Cursor vs VS Code: Should You Switch? (2025)
Cursor is a fork of VS Code — it looks identical, runs all VS Code extensions, and uses the same keyboard shortcuts. The only difference is that AI is baked in at every layer. Here's exactly what you gain by switching, and what (if anything) you lose.
Key differences
| Feature | VS Code | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ✓ Free | Free tier + $20/mo Pro |
| AI autocomplete | Via extensions (Copilot $10/mo) | ✓ Built-in (Tab completion, free) |
| Extensions | ✓ All extensions | ✓ All VS Code extensions work |
| Keyboard shortcuts | ✓ Ctrl+P, Ctrl+Shift+P, etc. | ✓ Same shortcuts |
| Settings sync | ✓ Settings Sync | ✓ Imports VS Code settings |
| Agentic AI | ✗ Extension-only | ✓ Composer (multi-file agent) |
| Model choice | Extension-dependent | ✓ Claude/GPT-4o/Gemini |
| Codebase context | Extension-dependent | ✓ Full repo indexing, @ symbols |
| Privacy mode | — | ✓ Privacy mode (no code training) |
| Remote SSH | ✓ Built-in | ✓ Supported |
What you gain by switching to Cursor
Tab prediction
Cursor's Tab key predicts your next multi-line edit based on recent context — far beyond standard autocomplete. This is unique to Cursor: VS Code autocomplete completes the current token, Cursor Tab predicts where your edit is going next and writes it for you.
Composer — multi-file AI agent
Tell Cursor to "implement feature X across these 5 files" and Composer does all of them, shows diffs, and lets you accept or reject each change. VS Code extensions (including Copilot) handle one file at a time; Composer treats your codebase as the unit of work.
Model choice
Switch between Claude 3.7 Sonnet, GPT-4o, and Gemini 2.5 Pro per conversation. VS Code with GitHub Copilot locks you to GPT-4o. If Claude reasons better on your current task, you can switch mid-session in Cursor.
Full codebase context
@ symbols reference files, folders, docs, git history, and web URLs in any AI conversation. Cursor indexes your entire repo and lets you pull in any part of it as context without manually copying code. VS Code AI extensions have limited or no repo-wide context.
What you lose (almost nothing)
- The monthly cost. The free tier has limits — 2000 completions and 50 slow requests per month. Beyond that, Cursor Pro is $20/mo. VS Code is free (AI extensions like Copilot cost extra).
- Full open-source transparency. VS Code's core is MIT-licensed. Cursor is a VS Code fork with a proprietary AI layer on top. The AI components are not open source.
- Shared settings with VS Code. Cursor imports your VS Code settings on first launch, but changes after that are separate. Your VS Code and Cursor configs diverge over time. You can run both side by side — they're different applications — but settings don't stay in sync.
How to migrate from VS Code to Cursor (5 minutes)
- Install Cursor: go to cursor.com — download the standard installer for Mac/Windows/Linux and run it.
- Import VS Code settings: on first launch, choose "Import VS Code Settings." All themes, extensions, and keybindings transfer in one click.
- Your settings are now separate: after import, Cursor and VS Code configs diverge independently. Changes in Cursor don't sync back to VS Code.
- Keep VS Code installed: you can run both side by side — they are different applications sharing no state.
Migration time: 5 minutes
After the settings import, Cursor looks and behaves identically to your VS Code setup. Same file explorer, same sidebar, same terminal, same extensions. The only visible additions are the AI chat panel and the Composer shortcut.
Monitor Cursor status at Prismix
Track Cursor uptime at prismix.dev — get alerts when Cursor AI goes down so you know whether to switch back to VS Code temporarily.
FAQ
Is Cursor better than VS Code?
Cursor is VS Code with built-in AI. If you use GitHub Copilot ($10/mo), Cursor Pro ($20/mo) gives you a more capable AI (Claude 3.7/GPT-4o, model choice, Composer agent) for $10 more. If you don't use any AI coding tool, Cursor's free tier adds 2000 AI completions/month at no cost.
Does Cursor work with VS Code extensions?
Yes. Cursor is a VS Code fork and supports the same extension marketplace. Install any VS Code extension in Cursor the same way. Your extensions transfer on first launch.
How do I switch from VS Code to Cursor?
Download Cursor (cursor.com), install it, choose "Import VS Code Settings" on first launch. All your extensions, keybindings, and themes transfer. The whole process takes under 5 minutes.
Is Cursor free?
Cursor has a free tier with 2000 AI completions/month and 50 slow chat requests/month. Cursor Pro is $20/mo (unlimited completions, 500 fast requests, model choice). GitHub Copilot in VS Code is $10/mo for comparison.