GitHub Copilot vs Windsurf: what developers actually say
Based on 695 opinions on Hacker News from developers who discussed these two, most of them first-hand users.
Windsurf comes out ahead on approval, 58 versus 42, and on UX mentions, 4 positive to 2 negative. Its lead rests on 36 opinions from 35 authors, though two of the three explicit cross-picks favored it over Copilot. Copilot has far more evidence, 659 opinions from 535 authors, but its 90-day approval is 38, and code quality, reliability, cost, and usage limits all run negative. Windsurf is the better small-sample bet on UX and cost; Copilot is the better pick when a large track record and agent autonomy matter more than quality and reliability scores.
When developers explicitly said they prefer one or switched: 1 picked GitHub Copilot, 2 picked Windsurf.
Choose GitHub Copilot if
- You want the larger opinion sample
- You work in VS Code and GitHub
- You care about agent autonomy and customization
Choose Windsurf if
- You want the higher approval score
- You want free tab completion and model deals
- You accept a small sample for better UX marks
Where each one wins and loses
Why developers switched
Picked GitHub Copilot
Picked Windsurf
Summaries are paraphrased. Each links to the original comment.