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Software Development · head to head

Codacy vs Windsurf

Codacy logo

Codacy

Software Development

Automated code review platform for code quality and security scanning.

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Windsurf logo

Windsurf

Software Development

The agentic IDE

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Codacy team plan is capped at 30 developers before Business pricing is required.; Windsurf recently rebranded to Devin Desktop, creating product identity confusion
  • They diverge on capability: Codacy covers Automated code review, Windsurf covers Cascade AI agent.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Codacy and Windsurf actually diverge.

Attributes where Codacy and Windsurf differ
AttributeCodacyWindsurf
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Platformsweb, apimacOS, Linux, Windows
FoundedUnknown2021

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Software Development).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Codacy

  • Automated code review
  • Security scanning
  • IDE plugin
  • Merge gates
  • Coverage reports
  • Jira and Slack integration

Only in Windsurf

  • Cascade AI agent
  • Agentic programming
  • Context-aware assistance
  • Automated command execution
  • Multi-file understanding
  • Intelligent code generation
  • Real-time debugging
  • Integrated terminal

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Codacy

  • Automating pull request code reviewnot Windsurf
  • Enforcing shared coding standards across teamsnot Windsurf
  • Scanning for secrets and vulnerable dependenciesnot Windsurf
  • Tracking test coverage over timenot Windsurf
  • Blocking merges that fail quality gatesnot Windsurf

Windsurf

  • Agentic developmentnot Codacy
  • AI-assisted codingnot Codacy
  • Complex project managementnot Codacy
  • Automated coding tasksnot Codacy
  • Learning new codebasesnot Codacy

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Codacy

  • Team plan is capped at 30 developers before Business pricing is required.
  • Advanced security features like DAST and container scanning are Business-tier only.
  • Business plan pricing is not published and requires contacting sales.
  • Annual plans require 30 days' notice to modify or cancel before renewal.

Windsurf

  • Recently rebranded to Devin Desktop, creating product identity confusion
  • Cascade agent reached end-of-life on July 1, 2026, requiring migration to Devin Local
  • Free tier quota runs out quickly for active developers, within a couple days of coding
  • Pricing increased significantly in March 2026 overhaul, moving from credit-based to daily/weekly quotas
  • OpenAI acquisition raises concerns about long-term product direction diverging from Codeium's vision

Pricing, plan by plan

Codacy

Free
  • DeveloperFree
    • IDE plugin with real-time feedback
    • Security and quality scans
    • 38 languages supported
  • Team$18/month
    • Up to 30 developers
    • Up to 100 private repos, unlimited lines of code
    • AI Reviewer
  • Business$undefined/month
    • Unlimited private projects
    • Priority scan queue
    • DAST and container scanning

Windsurf

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Light daily and weekly quotas
    • Unlimited tab autocomplete
    • Access to Cascade AI agent
  • Pro$20/month
    • Standard quotas
    • Windsurf proprietary SWE model
    • Cloud sessions for background work
  • Max$200/month
    • Heavy daily quotas
    • Long agent sessions
    • Frontier third-party models
  • Teams$40/month-per-user
    • All Pro features
    • Centralized billing
    • Usage analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose Codacy if

  • You need automated code review.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want security scanning.
Codacy review

Choose Windsurf if

  • You need cascade ai agent.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on macOS, Linux, Windows.
  • You also want agentic programming.
Windsurf review

Questions people ask

Is Codacy or Windsurf better?
Neither clearly leads. Codacy starts at Free and Windsurf at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Codacy or Windsurf?
Codacy starts at Free and Windsurf at Free.
Does Codacy or Windsurf run on more platforms?
Codacy runs on web, api. Windsurf runs on macOS, Linux, Windows.
Can I use Codacy for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Codacy best used for?
Codacy is most often used for automating pull request code review, enforcing shared coding standards across teams, scanning for secrets and vulnerable dependencies, tracking test coverage over time. Of those, automating pull request code review and enforcing shared coding standards across teams are not what Windsurf is typically brought in for.
What can Codacy do that Windsurf cannot?
Codacy covers Automated code review, Security scanning, IDE plugin, Merge gates. Windsurf covers Cascade AI agent, Agentic programming, Context-aware assistance, Automated command execution.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Codacy: What does Codacy cost?

The Developer plan is free forever; Team starts at $18/dev/month billed yearly (or $21 monthly); Business is custom-priced for enterprise requirements.

Source
Windsurf: Does Windsurf support MCP (Model Context Protocol) integrations?

Yes. Windsurf supports MCP with integrations for 21 third-party tools for extending functionality and connecting to external systems.

Source
Codacy: Is there a free plan, and what are its limits?

Yes, the Developer plan is free forever for individuals, including IDE feedback, scan-as-you-type, and security and quality scans across 38 languages.

Source
Windsurf: What is Windsurf's current status as of 2026?

Windsurf rebranded to Devin Desktop in June 2026 and is backed by OpenAI after its 2025 acquisition. Cascade reached end-of-life on July 1, 2026, with Devin Local as the Rust-rewritten successor.

Source
Codacy: Can I try Codacy before paying?

Codacy offers a 14-day free trial with full platform access and no credit card required.

Source
Codacy: What does it integrate with?

Codacy integrates with GitHub, Bitbucket, and GitLab for cloud-hosted scans, plus Jira and Slack for team notifications.

Source
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