Can you trial Windsurf for free in 2026?
Quick Answer: Yes. As of April 2026, Windsurf (Codeium) offers a free tier with limited Cascade usage and unlimited basic completions. Pro at $15/user/month adds higher Cascade limits, faster models, and longer context windows. No credit card is required for the free tier.
Trialing Windsurf Free
Windsurf has a permanent free tier in addition to paid Pro and Teams plans as of April 2026.
What the Free Tier Includes
- Unlimited basic completions — Inline ghost-text suggestions powered by the base Codeium model
- Limited Cascade usage — A monthly allotment of "premium" agentic actions (the exact number changes; check the pricing page)
- MCP server connections — Connect databases, browsers, and shell tools
- Local indexing — The full repo index works on the free tier
No credit card is required. Sign in with Google, GitHub, or email.
Free Tier Limits
The main limitation is Cascade premium actions per month. Once exhausted, agentic edits revert to a slower model or pause until the next billing cycle.
Pro vs Teams
- Pro — $15/user/month. Higher Cascade limits, faster models, longer context.
- Teams — $35/user/month with admin SSO, audit logs, and centralized billing.
- Enterprise — Custom. On-prem indexing and dedicated support.
When the Free Tier Is Enough
- Solo developers with light agentic editing needs
- Evaluation period before committing to Pro
- Use of basic tab completion as a Copilot alternative
When to Upgrade
Daily Cascade-heavy work (full-stack feature development, large refactors) typically exhausts the free Cascade allotment within a week, making Pro the practical tier.