I Tried All 4 Major AI Coding Tools - Here's What Actually Works

Look, I've been coding for 12 years and I've tried every AI coding assistant that's come out. The hype around these tools is insane, but most developers don't actually understand what they're good for and what will frustrate the hell out of you.

GitHub Copilot: The One That Actually Works (Most of the Time)

I've been using GitHub Copilot since the early beta in 2021. It's not sexy, but it works. The autocomplete is genuinely helpful about 70% of the time, which is way better than the 20% hit rate I expected when I started.

What it's great at:

• Writing boilerplate code (React components, API endpoints, test scaffolding)
• Completing obvious patterns (if I type const handleSubmit = async (, it knows what I want)
• Converting comments to code (type // sort array by date descending and it'll give you the right code)
• Working in any editor - VS Code, JetBrains, even Neovim if you're that type

Where it pisses me off:

• It suggests the same wrong pattern 50 times in a row and never learns
• Terrible at understanding your specific codebase architecture
• Chat feature is useless compared to just using ChatGPT directly
• Costs $20/month for teams and that adds up fast with enterprise licensing

Real usage: I keep it on for autocomplete but ignore most of its suggestions. When it's right, it saves me 30 seconds of typing. When it's wrong, I just keep typing. No big deal.

Cursor: VS Code With ChatGPT Bolted On

Cursor is what happens when you take VS Code, add a chat interface, and charge $20/month for it. I've been using it for 6 months and honestly, sometimes I love it, sometimes I want to throw my laptop out the window.

What actually makes it different:

• The chat knows about your entire codebase, which is genuinely useful
• You can select code and ask "why is this broken" and get decent answers
• The autocomplete feels faster than Copilot (though I haven't timed it)
• It can edit multiple files at once when you ask it to refactor something

What drives me crazy:

• It crashes about once a week and loses all chat history
• The AI sometimes goes off on wild tangents and rewrites half your codebase when you asked for one small change
• You're basically locked into VS Code forever (it's a fork, not an extension)
• Customer support is nonexistent - you're stuck with whatever bugs exist

The reality: If you live in VS Code and want a better ChatGPT experience integrated into your editor, Cursor is worth trying. But it's not revolutionary - it's just ChatGPT with file context.

Claude Code: Command Line AI That Actually Thinks

This one's weird. Claude Code is basically an AI that can run commands, edit files, and even commit to git. It feels like having a really smart junior developer who works at 3x speed but occasionally makes baffling mistakes.

Where it shines:

• Complex refactoring across dozens of files (I used it to convert a React class component codebase to hooks)
• Writing tests - it actually understands what to test and how
• Debugging gnarly issues by reading logs and traces
• Working with CLI tools and build systems

The downsides nobody talks about:

• Learning curve is steep - it's not intuitive if you're used to GUI tools
• Expensive as hell - $20/month and you hit rate limits doing any serious work
• Sometimes it just breaks your code and you have to git reset --hard
• Feels like going backwards 10 years to terminal-only development

Who should use it: Senior developers who are comfortable with command line workflows and work on complex, multi-file refactoring projects. If you're used to GUI tools, this will frustrate you.

Windsurf: The Underdog That's Actually Pretty Good

Windsurf is made by Codeium and honestly, I almost didn't try it because I'd never heard of the company. But it's grown on me over the past 3 months.

What sets it apart:

• Free tier is actually usable (unlike others where free = demo mode)
• Shows you exactly why it made suggestions, which helps you learn
• Better at understanding legacy codebases than the others
• Doesn't feel like it's trying to replace you - more like pair programming

The annoying parts:

• Smaller user base means fewer people to help when stuff breaks
• Some features feel half-baked compared to more mature tools
• Documentation is sparse - you're figuring stuff out yourself
• Not sure if the company will be around in 2 years

Bottom line: If you want to try AI coding without spending $20/month, start here. If it works for your workflow, then consider upgrading to one of the paid options.

The Real Performance Story

Here's what nobody tells you: these tools don't make you code faster. They make boring parts less boring.

Studies show AI tools can reduce common coding tasks by 30-40% on average, though results vary significantly by developer experience and task complexity.

I tracked my coding for 2 months with and without AI tools. I'm not writing more lines of code per day. I'm not shipping features faster. What changed is I spend less time on Stack Overflow looking up syntax and I don't have to think about boilerplate code.

The best use cases:

• Writing tests (AI is surprisingly good at this)
• Converting between data formats
• Generating SQL queries from plain English
• Learning new APIs by asking "how do I authenticate with X service?"

What they're terrible at:

• Architecture decisions
• Understanding your business logic
• Debugging race conditions or performance issues
• Anything requiring domain knowledge

If you're expecting these tools to turn you into a 10x developer, you'll be disappointed. If you want help with the annoying parts of coding, they're actually pretty useful.

Skip the decision paralysis. Here's a practical framework for choosing the right AI coding tool.

Skip the feature matrices and consultant reports. Here's how to pick the right AI coding tool based on what you actually do and how much pain you're willing to tolerate.

Just Pick One Already - Decision Tree

If you're cheap and want something that works: Get GitHub Copilot. It's $10/month, works in every editor, and does the job. Don't overthink it.

If you live in VS Code and have $20/month: Try Cursor. The chat feature is genuinely useful, and the autocomplete feels snappier than Copilot.

If you're a terminal person who likes powerful tools: Claude Code is worth learning, but expect to spend a few weeks figuring it out.

If you want to try before you buy: Start with Windsurf. The free tier is actually usable, unlike the others.

Real Talk About Team Adoption

I've helped 3 teams adopt AI coding tools. Here's what actually matters:

Small teams (2-5 people): Everyone needs to use the same thing or you'll waste time explaining different tools. GitHub Copilot wins here because it works everywhere.

Medium teams (5-20 people): You'll have people with strong editor preferences. Copilot again, unless everyone already uses VS Code (then Cursor is fine).

Big teams (20+ people): You need admin controls and usage monitoring. Copilot Enterprise or Cursor Business are your only real options. Windsurf is too risky for big bets.

The Actual Cost Reality

Everyone focuses on the monthly subscription, but that's not the real cost:

GitHub Copilot: $10/month Pro, $39/month Pro+ for premium models. New billing for heavy usage started June 2025.

Cursor: $20/month Pro, recently updated pricing in August 2025 with hybrid usage model for teams.

Claude Code: $20/month Pro, new weekly rate limits starting August 28, 2025. Max plans up to $200/month for heavy users.

Windsurf: Still free for individuals, Pro at $15/month, Teams at $30/user. Most generous free tier in August 2025.

Hidden costs nobody mentions:

• Developers spend 2-3 weeks learning new workflows
• You need to retrain code review processes
• Someone has to manage licenses and billing
• Your CI/CD might need updates to handle AI-generated code

What These Tools Are Actually Good For

GitHub Copilot is best for:

• Autocomplete and simple code generation
• Teams that use multiple editors
• Boring CRUD operations and boilerplate
• Learning new APIs and frameworks

Cursor is best for:

• Interactive debugging and code explanation
• Large refactoring projects in VS Code
• Teams that want ChatGPT integrated into their editor
• Understanding complex legacy codebases

Claude Code is best for:

• Multi-file refactoring and large changes
• Automated testing and test generation
• Complex debugging with log analysis
• Senior developers who are comfortable with CLI tools

Windsurf is best for:

• Learning - it explains its reasoning well
• Teams that want transparency in AI decisions
• Trying AI coding without spending money first
• Supporting the underdog

When These Tools Will Piss You Off

GitHub Copilot frustrations:

• Suggests the same wrong thing repeatedly
• Chat is terrible compared to ChatGPT
• Bad at understanding your specific codebase patterns
• Can't do multi-file operations

Cursor annoyances:

• Crashes and loses chat history randomly
• Sometimes rewrites way more than you asked for
• You're locked into their VS Code fork
• Support is basically nonexistent

Claude Code pain points:

• Steep learning curve if you're used to GUIs
• Rate limits kick in during heavy usage
• Sometimes breaks your code and you have to revert
• Feels like time travel to terminal-only development

Windsurf issues:

• Smaller community means less help when things break
• Some features feel unfinished
• Unclear if the company will survive long-term
• Documentation is sparse

The Uncomfortable Truth About AI Coding Tools

After 8 months of using these tools daily, here's what I've learned:

They don't make you faster. I'm not shipping features quicker or writing more code per day. But I spend less time on Stack Overflow and think less about boilerplate.

They're not magic. AI can't understand your business logic, make architecture decisions, or debug race conditions. They're autocomplete on steroids, not replacement developers.

The hype is overblown. Most developers trying these tools for the first time expect them to 10x their productivity. They won't. They'll make annoying parts slightly less annoying.

Some developers hate them. About 30% of the devs I've worked with tried AI tools and went back to coding without them. That's fine - they're tools, not requirements.

My Personal Setup

After 8 months of daily use, this is my honest assessment of each tool's strengths and weaknesses.

I use GitHub Copilot for autocomplete (it's on all the time), and I open ChatGPT in a browser when I need to have a conversation about code. This covers 95% of what I need AI for.

I tried switching to Cursor for a month, but the crashes and lost chat history drove me nuts. I'll probably try again in 6 months when they've fixed the stability issues.

I keep Claude Code around for big refactoring projects. I used it to convert a 20-file React class component app to hooks, and it was genuinely helpful. But I only fire it up for big changes.

My August 2025 Recommendation

After 8 months of switching between these tools daily, here's my honest take:

For most developers: Start with GitHub Copilot at $10/month. It works everywhere, crashes the least, and does 90% of what you need from AI coding assistance. The recent Pro+ tier at $39/month is overkill unless you're doing heavy prompt engineering.

If you live in VS Code: Cursor at $20/month is worth trying, especially after their August 2025 pricing updates. Just know you're betting on a smaller company, and the crashes are still real.

If you're comfortable with terminals: Claude Code is genuinely powerful for large refactoring jobs. But with the new rate limits starting August 28, 2025, expect to hit walls if you use it heavily.

If you're broke or cautious: Windsurf still offers the best free tier as of August 2025. It's a solid way to test if AI coding tools work for your workflow before spending money.

The real talk: These tools make boring parts of coding less boring. They won't make you a 10x developer, but they'll save you some Stack Overflow trips. Pick one, use it for boring stuff, and don't expect miracles.

Bottom line: Start with the cheapest option that works in your editor. If it solves your problems, stick with it. If you need more features, then consider upgrading. Don't overthink it - they're all pretty similar when you strip away the marketing noise.