I've been a VS Code user since it first launched. I've written thousands of lines of code in it, taught students using it, and watched the extension ecosystem grow into something incredible. But over the past year, I've found myself spending more and more time in Cursor. For more details, check out Why Developers Should Consider Using Cursor AI Over Visual S. For more details, check out How Hackers Actually Get Into Facebook Accounts (And How to . For more details, check out How to Install macOS in VirtualBox on Windows (2026 Guide).
This isn't a "Cursor is better" article. It's a practical comparison based on real daily use — the things that matter when you're actually shipping code, not just reading feature lists.
The Quick Background
Cursor is a fork of VS Code. That means it starts with everything VS Code has — the same file explorer, the same terminal, the same extensions, the same keybindings. Then it adds AI features directly into the editor at a much deeper level than what's possible through VS Code extensions.
VS Code, of course, has GitHub Copilot. And Copilot has gotten significantly better over the last year. But Cursor and Copilot are no longer head-to-head competitors — Cursor has moved into a different category with its Agent mode and multi-file editing capabilities.
Disclaimer: I'm not sponsored by either tool. I use both daily and pay for both subscriptions myself.
What Cursor Does Differently
1. Tab Completion — Faster, Smarter
Cursor's tab completion (called "Cursor Tab") feels noticeably faster than Copilot's. It predicts not just the next line, but multi-line edits, and it's surprisingly good at understanding the context of your current refactoring.
Real example: I was renaming a method across a React component. Cursor's tab completion recognized I was doing a rename operation and suggested all the usages in one go — without me having to use a separate "rename" command.
Copilot can do something similar now, but Cursor's implementation triggers more naturally. I tab-complete about 40% more of my code in Cursor than I did in VS Code with Copilot.
2. The Composer — Multi-File Edits
This is the big one. Cursor's Composer (Ctrl/Cmd+K) lets you describe what you want and it can edit multiple files at once.
Here's a real workflow I use:
"Create a new API route for user settings with Zod validation, a Prisma query, and error handling"
In VS Code + Copilot, I'd get suggestions in one file at a time. I'd have to create the file, get a suggestion, create the next file, get another suggestion, and hope they connect properly.
In Cursor's Composer, it creates all the files together — the route handler, the validation schema, the types file — and they actually reference each other correctly on the first try about 70% of the time.
That 70% is important. It's not magic. It still gets things wrong. But when it works, it saves me 15-20 minutes of boilerplate.
3. Agent Mode — It Actually Fixes Things
Cursor's Agent mode is what really sets it apart from Copilot. Instead of just suggesting code, the agent can:
- Run terminal commands
- Install packages
- Read error output and fix its own code
- Search your codebase for relevant context
- Use web search for documentation
I used this recently when migrating a project from JavaScript to TypeScript. I opened the Composer, switched to Agent mode, and said:
"Migrate this file to TypeScript, add proper types, and fix any TS errors"
The agent ran tsc after making changes, read the errors, and fixed them. It took three iterations to get clean, but it did it without me touching the keyboard.
Copilot's "Agent mode" in VS Code (available through Copilot Chat) can do some of this now, but Cursor's version has been stable for longer and handles complex multi-step tasks more reliably.
4. Rules — Your Custom Instructions
Cursor supports "Rules" — markdown files in .cursor/rules/ that define how the AI should behave in your project. Think of it as a system prompt for your codebase.
Example rule for a Next.js project:
# Next.js Conventions
- Use App Router, not Pages Router
- Components go in src/components/
- Use server components by default, add 'use client' only when needed
- Database queries go in src/lib/db/
- Error boundaries at the route segment level
VS Code has something similar with .github/copilot-instructions.md, but Cursor supports multiple rule files with glob patterns (e.g., "this rule applies only to Python files in /api").
This makes a bigger difference than you'd think. Once your rules are set up, the AI rarely suggests patterns that don't fit your project.
Where VS Code Still Wins
I still use VS Code every week. Here's why.
1. Stability and Polish
Cursor is a fork of VS Code, but it's not as battle-tested. I've had Cursor freeze on me during large Composer operations. I've had the AI context window fill up and lose track of earlier conversations. VS Code with Copilot just works — it's boring and reliable.
2. Extension Compatibility
Most VS Code extensions work in Cursor. But some don't. Language-specific tools, debuggers, and niche extensions sometimes break because Cursor isn't running the exact same VS Code version.
If you rely on a specific extension for your workflow (I'm thinking of things like the PlatformIO extension for embedded development, or certain game engine integrations), check compatibility before switching.
3. Remote Development
VS Code's Remote SSH and Dev Containers are mature and reliable. Cursor supports them, but the AI features don't always work well in remote environments. Agent mode in particular struggles because it can't reliably run terminal commands inside containers.
4. Price
VS Code is free. Copilot is $10/month (or $100/year). Cursor is $20/month for the Pro plan with unlimited Composer usage. For a professional developer, $20/month is nothing. But if you're a student or casual coder, that adds up.
Real-World Workflow Comparison
Let me show you how I handle the same task in both editors.
Task: Add a new search endpoint to an Express API that filters users by name and email, with pagination.
VS Code + Copilot
- Open
routes/users.js - Start typing the route — Copilot suggests
- Write the SQL query — Copilot auto-completes
- Open
validators/users.js, write validation - Open tests, write test cases
- Check if everything connects — manual check
Time: ~10 minutes of coding, ~2 minutes of checking
Cursor
- Open Composer (⌘K)
- Type: "Add a GET /users/search route to the Express API. It should accept ?q= for name/email search, with ?page= and ?limit= for pagination. Add validation and basic tests."
- Cursor creates the route, validator, and test file
- Scroll through, accept or tweak
- Run tests manually
Time: ~3 minutes of prompting, ~5 minutes of review and tweaking
The difference is real, but it's not as dramatic as the marketing suggests. You still need to review everything the AI writes. The time saved is on boilerplate and initial structure, not on thinking about architecture.
Who Should Use Which
Stick with VS Code if: - You're a student or casual coder - You work extensively with remote/containerized environments - You rely on niche extensions - You prefer stability over new features - $20/month matters to you
Try Cursor if: - You write code professionally 20+ hours a week - You're building complex multi-file features regularly - You're tired of boilerplate - You want to experiment with AI-assisted workflows - You're willing to deal with occasional instability
The Bottom Line
Cursor is not a replacement for VS Code. It's an evolution of it. If you're happy with your VS Code + Copilot setup, you're not missing out on anything essential. The productivity gains from Cursor are real, but they're incremental — shaving minutes off tasks, not hours.
For me personally, the switch was worth it. I estimate I save about 2-3 hours per week on boilerplate and repetitive tasks. But I spend about half of that time reviewing and fixing AI-generated code that doesn't quite get it right.
Net savings: about 1-2 hours per week.
Is that worth $20/month? For me, yes. For you? It depends on what an hour of your time is worth.
The best advice I can give: try both. Cursor has a free trial. Copilot has a free tier. Spend a week with each on real work. Your mileage will vary based on your specific workflow, language, and project complexity.
I still keep VS Code installed. I still use it sometimes. But Cursor has become my daily driver, and I don't see that changing anytime soon.
— Techie Mike
