Visual Studio Code vs Devin Desktop (Windsurf)
Which is better in 2026? Five scores, side by side.
Visual Studio Code is the better app overall, scoring 9.2 to 8.4. Visual Studio Code wins on 5 of the 5 scores, Devin Desktop (Windsurf) on 0.
Coders of any level who want one free editor for every language
Developers who want an AI-first code editor with a free plan
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Visual Studio Code | Devin Desktop (Windsurf) |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Developer Tools | Developer Tools |
| Category rank | #1 of 18 | #12 of 18 |
| Developer | Microsoft | Cognition |
| Pricing | Free | Free + paid plans |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| Mac | ✓ | ✓ |
| Windows | ✓ | ✓ |
| Linux | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web | ✓ | — |
Common questions
Is Visual Studio Code better than Devin Desktop (Windsurf)?
Visual Studio Code is the better app overall, scoring 9.2 to 8.4. Visual Studio Code wins on 5 of the 5 scores, Devin Desktop (Windsurf) on 0.
Which is cheaper, Visual Studio Code or Devin Desktop (Windsurf)?
Visual Studio Code: Free for any use; GitHub Copilot has a free tier, with Pro from $10/month. Devin Desktop (Windsurf): Free plan with unlimited Tab completions; Pro is $20 a month, Max is $200. On value for money, Visual Studio Code scores higher.
Do Visual Studio Code and Devin Desktop (Windsurf) work on the same devices?
Only Visual Studio Code runs on Web.
Which is more private, Visual Studio Code or Devin Desktop (Windsurf)?
Visual Studio Code scores higher on privacy (7.8/10). Collects crash, error and usage telemetry unless you set telemetry.telemetryLevel to off. Extensions have their own telemetry that this setting does not cover. No account or ads.
Strengths and weaknesses
Visual Studio Code
- Free, with a huge store of extensions
- Great tools for debugging, Git and remote coding
- Works on Mac, Windows, Linux and in your browser
- Lots of extensions can slow startup and eat memory
- Usage tracking stays on until you switch it off
Visual Studio Code is the go-to code editor for a reason. It's free and fast enough for big projects. Its extension store covers almost every language and tool. Git, debugging and remote coding are built in. Copilot now runs full agents with subagents, lasting sessions and shared canvases. The trade-offs: lots of extensions slow it down, and usage tracking stays on until you turn it off. Most developers should start here.
Full Visual Studio Code review
Devin Desktop (Windsurf)
- Free plan includes unlimited Tab completions
- Your code stays in files on your own computer
- Runs several AI agents on one board
- Free agent quota is light, and its size isn't published
- Your data may train models; only paid users can opt out
- Made for coders, not complete beginners
Windsurf got a new name in June 2026: Devin Desktop. It's still a full code editor that takes VS Code extensions, but it now opens on a board for running AI agents. Type what you want and the built-in agent, Devin Local, edits files and runs commands once you approve. The free plan has unlimited Tab completions and a light agent quota. It suits people who are comfortable around code, and your files stay on your computer.
Full Devin Desktop (Windsurf) review
