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Discover/Gemini CLI vs Windsurf IDE
Gemini CLI
VS
Windsurf IDE

Gemini CLI vs Windsurf IDE

An in-depth comparison of Gemini CLI and Windsurf IDE — pricing, features, ratings, and more.

Gemini CLI
4.8
★★★★★
100 reviews
Windsurf IDE
4.9
★★★★★
164 reviews
Higher rated

Side-by-Side Comparison

Gemini CLI
Windsurf IDE
Category
AI Coding Assistant
AI Coding Assistant
Pricing
Free
Free tier; Pro at $15/month; Teams at $35/user/month
Pricing model
free
freemium
Rating
4.8 ★
4.9 ★
Reviews
100
164
Platforms
CLI, macOS, Linux, Windows
Windows, macOS, Linux
API Access
✗ No
✗ No
Open Source
✓ Yes
✗ No

Key Features

Gemini CLI
  • ✓ 1M token context window
  • ✓ Open source (Apache 2.0)
  • ✓ Free with Google account
  • ✓ File reading and editing
  • ✓ Shell command execution
Windsurf IDE
  • ✓ Cascade agentic AI
  • ✓ Multi-file code editing
  • ✓ Terminal command execution
  • ✓ Codebase understanding
  • ✓ VS Code compatible
  • ✓ Multiple AI models
  • ✓ Flows for automation

Pros & Cons

Gemini CLI
Pros
  • + Completely free
  • + Open source
  • + Huge context window
  • + Google backing
Cons
  • − Newer, less battle-tested than Claude Code
  • − Gemini model strengths/weaknesses apply
Windsurf IDE
Pros
  • + Cascade is very capable autonomously
  • + Good VS Code compatibility
  • + Free to start
  • + Fast and responsive
Cons
  • − Cascade can make mistakes requiring review
  • − Newer than Cursor
  • − Credits can run out quickly on free tier
Try Gemini CLI → Gemini CLI Details
Try Windsurf IDE → Windsurf IDE Details