Google Antigravity vs Windsurf: Which One Should You Choose? (2026)

When weighing Google Antigravity vs Windsurf 2026, think of it as picking between a self-driving coding assistant and a precision tool with context awareness. If you love autonomous vibe coding, Antigravity might be your jam. For full-stack work on any hardware with zero data retention needs, Windsurf's Flow engine could be better. Both offer free tiers, so you can test the waters.

When deciding between Google Antigravity vs Windsurf 2026, it's a bit like choosing between a futuristic autonomous vehicle and a high-tech Swiss Army knife for developers. From what I've seen, both tools aim to supercharge your workflow but take different paths. Antigravity inverts the traditional IDE model by putting an agent in the driver's seat, while Windsurf builds agentic features into a standalone IDE with deep context tracking. Let's dive in.

Quick Overview

What is Google Antigravity?

Google Antigravity is an agent-first IDE that flips the script on how we interact with code. Think of it like having a coding co-pilot that doesn't just suggest changes but can autonomously execute tasks across the editor, terminal, and browser. Powered by the Gemini 3 model family, it's architected for parallel development and automated verification. In my experience, this makes it killer for rapid prototyping and vibe coding where you want to offload repetitive tasks.

It's best for folks who are comfortable letting AI take the wheel on things like frontend development with visual checks or refactoring large codebases. Google Antigravity is a VS Code-based platform that natively supports Windows 10+, macOS Monterey+ (Intel and Silicon), and Linux systems, but it might not play nice in air-gapped or highly restricted corporate environments.

What is Windsurf?

Windsurf, developed by Codeium, is an AI-native standalone IDE that feels more like a traditional editor with supercharged agentic features. Its Cascade engine and 'Flow' awareness track your entire development trajectory terminal state, project context, and all. I've found it excels in full-stack scenarios where you need deep codebase understanding and agentic debugging without the overhead of a complex setup.

It's a solid pick for enterprise teams or anyone working on complex refactoring who values zero data retention. But if you're just hacking on a simple script, it might be overkill, and the cloud inference dependency could be a hurdle in low-connectivity spots.

Key Differences at a Glance

Google Antigravity: Strengths & Weaknesses

Strengths

• Autonomous task execution: From the data, it's built for parallel work, which can speed up frontend dev and refactoring.
• Integrated surfaces: Having editor, terminal, and browser in one agentic runtime reduces context switching.
• Free tier available: Public preview with generous rate limits makes it accessible for testing.

Weaknesses

• Early stage stability: Latency in Deep Think mode and regional restrictions might be frustrating.
• Corporate IT conflicts: Cloud dependency could clash with network policies.

Windsurf: Strengths & Weaknesses

Strengths

• Full-stack focus: Excellent for complex refactoring and debugging with terminal integration.
• Enterprise-ready: Zero data retention is a big plus for security-conscious teams.
• Standalone IDE: Less dependency on specific setups, making it easier to adopt.

Weaknesses

• Resource-intensive: Full codebase indexing can slow down with very large repos.
• Credit consumption: Frontier models like GPT-5.2 use more credits, which might add up.
• Cloud dependency: Might not work well in offline environments.

Feature Comparison

Both tools share similar key capabilities: code generation, web browsing, terminal access, and more. The difference lies in execution. Antigravity leans into autonomous agentic mode for hands-off coding, while Windsurf integrates these features with a focus on developer trajectory and context.

Performance

From the data, Antigravity has noted latency in Deep Think mode, which could affect real-time tasks. Windsurf's resource-intensive indexing might impact large projects. In practice, your mileage will vary based on project size and hardware.

Developer Experience

Antigravity has a unique feel due to its novel approach it's like learning to ride a bike with training wheels that occasionally glitch. Windsurf feels more familiar as a standalone IDE, so if you're used to tools like VS Code, you'll adapt quicker.

Pricing

Both have free tiers. Antigravity's free preview has rate limits on Gemini 3 Pro, while Windsurf offers basic model access with limited Flow actions. For small projects, both are viable, but for heavy usage, check their credit systems as Windsurf's frontier models can be costly.

When to Choose Google Antigravity

Choose Google Antigravity if:

• You're on Windows, macOS, or Linux and want autonomous coding for frontend or rapid prototyping.
• Your workflow benefits from parallel task execution and visual verification.
• You're okay with early adopter quirks and potential latency.
• Corporate IT policies allow cloud-based agentic tools.

When to Choose Windsurf

Choose Windsurf if:

• You need a full-stack IDE with deep codebase understanding for refactoring or debugging.
• Your team requires zero data retention for security compliance.
• You're working on complex projects and prefer a more traditional IDE with agentic boosts.
• You have mixed hardware environments and prefer a standalone installer.

Code Comparison: Setting Up a Simple Project

Since both are IDEs, here's a hypothetical example of starting a new project. Imagine you're setting up a Node.js app.

Google Antigravity (agentic approach):

In Antigravity, you use the Manager View interface to issue natural language commands rather than typing shell scripts manually.

Prompt: "Create a new Node.js Express project with standard structure"

Windsurf (integrated approach):

# In Windsurf, you'd use the terminal within the IDE
mkdir node-app && cd node-app
npm init -y
npm install express
# The Flow engine tracks context for future agentic tasks

In practice, Antigravity might handle more steps automatically, while Windsurf gives you control with context awareness.

Migration: Switching Between Them

Switching between Antigravity and Windsurf isn't too painful since both are IDEs. You'll likely need to export any project settings or configurations. Antigravity's agentic runtime might have proprietary data, so you'd lose that autonomy. Windsurf's standalone nature means you can more easily import codebases. From my experience, it's doable but might require some manual tweaking for optimal setup.

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ: Which one is better for beginners?

Windsurf is generally better for beginners due to its moderate learning curve and familiar IDE interface. Antigravity's autonomous focus can be overwhelming if you're new to agentic tools.

FAQ: Can I switch from Google Antigravity to Windsurf later?

Yes, you can switch, but it might involve reconfiguring your workflow. Export your code and settings, then set up Windsurf. You'll lose Antigravity's autonomous features, but gain Windsurf's context tracking.

FAQ: Which one is cheaper for small projects?

Both have free tiers that are sufficient for small projects. Antigravity's rate limits and Windsurf's basic access should cover light usage without cost.

FAQ: Do both support web browsing and terminal access?

Yes, both tools list webBrowsing and terminalAccess as key capabilities, so you can expect integrated browsing and terminal functionality.

FAQ: Which one has better performance?

It depends: Antigravity might have latency in agentic modes, while Windsurf can be resource-intensive with large repos. Test both with your specific workload to see which performs better.

FAQ: Can I use both together?

Possibly, but it's not straightforward. You could use Antigravity for autonomous tasks and Windsurf for other projects, but managing two IDEs might add complexity.

FAQ: Is there support for Intel Macs?

Yes, Google Antigravity natively supports Windows 10+, macOS Monterey+ (Intel and Silicon), and Linux systems.

FAQ: How do the free tiers compare?

Antigravity offers a public preview with rate limits on Gemini 3 Pro, while Windsurf provides limited Flow actions and basic model access. Both are generous for trying out the tools.

Conclusion

Deciding between Google Antigravity and Windsurf boils down to your specific needs. If you're all-in on autonomous coding, Antigravity offers a futuristic edge. For full-stack work with fewer restrictions and enterprise features, Windsurf is a reliable choice. Don't stress too much grab the free tiers, experiment, and see which one vibes with your workflow. Happy coding!

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Last updated: 2026-01-10