Quick Verdict
The Short Answer
- Choose Windsurf if: You want a dedicated AI IDE with Cascade's autonomous multi-file agents, Memories that learn your codebase, SWE-1.5 at 950 tokens/second, and built-in preview and deployment features. Best for developers who want maximum AI autonomy in their editor.
- Choose GitHub Copilot if: You want the most widely adopted AI coding tool with tight GitHub integration, a new CLI agent, autonomous PR creation, enterprise-grade compliance (90% Fortune 100), and the broadest ecosystem. Best for teams already invested in the GitHub platform.
- The context that matters: Windsurf was acquired by Cognition (Devin) in mid-2025. The product continues but the long-term roadmap depends on Cognition's integration plans. Copilot is backed by Microsoft/GitHub with $1B+ annual investment.
GitHub Copilot is the default AI coding tool in enterprise. Windsurf is the challenger that pushed harder on autonomous agent capabilities. In February 2026, both tools evolved significantly: Copilot shipped a full CLI agent, and Windsurf is integrating Cognition's Devin. This comparison reflects the current state of both products, including the corporate changes that affect their futures.
Architecture: AI IDE vs. GitHub Platform Extension
Windsurf is a standalone AI IDE (VS Code fork). Copilot is a platform that spans VS Code extensions, a CLI agent, GitHub.com integration, and autonomous cloud agents.
Windsurf: Dedicated AI IDE
Windsurf is a VS Code fork rebuilt around its Cascade agent. Tab autocomplete via Supercomplete. Cascade handles multi-file reasoning with repository-scale comprehension. The Memories system persists context across sessions, learning codebase patterns over time. Arena Mode compares models side by side. Plan Mode reviews the agent's approach before execution.
Copilot: GitHub Platform Agent
Copilot operates across multiple surfaces: VS Code extension, JetBrains extension, CLI agent (GA Feb 2026), GitHub.com chat, and autonomous coding agent in GitHub Actions. The coding agent creates PRs from issues, self-reviews code, runs security scanning, and iterates. The CLI supports plan mode, background delegation, session memory, and MCP tools.
| Dimension | Windsurf | GitHub Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | Standalone AI IDE (VS Code fork) | VS Code ext + JetBrains ext + CLI + GitHub.com |
| Agent engine | Cascade (built-in) | Agent mode in IDE + Copilot CLI + coding agent |
| Models | SWE-1.5 + third-party models | Claude, GPT, Gemini, model picker |
| Session persistence | Memories system (auto-generated) | Session memory (CLI) + copilot-instructions.md |
| CLI agent | Not available | Copilot CLI (GA Feb 2026) |
| GitHub integration | Standard Git | Native: issues, PRs, Actions, code review |
| IDE lock-in | Must use Windsurf IDE | Works in VS Code, JetBrains, terminal |
| JetBrains extension | Available | Available |
Copilot's multi-surface approach is its biggest structural advantage. You can use Copilot in VS Code, switch to JetBrains, run the CLI in your terminal, and assign tasks to the coding agent on GitHub.com. Windsurf requires you to use its specific IDE. For teams with mixed editor preferences, Copilot's flexibility matters.
Head-to-Head Feature Comparison
| Feature | Windsurf | GitHub Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| Tab completions | Supercomplete (context-aware) | Inline completions (2,000 free/month) |
| Agent autonomy | Cascade auto-iterates until code works | Agent mode + coding agent (creates PRs) |
| Plan mode | Built-in task planning | Plan mode in IDE + CLI |
| Code review | Not built-in | Copilot code review (self-review + human review) |
| Security scanning | Not built-in | Code scanning, secret scanning, dependency checks |
| Live preview | Built-in browser preview | Not built-in |
| App deployment | One-click deploy (beta) | Not built-in |
| MCP support | Agent Skills for Cascade | Built-in GitHub MCP server + custom servers |
| Background delegation | Not available | & prefix in CLI delegates to cloud |
| Context compaction | Not available | Auto-compaction at 95% token limit |
| Arena mode (model comparison) | Built-in side-by-side comparison | Not available |
| Custom agents | Via Agent Skills | .github/agents/ directory |
The Copilot CLI Changes Everything
GitHub Copilot CLI, which went GA on February 25, 2026, is the feature that makes this a real comparison. Before the CLI, Copilot was primarily an autocomplete tool with agent features bolted on. The CLI is a full autonomous coding agent: it plans tasks, edits files, runs tests, iterates, delegates to cloud agents, and includes session memory that persists conventions across sessions. It supports Claude, GPT, and Gemini with a model picker. This puts Copilot in direct competition with terminal agents like Codex and Claude Code.
Agent Capabilities: Cascade vs. Copilot Coding Agent
Both tools now offer autonomous agent capabilities, but they work in fundamentally different ways.
Windsurf Cascade
Cascade handles multi-file reasoning with repository-scale comprehension. It auto-iterates until code works, tracking your edits, commands, and conversation history to infer intent. The Memories system stores context across sessions, so Cascade learns your patterns over time. SWE-1.5 runs at 950 tokens/second, 13x faster than Sonnet. Reduced time-to-first-commit by 40% on enterprise codebases.
Copilot Coding Agent
The Copilot coding agent runs in GitHub Actions environments. Assign a task from an issue or chat prompt, and it creates a branch, writes code, runs tests, self-reviews using Copilot code review, runs security scanning, and opens a PR. Custom agents can be defined in .github/agents/ files. The CLI agent handles local tasks with plan mode, background delegation, and session memory.
| Dimension | Windsurf | GitHub Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| SWE-bench Verified | 78% (SWE-1.5) | 56.5% (with Claude 3.7 Sonnet) |
| Agent speed | 950 tok/s (SWE-1.5) | Model-dependent |
| PR creation | Not built-in | Autonomous PR creation from issues |
| Self-review | Not built-in | Self-reviews with Copilot code review |
| Security checks | Not built-in | Code scanning + secret scanning + dependency checks |
| Persistent memory | Memories system (auto-generated) | Session memory + copilot-instructions.md |
| Cloud execution | Not available | GitHub Actions environments + CLI delegation |
| Custom agent definitions | Agent Skills | .github/agents/ configuration files |
Windsurf's SWE-1.5 model is significantly faster and scores higher on benchmarks. But Copilot's coding agent has a unique advantage: it creates real PRs with self-review and security scanning, integrating directly into GitHub's pull request workflow. For teams that measure productivity in merged PRs, not benchmark scores, Copilot's approach is more practical.
Pricing Comparison
Copilot is cheaper at every tier. Windsurf attempts to justify its premium through deeper agent capabilities and the SWE-1.5 model.
| Tier | Windsurf | GitHub Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 25 credits/month | 2,000 completions + 50 premium requests |
| Individual | Pro: $15/month (500 credits) | Pro: $10/month (unlimited completions, 300 premium req) |
| Power individual | Not available at separate tier | Pro+: $39/month (1,500 premium req, all models) |
| Teams | $30/user/month | $19/user/month (Business) |
| Enterprise | $60/user/month (ZDR defaults) | $39/user/month |
| Billing model | Credit-based (varying per operation) | Premium requests (vary by model) |
| Overage | Add-on credit packs | $0.04/premium request |
The $5 Difference Adds Up
At the individual level, the gap is modest: $10 vs $15. At scale, it compounds. A 50-person team pays $950/month on Copilot Business vs $1,500/month on Windsurf Teams. That is $6,600/year in savings for Copilot. At the enterprise tier, the gap widens further: $39 vs $60 per user. Windsurf's credit system also introduces unpredictability; different operations consume credits at different rates. Copilot's premium request model is more transparent: you know exactly how many requests you have and what they cost.
The Acquisition Factor: Windsurf's Uncertain Future
You cannot evaluate Windsurf in 2026 without addressing the corporate upheaval of 2025.
OpenAI Deal Collapsed
OpenAI agreed to acquire Windsurf for $3 billion in May 2025. Microsoft blocked the deal over exclusivity concerns in its partnership agreement. The deal's exclusivity period expired and it fell apart.
Google Poached Leadership
Google DeepMind announced a $2.4 billion reverse acquisitional package to license Windsurf's technology and hire CEO Varun Mohan and co-founder Douglas Chen. The founding leadership left.
Cognition Acquired the Rest
Cognition (makers of Devin) moved quickly to acquire Windsurf's product, brand, IP, and remaining team. The acquisition was negotiated in 72 hours. Plans include integrating Devin into the Windsurf IDE.
What This Means for Users
Windsurf has $82M in ARR, 350+ enterprise customers, and a working product. The tool is not going away tomorrow. But the founding leadership is gone, and the product roadmap now depends on Cognition's integration plans. Cognition has announced intentions to merge Devin's autonomous capabilities into Windsurf, which could produce either a uniquely powerful tool or a confusing hybrid. GitHub Copilot, backed by Microsoft's resources and $1B+ annual investment, carries no equivalent continuity risk. For enterprise procurement teams evaluating vendor stability, this matters.
Copilot's stability advantage is structural. GitHub has 100M+ developers. Copilot has 26M users and 42% market share. It is used by 90% of Fortune 100 companies. The investment horizon is measured in decades. Windsurf's technology is strong, but its organizational continuity is a legitimate concern. For another perspective on IDE competition, see our Windsurf vs Cursor comparison.
When Windsurf Wins
Autonomous Agent Performance
SWE-1.5 scores 78% on SWE-bench Verified vs Copilot's 56.5%. At 950 tokens/second, it is 13x faster than Claude Sonnet and 4x faster than Cursor's Composer model. On enterprise codebases (1M+ lines), Cascade reduced time-to-first-commit by 40%. If raw agent performance is your priority, Windsurf leads.
Persistent Codebase Memory
The Memories system automatically generates and stores useful context across conversations. Design decisions, coding patterns, library preferences all persist without manual configuration. When you start a new session, Cascade already knows your conventions. Copilot's session memory (CLI) is newer and less mature.
Built-In Preview and Deploy
Windsurf includes live browser preview directly in the IDE and beta one-click deployment. For frontend developers who want to see changes rendered immediately without switching to a browser, this integrated workflow saves context-switching overhead. Copilot has no equivalent.
Model Comparison (Arena Mode)
Arena Mode lets you compare model outputs side by side within the IDE. Test the same prompt against different models to find the best fit for your task. Copilot lets you switch models but does not provide structured comparison.
When Copilot Wins
GitHub Platform Integration
The coding agent creates PRs from issues, self-reviews code, runs security scanning, and integrates with GitHub Actions. Custom agents defined in .github/agents/ files. No other tool has this level of integration with the world's largest code hosting platform. If your team lives on GitHub, Copilot is the path of least resistance.
Multi-Surface Flexibility
Use Copilot in VS Code, JetBrains, the CLI, or GitHub.com. Teams with mixed editor preferences are not locked into a single IDE. The CLI agent means developers who prefer terminals get the same capabilities as IDE users. Windsurf requires its specific IDE.
Enterprise Adoption and Stability
26 million users. 42% market share. 90% of Fortune 100. 50,000+ organizations. Backed by Microsoft with decades of investment runway. For enterprise procurement teams evaluating vendor stability, community size, and long-term support, Copilot has no peer in the AI coding space.
Pricing at Scale
Copilot is cheaper at every tier. $10 vs $15 for individual. $19 vs $30 for teams. $39 vs $60 for enterprise. The free tier includes 2,000 completions and 50 premium requests. For organizations deploying AI coding tools across hundreds of developers, the per-seat savings are significant.
The pattern: Copilot wins on breadth, stability, price, and platform integration. Windsurf wins on depth, autonomous agent performance, and specialized IDE features. For a comparison with another IDE challenger, see Augment Code vs Cursor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Windsurf or GitHub Copilot better for coding in 2026?
Copilot is the safer choice for most developers and teams, with broader platform support, lower pricing, tight GitHub integration, and unmatched enterprise adoption. Windsurf is the better choice for developers who want peak autonomous agent performance (SWE-1.5 at 950 tok/s, 78% SWE-bench) and Cascade's persistent memory system. The Cognition acquisition adds uncertainty to Windsurf's long-term roadmap.
How much does Windsurf cost vs GitHub Copilot?
Copilot is cheaper at every tier. Individual: $10 vs $15. Teams: $19 vs $30 per user. Enterprise: $39 vs $60 per user. Copilot Free offers 2,000 completions and 50 premium requests at no cost. Windsurf Free gives 25 credits/month.
What happened with the Windsurf acquisition?
OpenAI tried to buy Windsurf for $3B but Microsoft blocked it. Google hired the CEO and co-founder in a $2.4B licensing deal. Cognition (Devin) acquired the product, brand, and remaining team in 72 hours. The product continues under Cognition with plans to integrate Devin's autonomous coding.
What is GitHub Copilot CLI?
Released as GA on February 25, 2026, Copilot CLI is a terminal-based autonomous coding agent. It plans tasks, edits files, runs tests, delegates to cloud agents, and includes session memory. Supports Claude, GPT, and Gemini with a model picker. Includes MCP support and automatic context compaction.
What is Windsurf Cascade?
Cascade is Windsurf's autonomous AI agent for multi-file reasoning and repository-scale tasks. The Memories system stores context across sessions. SWE-1.5 runs at 950 tokens/second. Cascade tracks your edits and commands to infer intent without repeating instructions.
Does GitHub Copilot create pull requests automatically?
Yes. The Copilot coding agent creates branches, writes code, runs tests, self-reviews with code review, runs security scanning, and opens PRs. You can assign tasks from GitHub issues or VS Code chat. Custom agents can be defined in .github/agents/ files. See also our Cursor vs Copilot comparison.
Build Faster with Any AI Tool
Morph's Fast Apply model turns AI suggestions into precise file edits. Drop-in compatible with Windsurf, Copilot, or any coding agent.