Comparisons / Zed vs Windsurf
AI coding tools · HN opinions Nov 2025 – Nov 2026
Zed vs Windsurf: what developers actually say
Based on 493 opinions on Hacker News from developers who discussed these two, most of them first-hand users.
No comment states a direct preference between Zed and Windsurf, so the call rests on separate evidence. Zed comes out ahead on evidence volume and approval: 457 opinions from 378 authors and 376 firsthand reports, against 36, 35, and 31, with approval at 59% versus 58%. Zed's UX counts are 119 positive and 56 negative, and speed is 62 and 16; reliability is its weak spot at 16 positive and 32 negative. Windsurf is the better pick when low-cost model access matters more than a deeper evidence base; its cost counts are 4 positive and 3 negative, but reliability is 0 positive and 3 negative and it has no 90-day score.
Choose Zed if
- Want far more HN evidence (457 opinions vs 36)
- Want the stronger UX record (119 positive, 56 negative)
- Can live with weaker reliability counts (16 positive, 32 negative)
Choose Windsurf if
- Want low-cost or free model access
- Value tab completion and context handling
- Are willing to rely on a 36-opinion sample
Where each one wins and loses
PraiseComplaintsA = ZedB = Windsurf
UX
Speed
Reliability
Customization
Privacy & local use
Cost & pricing
Autonomy
Code quality