Cursor vs Claude Code in 2026: Which AI Coding Tool Should You Use?
“Should I use Cursor or Claude Code?” I get asked this a lot. The answer is: both, for different things. But that’s a cop-out, so let me actually break it down. I’ve used Cursor since v0.2 and Claude Code since it launched. Here’s what 6+ months of daily use taught me. The TL;DR Cursor Claude Code Best for Writing & editing code Planning, reviewing, generating Interface VS Code (GUI) Terminal (CLI) Context Auto-indexes your project You provide context manually Speed Fast inline completions Slower, deeper responses Price $20/mo (Pro) $20/mo (Claude Pro) or API Learning curve Low (it’s VS Code) Medium (terminal workflow) When Cursor Wins 1. You’re Writing Code Right Now Cursor’s tab completion is genuinely good. It understands your project structure, your coding patterns, and your intent. When you’re in flow state writing code, switching to a terminal breaks that flow. ...