Does Tabby or Windsurf have a free plan?

Tabby is a paid tool. Windsurf is available for free with a free trial. Always verify current pricing directly with the vendor.

Tabby vs Windsurf

Q: Can I use Tabby and Windsurf together?

Yes, many teams use both tools together for different purposes. Use the Stack Builder section above to combine Tabby and Windsurf with other tools and save your AI toolkit.

Comprehensive side-by-side comparison — features, pricing, performance, and more.

Updated May 2026

Tabby

TabbyML, Inc.

Secure, flexible, and transparent AI coding assistant for every developer.

0.0(0)

OPEN_SOURCE

92% data quality

Windsurf

Cognition, Inc.

The intuitive AI coding experience for developers in flow.

0.0(0)

FREEMIUM

98% data quality

Trust & Reliability

Tabby

Users:10K-100K

Windsurf

Users:1M-10M

Customers (per vendor):JPMorgan Chase, Mercado Libre, athenahealth +4

SOC 2

Too Close to Call

Tabby (7.5) vs Windsurf (7.5) — difference of 0.0 points

AI Comparison Summary

Tabby

7.5

avg score

Windsurf

7.5

avg score

Both tools score very similarly overall — the best choice depends on your specific priorities.

Based on 6 dimensions

How scores are calculated

Too close to call — it's a tie

Tabby

Best For

Developers seeking privacy and control over their AI coding assistant

Teams requiring self-hosted AI solutions for security compliance

Engineers looking for highly configurable coding AI

Developers working with diverse programming languages and IDEs

Not Ideal For

Non-technical users who prefer fully managed, zero-setup AI tools

Teams without the resources or expertise for self-hosting and maintenance

Users who require out-of-the-box integrations with a vast ecosystem of third-party tools beyond IDEs and Git

Windsurf

Best For

Accelerating software development for engineers

Automating boilerplate and menial coding tasks

Building applications with AI assistance

Improving developer productivity in large codebases

Not Ideal For

Developers who prefer to use only open-source tools

Teams requiring full control over all AI model training data

Users who need web search functionality with strict zero-data retention

* Verdict is based on our algorithmic scoring of publicly available data. Learn about our methodology

Tabby is best for

🤖Automation & Agents9.0🎧Customer Support9.0✍️Writing & Content7.0

Windsurf is best for

✍️Writing & Content9.0💬Chat & Conversation9.0🤖Automation & Agents7.0

Filter by your use case:

Pros & Cons

Tabby

Pros

Open-source and transparent, enhancing trust and security
Flexible deployment options (cloud and on-premises/self-hosted)
Highly configurable to fit existing workflows and infrastructure
Supports a wide range of IDEs and programming languages
Offers advanced AI capabilities like code completion, inline chat, and answer engine
No reliance on external DBMS or cloud services for core functionality

Cons

Requires technical expertise for self-hosting and configuration
Performance can be dependent on local hardware (GPUs)
Some advanced models may have non-production licenses or require commercial licenses
No explicit mention of advanced team collaboration features beyond user/group management
Lack of specific data export formats mentioned for easy migration

Windsurf

Pros

Offers powerful agentic AI (Cascade) for complex tasks
Provides intelligent code completion (Tab) across various IDEs
Supports multiple major AI models (GPT, Claude, Gemini, etc.)
Strong security and compliance with SOC 2 Type II, FedRAMP High, HIPAA
Flexible deployment options including Cloud, Hybrid, and Self-hosted
Includes zero-data retention policies for enterprise customers
Integrates with JetBrains IDEs and offers its own editor
Free tier available with unlimited Tab completions

Cons

Self-hosted tier does not support all cutting-edge products like Windsurf Editor or Cascade
Web search tool (Bing API) does not have zero data retention agreement
Turbo Mode auto-run commands are unavailable for Teams/Enterprise users by default
Some advanced features like remote indexing require data retention opt-in for Cloud deployments
The 'Windsurf Browser' feature was deprecated

Weighted Score — Adjust What Matters to You

Pick a profile or drag sliders — scores and radar update instantly on the right.

Quick profiles:

Ease of Use5

Output Quality5

Value for Money5

Customizability5

Support & Ecosystem5

Integration Power5

Dimension Comparison

Tabby

7.5

/ 10

Windsurf

7.5

/ 10

Dimension Breakdown

Ease of Use

How easy it is to get started and use daily

Tabby

6.0

Windsurf

7.0▲ +1.0

Output Quality

Quality and accuracy of generated results

Tabby

7.0

Windsurf

8.0▲ +1.0

Value for Money

Cost vs. features and output quality

Tabby

9.0▲ +2.0

Windsurf

7.0

Customizability

Calculated

Ability to tailor to specific needs

Tabby

8.0

Windsurf

9.0▲ +1.0

Support & Ecosystem

Documentation, community, and support quality

Tabby

7.0▲ +1.0

Windsurf

6.0

Integration Power

Calculated

Ability to connect with other tools and workflows

Tabby

8.0

Windsurf

8.0

Calculated = derived from verified integration count and API/open-source signals. AI = LLM-assessed from public website content. Methodology

Task Performance

Tabby

Task

Windsurf

8.0

Code Completion

9.0

6.0

Bug Detection

7.0

Code Explanation

7.0

6.0

Refactoring

6.0

5.0

Test Generation

5.0

9.0

Multi Language Support

7.0

Context Understanding

9.0

6.0

Documentation Generation

7.0

5.0

Performance Optimization

6.0

Security Scanning

7.0

* Task scores (1–10) are algorithmically generated from publicly available data.

Data is sourced from public information and vendor websites. It may not always be up-to-date — verify pricing and features directly with the vendor before purchasing.Report inaccuracy

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Tabby or Windsurf?

Both are strong options. Tabby has a rating of 0.0/5 (0 reviews), while Windsurf has a rating of 0.0/5 (0 reviews). The best choice depends on your specific use case, budget, and workflow requirements.

Is Tabby cheaper than Windsurf?

Tabby starts at free (open_source model). Windsurf starts at free (freemium model) with a free trial. Use the Cost Calculator above for a detailed estimate.

What are the main differences between Tabby and Windsurf?

Tabby — "Secure, flexible, and transparent AI coding assistant for every developer.". Windsurf — "The intuitive AI coding experience for developers in flow.". Key differences include their pricing models, platform support, integrations, and technical capabilities. See the Feature Comparison table above for a complete side-by-side breakdown.

Can I use Tabby and Windsurf together?

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