Choosing between Cursor and Claude Code

It really depends on your budget and your project scale. Claude Code can be very expensive as well.

I've been a Cursor power user for over a year.

Wrote the guide everyone uses. Mastered every feature. Then I abandoned it all for Claude Code.

Here's why I'm never going back 👇

The moment I knew Cursor was done:

Our 18,000-line React component. (Yes, it's a monstrosity.)

Cursor choked on it every time. Claude Code handled it like butter.

The permission system will drive you insane at first.

"Can I edit this file?" "Can I run lint?" "Can I breathe?"

Solution that changed everything:

claude --dangerously-skip-permissions

Haven't looked back since.

The terminal UI is weirdly good:

• /clear between tasks (saves tokens) • Queue multiple prompts - it handles them intelligently • @ files directly without switching windows • Up arrow for chat history across sessions

But here's what nobody talks about:

The economics are brutal for third-party tools.

Cursor pays Anthropic → adds their margin → charges you. Claude Code? Straight from the source. $100/month. Unlimited Opus.

Why pay the middleman?

The GitHub integration is criminally underrated:

# claude-code-review.yml
direct_prompt: |
 Review for bugs and security issues only. Be concise.

Every PR gets reviewed. Finds real bugs. Not style nitpicks.

Hidden features that save hours:

• Shift+drag files (regular drag opens new tab) • Control+V for images (not Cmd+V) • Escape stops Claude (Ctrl+C exits) • # symbol creates project memory instantly

The real difference:

Cursor needs babysitting. Gets stuck. Needs restarts. Fails on complex patches.

Claude Code just... works. Even on massive codebases. Even on legacy nightmares.

I still use Cursor for quick Cmd+K edits. But for real work? Claude is my primary interface now.

The editor is just for reviewing.

While everyone debates Cursor vs Windsurf...

The best AI coder is hiding in plain sight.

Direct from Anthropic. No wrapper needed.

Author

Ai Base Network (ABN), ABN ASIA was founded by people with deep roots in academia, with work experience in the US, Holland, Hungary, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Vietnam. ABN Asia is where academia and technology meet opportunity. With our cutting-edge solutions and competent software development services, we're helping businesses level up and take on the global scene. Our commitment: Faster. Better. More reliable. In most cases: Cheaper as well.

Feel free to reach out to us whenever you require IT services, digital consulting, off-the-shelf software solutions, or if you'd like to send us requests for proposals (RFPs). You can contact us at [email protected]. We're ready to assist you with all your technology needs.