Cursor
An editor built around AI rather than one with AI added
cursor.com Free tier Checked 30 August 2026
- Price
- From $20 per month
- Not priced in pounds
- Trains on your data
- No
- Where data is processed
- Not published
- Data processing agreement
- Not published
- Setup
- Under an hour
- Skill needed
- Technical
What is Cursor?
A code editor where the AI has the whole project in view, so it can make changes across many files rather than completing the line you are on. A different working model from Copilot, and one a lot of developers now prefer.
The difference from Copilot is scope. Copilot completes what you are typing; Cursor is asked to make a change and goes and makes it across the project. That is more useful and more consequential when it is wrong.
The setting that matters is privacy mode, which governs whether your code is retained. Find it before the first client project, not after.
What does Cursor cost in the UK?
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Hobby | $0 | Limited agent requests, no card required. |
| Pro | $20/month | Extended agent limits, frontier models, cloud agents. |
| Teams | $40/user/month | Centralised billing, privacy mode, SSO, usage analytics. |
| Enterprise | Contact sales | Pooled usage, invoice billing, audit logs. |
What the free tier actually gets you
Free "Hobby" plan with limited agent requests and no credit card. Enough to decide whether the model suits you.
What to watch on the price
Pro, Pro+ and Ultra are all listed at $20 a month with different usage limits; Teams is $40 per user per month. Priced in US dollars. Read 29 August 2026.
Does Cursor train AI models on your data?
No
Cursor states: "We do not use Inputs or Suggestions to train our models, or permit third parties to use them for training, unless: (1) they are flagged for security review ... (2) you explicitly report them to us (for example, as Feedback), or (3) you have explicitly agreed to their use for such training purposes." Note the security-review carve-out. Read on 30 August 2026.
The rest of the data position
- Where data is processed: Not published
- Data processing agreement: Not published
What do people use Cursor for?
- Make a change that touches a dozen files in one instruction
- Get an explanation of a codebase you inherited
- Refactor without doing it by hand
What does Cursor connect to?
- GitHub
- GitLab
- VS Code extensions
Where does Cursor fall short?
- Whole-project context means more of your code goes to the model — check the privacy mode setting before using it on client work
- Usage limits are the real constraint, not the headline price
- Priced in US dollars
Who is Cursor for?
A good fit for
- Developers
- Technical founders
- Small engineering teams
Not for
- Non-developers — this is a code editor, and no amount of AI changes that
- Client work where the code cannot leave your machine, unless you have checked privacy mode first
The Torus verdict on Cursor
The better tool if you want AI making changes rather than suggestions. Turn on privacy mode before you open a client repository in it.
What are the alternatives to Cursor?
Others in development, with what each one is for.