Updated on: 05/11/2026 | By: Jaha
As a developer living in Faisalabad, I face the same problem as you - how to use top AI coding tools without paying $20 every month? When 1 dollar is 280 PKR, paying 5600 PKR for Cursor AI is not possible for most Pakistani students and beginner freelancers.
I was also stuck for 3 months. I tried the GitHub Copilot trial; it ended. I tried my Cursor free plan; it ended in 2 days. Then I decided to do a proper 15-day test on my personal laptop (HP Core i5 8th Gen, 8GB RAM, PTCL 10MB internet) to find the truth.
In this final guide of our series, I will compare Windsurf vs Cursor vs Codeium with real PKR pricing, and tell you which one is actually best for YOU in Pakistan in 2026.
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If you are new here, read our main guide first: Best Free AI Coding Assistants 2026 - Pillar Post
- What are Windsurf, Cursor, and Codeium in simple Urdu?
- Real Hands-on Test: I Built the Same Project on All 3
- Detailed Price Comparison in PKR (Including Payoneer Fees)
- Speed Test on Slow Pakistani Internet
- Which Tool Is Best for Students, Freelancers, and Software House Jobs?
- My Final Honest Verdict After 15 Days
1. What Are These 3 Tools? (Simple Explanation)
a) Cursor AI - The Most Powerful, But Most Expensive
Cursor is not an extension. It's a separate application, like a new version of VS Code. You open Cursor, you say in chat, "Bro, build me an e-commerce website with cart functionality," and it will create 10 files - HTML, CSS, JS- and even connect them. It can edit 5 files at once. This is called Agentic AI.
Problem for Pakistan:
Its free plan is a trap. You get only 50 slow requests. After that, it stops. To continue, you need $20/month (5600 PKR). And you need an international card. My Payoneer card was declined 2 times. Also, it needs 16GB RAM to run smoothly. On my 8GB laptop, it was lagging.
b) Windsurf - The New Competitor of Cursor (Made by Codeium Team)
Windsurf was launched by the same company that made Codeium. It's also a full AI IDE like Cursor. Its special feature is called Cascade. Cascade remembers your whole project. If you have 50 files, it knows where your header file is and where your CSS is.
Good News:
Windsurf has a much better free plan than Cursor. You get unlimited autocomplete and 200-300 AI chat requests per month for free. For 90% of Pakistani freelancers, the free plan is more than enough. Its paid plan is $15/month (4200 PKR), which is cheaper than Cursor.
For Example:
If you "Add dark mode to your portfolio". It automatically found your style.css, added CSS variables, and added a JS toggle button in index.html. You don't need to tell it where the files are.
c) Codeium - My Favourite and 100% Free Forever
Codeium is different. It is NOT a full IDE. It is a tiny extension (like 20MB) that you install INSIDE your normal VS Code. It doesn't change your VS Code. It just adds AI power inside it.
Why I Love It for Pakistan:
It is 100% free, unlimited, forever. No credit card, no account limit, no VPN. You just install it, and it works. It works even when my internet speed goes down to 2MB. It also has an offline mode where it suggests code from your own files.
I made a complete setup guide for it: How to Use Codeium AI in VS Code for Free - Step by Step with Screenshots. If you haven't installed it, read that first.
2. Real Test - I Built a Freelancer Portfolio Website on All 3
To make this comparison fair, I gave all three tools the EXACT same prompt:
"Create a responsive portfolio for a Pakistani freelancer named Jaha. Include Hero Section, About, Skills, Projects, and Contact Form. Use modern CSS."
Result on Cursor:
Cursor created 4 files in 45 seconds: index.html, style.css, script.js, and README.md. The design was premium, like a $500 template. But it used 80% of my CPU, and my laptop fan started making noise. It also consumed 180MB internet data for one request.
Result on Windsurf:
Windsurf took 60 seconds and created 3 files. The design was good, but simpler than Cursor. It also created a nice responsive menu automatically. It used 120MB data. The laptop was a bit laggy but better than Cursor.
Result on Codeium:
Codeium doesn't create files automatically. I had to create index.html myself. But when I started typing,<section class="hero">it auto-completed the full hero section with Tailwind CSS classes. When I typed// function to send email with validation, it wrote a 20-line JavaScript function. It used almost zero internet (5MB) and zero extra RAM. For me, this is more practical.
| Feature (Real Test) | Cursor | Windsurf | Codeium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Limit | 50 Requests Only | ~250 Requests/mo | ✅ Unlimited Forever |
| Price in PKR (with fees) | 5600 PKR + 300 Tax | 4200 PKR + 250 Tax | 0 PKR |
| RAM Need | 16GB Must | 12GB Recommended | ✅ 4GB Works |
| Internet Need | 20MB+ Speed Need | 10MB+ Need | ✅ 2MB PTCL Works |
| Payment Method | Visa/Master Only | Visa/Master Only | ✅ No Card Needed |
| Best For | Software Houses | Freelancers (Mid) | Students / Beginners |
3. Detailed PKR Pricing - The Hidden Truth
Many YouTubers say "$20 only". But in Pakistan, $20 is not just 5600 PKR. Let me show you the real cost:
- Cursor Pro:
- $20 + $3 Payoneer conversion fee + $2 tax = $25 = 7000 PKR per month. In 1 year = 84,000 PKR.
- Windsurf Pro:
- $15 + $2.5 fee = $17.5 = 4900 PKR per month. In 1 year = 58,800 PKR.
- Codeium:
- $0 = 0 PKR per month. In 1 year = 0 PKR.
As a student from Pakistan whose monthly internet budget is 3000 PKR, I cannot pay 7000 PKR for an AI tool. That's why Codeium is a blessing for us.
4. Which One Should YOU Choose? (My Final Decision)
✅ Final Recommendation for Pakistani Developers:
1. If you are a University Student (BSSE, BSCS) with 0 Budget:
Use Codeium ONLY. Don't waste time on the Cursor trial. Codeium will help you with assignments, final year projects, and learning. It works on your college lab PC even without admin rights.
2. If you are a Freelancer on Fiverr / Upwork (Beginner to Level 1):
Use Codeium + Windsurf FREE. Use Codeium for daily small tasks. When you get a big client project ($100+), use the Windsurf free plan to build the full project quickly. This combo is used by top Pakistani freelancers.
3. If you work in a Software House in Karachi/ Lahore / Islamabad or have USA Clients:
Ask your company to buy Cursor. It is worth it if someone else is paying. It will make you 3x faster. If you are earning $1000+ per month, then $20 is nothing for you.
My Personal Setup (Jaha's Setup):
I use Codeium for 90% of my coding work. I use Windsurf FREE when I need to create a new website from scratch for TechWithJaha. I have uninstalled Cursor because it was too heavy for my laptop and budget. This is my honest setup after testing all 3 for 15 days.
5. My Final Words - Don't Fall for Hype
YouTube experts will tell you "Cursor is the only future". But they live in the USA, where $20 is nothing. For us in Pakistan, free and lightweight tools are the future. Codeium gives you 80% of Cursor's power for 0% of the cost.
Start with Codeium today. Master it. When you start earning $500+ per month from freelancing, then you can think about Windsurf or Cursor. But for now, don't waste your money.
This was the last post of our AI Coding Assistants Cluster. I hope this 5-part series helped you. Please share this with your friends who are learning to code.
📚 Complete 5-Part AI Coding Series - Read All
- 📘 Pillar: Best Free AI Coding Assistants 2026 - Main Guide
- 🔧 Cluster 4: How to Use Codeium in VS Code - Full Setup (0 PKR)
- 🏆 Cluster 5 (You are here): Windsurf vs Cursor vs Codeium - Final Verdict
More clusters (Windsurf Setup, Cursor Tips) coming soon...
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Which AI coding assistant is 100% free in Pakistan in 2026?
Codeium is the only one that is 100% free forever with unlimited use in Pakistan. Windsurf has a generous free plan, and Cursor only gives 50 free requests.
Q2: Can I use Cursor without paying in Pakistan?
You can use Cursor for free for only 50 requests. After that, you must pay $20/month, which is about 7000 PKR with all taxes. Most students cannot afford it.
Q3: Which is best for low-end laptops and slow internet?
Codeium is best for low-end laptops (4GB RAM) and slow internet because it is very lightweight (20MB extension) and works offline. Cursor and Windsurf need 12-16GB RAM and fast internet.
Q4: What is the real price of Cursor in PKR?
The official price of $20 is 5600 PKR, but with Payoneer fees and taxes, it becomes ~7000 PKR per month in Pakistan in 2026.
Full Stack Developer from Faisalabad, Pakistan. I test AI tools on low-spec laptops so Pakistani students don't waste money. Follow me for honest, no-hype tutorials.
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