Claude Code vs Cursor
Detailed comparison of features, performance, and use cases
98/100
Claude Code
The industry-leading agentic coding tool that lives in your terminal, understands entire codebases, and autonomously executes complex multi-file development tasks with unmatched precision.
Quick Verdict
Claude Code excels at agentic coding and complex refactoring with a score of 98/100. Claude Code represents the pinnacle of agentic coding technology.
96/100
Cursor
A polished AI-native code editor with sophisticated hybrid architecture, combining agentic reasoning with vector search for strong cross-file understanding.
Quick Verdict
Cursor excels at ai-native development and code refactoring with a score of 96/100. Cursor delivers the most polished AI-native IDE experience, with seamless integration of frontier models directly into the editing workflow.
📊 Visual Score Comparison
Side-by-side comparison of key performance metrics across six evaluation criteria
Technical Specifications
| Feature | Claude Code | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| Core AI Model(s) | Claude Opus 4.5 (flagship, 80.9% SWE-bench), Claude Sonnet 4, Claude Haiku 3.5. Opus 4.5 outperformed all human engineering candidates on Anthropic's internal hiring tests. | Supports frontier models including Claude Sonnet 4, OpenAI o3-pro, OpenAI GPT-4.1, Gemini 2.5 Pro, and Claude Opus 4. It also utilizes custom, purpose-built models for features like its native autocomplete, 'Tab'. |
| Context Window | 200,000 tokens standard, with Sonnet-1M support. Agentic search understands entire project structures without manual file selection. Monorepo baseline ~20K tokens, leaving 180K for active development. | The Pro plan provides access to maximum context windows. |
| Deployment Options | Terminal-native CLI via npm. Native VS Code and JetBrains IDE extensions. Headless mode for CI/CD and GitHub Actions. Enterprise deployment via AWS Bedrock or Google Cloud Vertex AI. | Cursor is a downloadable desktop application for macOS, Windows, and Linux. For teams, it offers an Enterprise plan with SAML/OIDC SSO and SCIM seat management for centralized administration. |
| Offline Mode | Cloud-based, requires internet. Designed for real-time agentic workflows. | Cursor has offline capabilities. A GitHub repository provides a guide for offline activation, enabling all features to work without a cloud or login requirement in airgapped systems. However, some users have reported difficulty using agent mode specifically in an offline setting. |
Core Features Comparison
Claude Code Features
- Agentic multi-file editing with autonomous planning and execution
- Industry-leading 200K token context window with full codebase understanding
- Native terminal integration with any IDE or editor
- Git workflow automation with PR creation and code review
- Model Context Protocol (MCP) for external tool integration
- Subagent architecture for complex task decomposition
- CLAUDE.md project memory for persistent context
Cursor Features
- AI-powered code completion and generation
- Multi-file code editing with AI chat
- Advanced code understanding and refactoring
- Integrated terminal and debugging tools
- Native Docker and deployment integration
- Multiple frontier model support (Claude, GPT-4, Gemini)
Pricing & Value Analysis
| Aspect | Claude Code | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing URL | View Claude Code Pricing | View Cursor Pricing |
| Overall Score | 98/100 | 96/100 |
| Best For | Agentic Coding, Complex Refactoring, Multi-File Development, Code Architecture, Autonomous Task Execution | AI-Native Development, Code Refactoring, Multi-file Projects, Rapid Prototyping |
Best Use Cases
Claude Code Excels At
- Autonomous feature implementation: describe functionality in natural language and Claude Code plans, implements across multiple files, runs tests, and creates PRs
- Large-scale codebase refactoring with full context awareness—maintains consistency across hundreds of files without losing context
- Legacy code modernization by analyzing entire codebases and executing systematic upgrades with rollback capabilities
- CI/CD integration via headless mode for automated code review, testing, and deployment workflows
- Complex debugging: paste an error, and Claude Code analyzes the codebase, identifies root causes, and implements verified fixes
Cursor Excels At
- Large-scale refactoring across multiple files with AI understanding the full codebase context
- Building complex features by describing functionality in natural language and letting AI generate the implementation
- Code reviews and debugging with AI analyzing relationships between files and suggesting improvements
Performance & Integration
| Category | Claude Code | Cursor | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| IDE Support | Terminal-native (works with ANY editor), plus native extensions for VS Code, Cursor, Windsurf, and JetBrains IDEs. | Cursor is a standalone code editor that is a fork of VS Code. This allows users to import their existing VS Code extensions, themes, and keybindings with a single click. | Tie |
| Community | Active community | Active community | Tie |
| Data Richness | Comprehensive | Comprehensive | Tie |
| Overall Score | 98/100 | 96/100 | Claude Code |
The Bottom Line
Both Claude Code and Cursor are capable AI coding tools, but they serve different needs. Claude Code scores higher (98/100 vs 96/100) and excels in agentic coding and complex refactoring. The choice depends on your specific workflow, team size, and technical requirements.
Choose Claude Code if: you prioritize agentic coding and complex refactoring and want the higher-rated option (98/100).
Choose Cursor if: you prioritize ai-native development and code refactoring and don't mind a slightly lower score for specialized features.