: Context-aware autocomplete that understands your codebase patterns.
- Chat: Ask questions about your codebase with @file and @codebase references.
- VS Code Base: All VS Code extensions work. Familiar interface.
What Could Be Better
- Composer can be hit-or-miss with very large changes
- Occasional slow responses during peak hours
- Usage limits on Pro plan can be reached by heavy users
- Locked into Cursor editor (cannot use other IDEs)
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 2000 completions, 50 slow premium requests/mo |
| Pro | $20/mo | Unlimited completions, 500 fast premium/mo |
| Business | $40/user/mo | Admin controls, SSO, team features |
Cursor vs Alternatives
- vs VS Code + Copilot: Cursor’s Cmd+K and Composer are significantly better than Copilot Chat
- vs Windsurf: Cursor has better multi-file editing; Windsurf has a better free tier
- vs Claude Code: Different tools — Cursor for editing, Claude Code for complex terminal tasks. Best used together.
Comparison: Copilot vs Cursor vs Claude Code. All editors: AI editors compared.
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