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Alternatives

Best Cursor alternatives for Windows

The best Cursor alternative keeps Cursor in.

Most “Cursor alternatives” ask you to leave Cursor’s agent behind. BustaCode doesn’t: it runs Cursor through its official CLI and ACP next to Codex and the OpenAI API — and puts every project, Git, Docker, SSH and MCP in the same window.

Full disclosure: BustaCode is our project. The other options below are described only from their official pages (accessed 27 Oct 2026), so you can compare for yourself.

Download for Windows See the alternatives v0.12.27 · Free · Windows x64

Why BustaCode

Everything you juggle today, in one window.

One IDE. Every agent. One workspace.

At a glance

Cursor alternatives for Windows: platforms, AI agents and extensions, from official pages (accessed 27 Oct 2026).
Tool Platforms AI agents Extensions
BustaCode Windows x64 Cursor, Codex, OpenAI API Open VSX + manual VSIX
VS Code + GitHub Copilot Windows, macOS, Linux Copilot, Claude and Codex harnesses Visual Studio Marketplace
Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) macOS, Windows, Linux Devin / Cascade; other agents via ACP Open VSX
Zed macOS, Linux, Windows Built-in agentic editing; external agents via ACP Zed extensions ecosystem

The alternatives

  1. Alternative 1Our pick

    BustaCode

    One IDE. Every agent. One workspace.

    A desktop IDE built on Code - OSS. BustaAI brings Cursor (official CLI over ACP), Codex (app-server) and the OpenAI API into one chat with Ask / Plan / Agent modes, project memory and parallel conversations. Open as many folders and projects as you want in a single window, with Git and worktrees, an MCP gateway, Docker and DevOps over SSH, Busta Graph and the agent-focused BustaAgents mode built in.

    Platforms
    Windows x64
    AI agents
    Cursor, Codex, OpenAI API
    Extensions
    Open VSX + manual VSIX

    Best for: Anyone on Windows who wants Cursor and Codex side by side, every project in one window and DevOps tooling without extra setup.

    Download for WindowsAll features [1][2]

  2. Alternative 2

    VS Code + GitHub Copilot

    Microsoft’s Code - OSS distribution with GitHub Copilot.

    Agents in the Chat view and an Agents window, with the Copilot harness or others such as Anthropic Claude and OpenAI Codex. Models come from a Copilot plan, your own key or a local model. MCP servers, Git worktrees, the Visual Studio Marketplace and remote development over SSH or dev containers via extensions.

    Platforms
    Windows, macOS, Linux
    AI agents
    Copilot, Claude and Codex harnesses
    Extensions
    Visual Studio Marketplace

    Best for: Teams standardized on GitHub Copilot.

    Official site: VS Code + GitHub Copilot (opens in a new tab) Detailed comparison: BustaCode vs VS Code [4][6][7][8]

  3. Alternative 3

    Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)

    Windsurf’s new name, with an Agent Command Center.

    Devin Desktop is the new name for Windsurf. It builds on the Windsurf IDE with an Agent Command Center (Spaces, Kanban view, multi-agent management) for local and cloud agents, using the Agent Client Protocol (ACP). Documented features include worktrees for parallel Cascade tasks, MCP servers, Open VSX extensions and SSH, Dev Containers and WSL support.

    Platforms
    macOS, Windows, Linux
    AI agents
    Devin / Cascade; other agents via ACP
    Extensions
    Open VSX

    Best for: Developers centred on Devin and Cascade agents.

    Official site: Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) (opens in a new tab) [9][10][11][12][13][14]

  4. Alternative 4

    Zed

    A minimal, open-source editor written in Rust.

    Zed describes itself as a minimal code editor crafted for speed and collaboration with humans and AI. It offers agentic editing, edit prediction and an inline assistant, and brings external agents such as Claude Agent, Codex or OpenCode via ACP, with MCP servers. Native Git, a debugger, remote development over SSH and its own extensions ecosystem.

    Platforms
    macOS, Linux, Windows
    AI agents
    Built-in agentic editing; external agents via ACP
    Extensions
    Zed extensions ecosystem

    Best for: Developers happy to leave the VS Code extension world for a native editor.

    Official site: Zed (opens in a new tab) [15][16][17][18]

You don’t have to drop Cursor

If what you like is Cursor’s agent but you want a better workspace around it, BustaCode runs Cursor through its official CLI and ACP — Cursor documents agent acp for exactly this kind of integration — next to Codex and the OpenAI API, with every project, Git, Docker, SSH and MCP in the same window.

BustaCode vs Cursor BustaAI

How we picked

  • A desktop build for Windows, according to the official download or docs page.
  • Built-in AI agents or agent integrations, documented officially.
  • Facts taken only from official pages, with links and access dates. No prices, no benchmarks.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Cursor alternative for Windows?

If you want to keep Cursor’s agent and add more, BustaCode: it runs Cursor (official CLI and ACP), Codex and the OpenAI API in one chat, opens as many folders as you want in one window and includes Git worktrees, Docker, SSH and MCP. VS Code with Copilot, Devin Desktop and Zed are alternatives built around their own agents.

Can I keep using Cursor’s agent with an alternative?

Yes, in BustaCode: BustaAI integrates Cursor through its official CLI and ACP, using your Cursor account, next to Codex and the OpenAI API.

Which alternative lets me open many projects in one window?

BustaCode lets you open as many folders and projects as you want in a single window, with its agents and Git, Docker and SSH panels alongside. VS Code documents multi-root workspaces for working with several folders.

What happened to Windsurf?

According to its official download page, Devin Desktop is the new name for Windsurf: it arrives as an over-the-air update and keeps the IDE, extensions and settings, adding an Agent Command Center.

Do VS Code extensions work in these alternatives?

BustaCode and Devin Desktop use Open VSX; VS Code uses the Visual Studio Marketplace. Zed has its own extensions ecosystem rather than VS Code extensions.

Related features

All features

Get started

Try it in BustaCode

Free to download for Windows x64. Provider accounts, API keys, subscriptions and usage limits are separate.

Download for Windows All releases (opens in a new tab)

v0.12.27 · Windows x64 · 188 MB installer · Changelog

  1. 1

    Download the latest Windows installer.

  2. 2

    Install BustaCode and open a project.

  3. 3

    Open BustaAI, connect a supported provider and switch between BustaCode and BustaAgents.