Windsurf vs Roo Code

Windsurf (Codeium/Windsurf) and Roo Code (open source (community)) compared head-to-head: prices from $15 and $0, model-dependent vs. model-dependent context, free tiers, models, limits plus strengths and weaknesses. Find out which AI coding agent fits your workflow.

Windsurf vs Roo Code — Category side-by-side

Provider	Windsurf Codeium/Windsurf	Roo Code open source (community)
From /month	$15	Free
Billing	subscription + credits	BYO-key (usage)
Top models	Claude Sonnet 4, GPT-5, SWE-1	Claude Sonnet 4, GPT-5, Gemini 2.5 Pro, Qwen3
Context	model-dependent	model-dependent
Limits	Pro: flexible flow-based credits	whatever your API key allows
Free tier	yes — limited free tier	free software (model usage billed separately)
Best for	Teams wanting an agentic IDE alternative to Cursor	Power-users wanting custom modes & subagents
Strengths	Cascade multi-step agent Strong enterprise story Own SWE-1 model	Custom modes/subagents Open source Highly configurable
Weaknesses	Newer ecosystem Credit accounting can be opaque	You supply & pay for the model Steeper config

Recommendation by priority

💰 On a budget? Roo Code ($0) is cheaper than Windsurf ($15).

Roo Code is especially strong when you care about "Power-users wanting custom modes & subagents".

Go to Windsurf → Go to Roo Code →

Frequently asked questions: Windsurf vs Roo Code

Windsurf or Roo Code: which is cheaper?

The entry price depends on each provider and plan tier. This page shows the current indicative values side by side.

Which offers more context — Windsurf or Roo Code?

Windsurf reaches model-dependent, Roo Code reaches model-dependent. More context helps with long files and large repos.

Is there a free tier for Windsurf or Roo Code?

Yes — details on free tiers and free quotas are in the side-by-side table above.