Base44 vs Windsurf

Base44 takes a different approach from most AI app builders — instead of writing code you can see, it generates complete applications through a chat interface. Describe what you need (“build me a task management app with user auth and Stripe billing”), and it creates the database, UI, backend logic, and authentication. Apps are live immediately with built-in hosting.

Wix acquired Base44 in 2025 for around $80 million, so expect the product to evolve toward the Wix ecosystem over time. The free tier is tight (5 messages per day), but enough to test whether the approach works for your use case. Best for internal tools, simple SaaS MVPs, and founders who want something working today rather than something architecturally perfect.

Windsurf (formerly Codeium’s editor) combines regular code completion with Cascade, an agent mode that can plan out multi-step tasks and execute them across your project. Tell it “add user authentication to this app” and it will create files, install packages, and wire things up.

The $15/mo price is its biggest selling point over Cursor. The product is solid, but the company had a turbulent 2025 — a $3B acquisition by OpenAI fell apart, and talent ended up split between Google and Cognition. If you are price-sensitive and want a capable AI IDE, it is worth trying. Just be aware that the company’s future direction is less certain than competitors.