Cursor AI Review 2026 — Honest Developer Take After 6 Months

Cursor has become the default AI code editor for many developers — and its valuation reflects it. After months of daily use, here is an honest take: what it does well, where it falls short, and whether it is worth the subscription.

## What Cursor Is in 2026

Cursor is an AI-first code editor built on VS Code. It indexes your whole codebase, offers inline completions (tab autocomplete), and provides Composer for multi-file edits and agent-style tasks. You can use OpenAI, Anthropic, or Cursor's own models. GPT-5 is available in Cursor as of 2025, and the tool has continued to add features (Composer mode, Cursor 2.0 with a custom coding model, agent-centric workflows).

**Pricing (typical 2026):** Free Hobby (limited); Pro ~$20/month; Pro+ ~$60/month; Ultra ~$200/month; Teams ~$40/user/month. Most solo developers land on Pro.

## What Cursor Does Well

**Codebase awareness.** Unlike plain Copilot, Cursor understands your project. Ask it to "add a dark mode toggle to the settings page" and it can find the right files and make coherent edits. That context is Cursor's main differentiator.

**Composer and multi-file edits.** Composer lets you describe a change and have the AI edit multiple files at once. For "add a user profile page with avatar and bio," it can create or update components, routes, and styles. It feels like "vibe coding" — high-level instructions, less manual file-hopping.

**Tab autocomplete.** Completions are often whole lines or blocks, and they adapt to your codebase. Many users find it faster than standard Copilot for routine edits.

**Model choice.** You can switch between GPT-5, Claude, and Cursor's own model. That flexibility lets you optimize for speed, cost, or quality per task.

## Where Cursor Falls Short

**It is not free at scale.** Pro is $20/month; heavy users hit limits and consider Pro+ or Ultra. If you are budget-conscious, Copilot (with a free tier for some users) or local tools may be more attractive.

**Output quality varies.** The AI sometimes makes wrong assumptions, misses edge cases, or introduces bugs. You still need to review every change. It accelerates development; it does not replace judgment.

**Vendor lock-in.** Your workflow lives inside Cursor. Switching back to VS Code means losing codebase indexing and Composer unless you adopt another tool (e.g. Windsurf, Continue).

**Privacy and code.** Code is sent to third-party APIs unless you use a local model. For sensitive codebases, check Cursor's privacy options and your organization's policy.

## Cursor vs GitHub Copilot

**Cursor:** Full editor, codebase-wide context, Composer for multi-file edits, multiple models. Best for developers who want an AI-native editor and are willing to pay.

**Copilot:** Inline completions and chat inside VS Code (and other IDEs). Lighter weight, simpler model story, often free or bundled with GitHub. Best for developers who want to stay in their current editor with minimal change.

Many developers use both: Copilot in the main repo, Cursor for side projects or when they want maximum AI leverage.

## Is Cursor Worth It?

For developers who want the best AI-assisted coding experience and can afford $20/month, Cursor is hard to beat. You get codebase-aware completions, multi-file editing, and model choice in one place. For occasional use or tight budgets, Copilot or free alternatives may be enough. Try the free tier first; if you find yourself relying on Composer and codebase context, upgrading to Pro is usually justified.