# Cursor vs Groq

> Cursor: AI coding agent and VS Code-based editor for multi-file edits and cloud agents
> Groq: Fast, OpenAI-compatible inference API for open models, running on custom LPU chips

- Cursor profile: https://finderatlas.com/tools/cursor
- Groq profile: https://finderatlas.com/tools/groq
- Comparison page: https://finderatlas.com/compare/cursor-vs-groq
- Last reviewed: November 2026

## Verdict

Cursor is listed under Coding AI and Groq under Developer Tools. Both have a free plan or trial. Only Cursor is available on Windows, macOS and iOS. Only Groq offers an API.

### Choose Cursor if

- You want a tool built for Multi-file feature work, codebase-wide refactoring, delegating tasks to background agents, reviewing pull requests.
- Familiar VS Code-based editor with extension and keybinding support.
- Local and cloud agents that can run in parallel on multi-file tasks.

### Choose Groq if

- You want a tool built for Low-latency LLM API calls.
- Listed speeds of about 280 to 1,000 tokens per second on hosted models.
- OpenAI-compatible API and Responses API support, so migration is mostly a base URL change.

## Pricing

| | Cursor | Groq |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Free plan or trial | Yes | Yes |
| Starting price | $0 | $0 |

## Features

| Feature | Cursor | Groq |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Agents | Yes | Not listed |
| Cloud agents | Yes | Not listed |
| Tab and inline edits | Yes | Not listed |
| Codebase indexing | Yes | Not listed |
| Model choice | Yes | Not listed |
| Bugbot code review | Yes | Not listed |
| CLI | Yes | Not listed |
| Slack app and iOS app | Yes | Not listed |
| Marketplace and rules | Yes | Not listed |
| Privacy mode | Yes | Not listed |
| LPU inference | Not listed | Yes |
| OpenAI-compatible API | Not listed | Yes |
| Open model catalog | Not listed | Yes |
| Speech models | Not listed | Yes |
| Built-in tools and MCP | Not listed | Yes |
| Batch and Flex tiers | Not listed | Yes |
| Structured outputs and reasoning | Not listed | Yes |
| Spend limits and projects | Not listed | Yes |
| LoRA inference | Not listed | Yes |

## Platforms

| Platform | Cursor | Groq |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | No |
| macOS | Yes | No |
| iOS | Yes | No |
| Android | No | No |
| API | No | Yes |
| Browser Extension | No | No |
| Linux | Yes | No |
| CLI | Yes | No |

## Cursor strengths

- Familiar VS Code-based editor with extension and keybinding support
- Local and cloud agents that can run in parallel on multi-file tasks
- Choice of models from several providers, including Cursor's own
- Covers editor, CLI, web, Slack, iOS and PR review in one product
- Privacy mode and SOC 2 and ISO certifications for team use

## Cursor limitations

- Third-party model usage is billed separately from the plan at API list price
- Pricing is bundled with Grok and uses weekly usage pools, which makes costs harder to predict
- No Android app, and the iOS app only controls local agents
- Indexing can be heavy on very large repositories

## Groq strengths

- Listed speeds of about 280 to 1,000 tokens per second on hosted models
- OpenAI-compatible API and Responses API support, so migration is mostly a base URL change
- Free tier with an API key, and pay-as-you-go pricing with no monthly fee
- Low per-token prices, for example $0.15 input and $0.60 output per 1M tokens for GPT OSS 120B
- Includes speech-to-text and text-to-speech models alongside text models

## Groq limitations

- Only hosts a curated set of open models; no proprietary frontier models such as GPT or Claude
- Some models, including Llama 3.3 70B, are enterprise-only and require contacting sales
- Free tier rate limits are low for production use
- No public pricing page on groq.com; prices sit in the developer docs
- Preview models can be discontinued at short notice

## FAQ

**Is Cursor better than Groq?**

It depends on your workflow. Cursor is built for Multi-file feature work, codebase-wide refactoring, delegating tasks to background agents, reviewing pull requests. Groq is built for Low-latency LLM API calls.

**What are the key feature differences between Cursor and Groq?**

Cursor: AI coding agent and VS Code-based editor for multi-file edits and cloud agents. Groq: Fast, OpenAI-compatible inference API for open models, running on custom LPU chips. Cursor is rated 5.0/5 from 1 user review.

**Does Cursor or Groq have a free plan?**

Yes, both do. Cursor is freemium and Groq is freemium, and each has a free plan or trial.

**Which is cheaper, Cursor or Groq?**

Both can be used for free. Paid plans differ in limits and features, so compare the tiers in the pricing table above.