What are the key differences between Cursor and VS Code?
Cursor is built on VS Code, so it looks and feels the same and your extensions and shortcuts carry over. The difference is that AI is part of the editor: it can change code across a project, and its agents can work on their own branch, in Cursor's cloud or on your own machine. We build in Cursor because it syncs with GitHub and is the best place we've found to run Claude Code.
The short version
Cursor is a code editor built on VS Code. If you've used VS Code you'll find your way around straight away, and your extensions and shortcuts carry over. VS Code has added AI features of its own, so the gap is smaller than it was.
What Cursor adds
- AI in the editor. You describe a change in plain English and it reads the project and edits the files for you.
- Agents. They work on their own branch, in Cursor's cloud or as a job on your own machine. A cloud job carries on after you close the laptop.
- Rules in the project. Every person and agent follows the same house style and safety rules.
- MCP connections. It can read from tools like analytics, Tag Manager and Webflow right where the code is.
- Its own models. Cursor's models, like Composer, come with the plan.
Why we use it
We reviewed it on 5 October 2026 and it's our pick for now. It's a full editor, it syncs with GitHub, the base allowance is good, and it's the best place we've found to run Claude Code, which runs as a panel inside it.
For a quick edit with no AI, plain VS Code is fine. See the Cursor page for how we use it, or our technical infrastructure service.
Where this came up in our work
- Client work
Aqualona
A headless Webflow and Shopify store that went from a handful of orders to 1000s tracked in its first months, each matched to the visit that started it
Read the story - Client work
FE fundinfo
Paid media and measurement for Wealth Management, plus a custom journey analyser so the team can see real multi-touch journeys
Read the story - Client work
The Therapy Lounge
70% more enquiries, 6.6x return on ad spend in October 2025, and 316 enquiries tracked from April 2025 to October 2026.
Read the story
Also worth asking
Other answers about the same tools.
What are the best practices for getting the most from Cursor's AI features?
Give it a clear brief that says what "done" means, keep your rules in the project so each agent follows them, and put each job on its own branch. Then read the result before you merge it.
For bigger jobs, ask for a short design note first and check it before any code is written.
How do you integrate Cursor with project management and development workflows?
Cursor connects to GitHub, so work happens on a branch and arrives as a pull request that someone reads before it merges. Our agents can also reach tools like Tag Manager, Google Ads and our CRM through MCP connections, including filing tasks in it.
We use Cursor with GitHub, so every change can be reviewed, tracked and undone.
What does Cursor cost and which plan should you choose?
Cursor has a free plan and several paid ones, and what separates them is how much AI usage each includes before you hit a limit. Start on the lowest plan that covers what you do every day and move up when you hit a limit. We're on the top plan, Ultra. Cursor renames and reprices its plans, so check Cursor's pricing page for current figures.
How does Cursor handle code security and privacy concerns?
Cursor has a Privacy Mode and says that when it's on, it won't train on your data. It also says it holds a SOC 2 Type II attestation. Your code still goes to AI model providers to get answers, so the settings, the secrets and the review process around it matter too.
What programming languages and frameworks does Cursor support?
Cursor is built on VS Code, so it works with the same languages and frameworks that VS Code does, through its extensions. The AI works across whatever is in your project.
We use it for TypeScript, JavaScript, Astro, React and Python.
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