Four projects, free forever.
The Free plan includes every feature, so you only need Pro after you outgrow four projects.
Primary purpose
Solo
Local process dashboard for agents and project commands
Cursor
AI-first code editor with agent workflows
AI Editor
Solo vs Cursor
Agent-first coding environment vs a local process dashboard
Official product sites
Quick Summary
Cursor is an agent-first coding product created by Anysphere and acquired by SpaceX in August 2026. Its VS Code-based desktop app is joined by CLI, web, and cloud-agent workflows. Cursor includes agent mode, parallel Cloud Agents, Bugbot for PR review, event-driven Automations, MCP support, Tab predictions, and models from Cursor and major providers. It runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux.
Solo is a desktop app for managing local processes — dev servers, CLI agents, queues, and shell sessions — in one dashboard with command restart policies, notifications, and shared configuration through solo.yml.
Choose Cursor when you want agents inside the coding environment. Choose Solo when you want a separate surface for local agents and long-running project commands.
Who it is for
Who should choose each option in Solo vs Cursor?
Choose Cursor when agents should work inside your editor. Choose Solo when local agents and project commands should live in a separate process workspace.
Choose Solo if your editor is already decided
Solo fits best when you want local agents, services, shell sessions, and shared project commands visible in one dedicated app instead of folded into editor tabs.
Choose Cursor if you want an AI-first editor
Cursor fits best when you want prompting, editing, MCP, background repository work, and team customization to live inside one editor-centric workflow.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Solo | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| Primary purpose | Local process dashboard for agents and project commands | AI-first code editor with agent workflows |
| Replaces your editor | — | Yes — VS Code fork using Open VSX; many popular extensions are available |
| Built-in AI agent | — | Yes — agent mode with autonomous multi-file editing and terminal access |
| Background agents | — | Yes — parallel Cloud Agents in isolated VMs on separate branches |
| Automated PR review | — | Bugbot reviews PRs; optional usage-billed Autofix can launch a Cloud Agent |
| Event-driven automations | — | Yes — triggered by code pushes, Slack messages, PagerDuty incidents |
| AI model choice | Uses installed agent CLIs; no bundled model | Models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, SpaceXAI, and Cursor |
| Tab completion | — | Yes — proprietary model predicting next edits, not just line completions |
| MCP integration | Yes — exposes an MCP server for external tools | Yes — MCP server support and marketplace plugins |
| Local process dashboard | Yes — sidebar with CPU/memory stats per process | Editor, terminal, and agent views, but not a dedicated process supervisor |
| Auto-restart for project commands | Yes — self-exit and file-watch restarts with rate limiting | — |
| Process notifications | Yes — native desktop notifications, in-app toasts, and OSC escape sequences | Native notifications for agent completion and required input; not generic process supervision |
| Use your own local agents | Yes — any CLI agent (Claude Code, Gemini CLI, Codex, Amp, etc.) as a managed process | Cursor's own agent is native; other CLI agents run in the terminal |
| Shared project command config | solo.yml — version-controlled, team-shareable | Rules, prompts, and project settings, but not a process manifest |
| Open source | — | — |
| Free tier | 4 projects, 20 processes — all features included | Hobby — limited agent requests and Tab completions |
| Paid plans | Pro plan | Pro $20/mo, Pro+ $60/mo, Ultra $200/mo, Teams Standard $40/user/mo, Teams Premium $120/user/mo, Enterprise custom |
| Ownership | Independent | Acquired by SpaceX in August 2026 |
| Platform | macOS and Windows | macOS, Windows, Linux |
Replaces your editor
Solo
—
Cursor
Yes — VS Code fork using Open VSX; many popular extensions are available
Built-in AI agent
Solo
—
Cursor
Yes — agent mode with autonomous multi-file editing and terminal access
Background agents
Solo
—
Cursor
Yes — parallel Cloud Agents in isolated VMs on separate branches
Automated PR review
Solo
—
Cursor
Bugbot reviews PRs; optional usage-billed Autofix can launch a Cloud Agent
Event-driven automations
Solo
—
Cursor
Yes — triggered by code pushes, Slack messages, PagerDuty incidents
AI model choice
Solo
Uses installed agent CLIs; no bundled model
Cursor
Models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, SpaceXAI, and Cursor
Tab completion
Solo
—
Cursor
Yes — proprietary model predicting next edits, not just line completions
MCP integration
Solo
Yes — exposes an MCP server for external tools
Cursor
Yes — MCP server support and marketplace plugins
Local process dashboard
Solo
Yes — sidebar with CPU/memory stats per process
Cursor
Editor, terminal, and agent views, but not a dedicated process supervisor
Auto-restart for project commands
Solo
Yes — self-exit and file-watch restarts with rate limiting
Cursor
—
Process notifications
Solo
Yes — native desktop notifications, in-app toasts, and OSC escape sequences
Cursor
Native notifications for agent completion and required input; not generic process supervision
Use your own local agents
Solo
Yes — any CLI agent (Claude Code, Gemini CLI, Codex, Amp, etc.) as a managed process
Cursor
Cursor's own agent is native; other CLI agents run in the terminal
Shared project command config
Solo
solo.yml — version-controlled, team-shareable
Cursor
Rules, prompts, and project settings, but not a process manifest
Open source
Solo
—
Cursor
—
Free tier
Solo
4 projects, 20 processes — all features included
Cursor
Hobby — limited agent requests and Tab completions
Paid plans
Solo
Pro plan
Cursor
Pro $20/mo, Pro+ $60/mo, Ultra $200/mo, Teams Standard $40/user/mo, Teams Premium $120/user/mo, Enterprise custom
Ownership
Solo
Independent
Cursor
Acquired by SpaceX in August 2026
Platform
Solo
macOS and Windows
Cursor
macOS, Windows, Linux
What each tool is
Solo
Solo is a native desktop app that gives you one dashboard for all the commands a project needs running locally. It does not bundle a code editor or AI model.
- Manages dev servers, build watchers, queues, workers, and supported CLI agents
- Starts and stops every process; commands can restart automatically after self-exit or matching file changes
- Sends native desktop notifications when something needs attention
- Shares configuration through a solo.yml file your team can commit to version control
Cursor
Cursor is an agent-first coding product with a VS Code-based desktop app, CLI, web access, and cloud workflows.
- Many popular Open VSX extensions, though not every Microsoft Marketplace extension
- Agent mode for multi-file editing with terminal access
- Parallel Cloud Agents in isolated VMs and branches
- Bugbot for PR review, with optional usage-billed Autofix
- Event-driven Automations
- Models from Cursor and major providers
Agent workflows
Solo
Solo does not bundle an AI model. It runs supported CLI agents as first-class processes alongside generic commands.
- Working/idle status and session features for supported agents
- Interactive terminal access for prompting
- Command processes can auto-restart with rate limiting; agent exits remain visible without being restarted
- Generic CLI tools can still run as ordinary managed processes
Cursor
Cursor centers its workflow on in-editor and cloud agents.
- Agent mode plans multi-step tasks, edits files, and runs terminal commands
- Cloud Agents work in isolated VMs on separate branches and can run in parallel
- Bugbot reviews PRs; optional Autofix can launch a Cloud Agent
- Automations trigger agents from external events
- MCP and marketplace plugins connect external tools
What Solo adds that Cursor does not focus on
Solo
Solo manages long-running background commands outside the editor.
- Restarts configured command processes after self-exit, with rate limiting
- File-watch restarts when source files change
- CPU and memory usage tracking per process
- Native desktop notifications for supported attention events
- solo.yml lets your whole team start the same commands with one click
Cursor
Cursor has a built-in terminal and native agent notifications, but its documented workflow centers on coding agents rather than generic project-process supervision.
- Official docs cover agent completion and input notifications
- They do not describe Solo-style generic restart policy or per-process resource statistics
- Cursor focuses on agent-assisted editing, code review, and automation
Using them together
Solo
Solo and Cursor are complementary.
- Cursor is where you write code and run AI agents for editing tasks
- Solo is where you manage background services, monitored CLI agents, and shared startup configuration
- Solo exposes an MCP server that Cursor's agent mode can connect to for process-aware context
Cursor
Cursor covers editing, agents, code review, and automation. Solo can handle the non-coding parts of the local environment.
- Use Solo for long-running project commands that need restart policies, resource views, and shared configuration
- Keep everything in Cursor when its terminal tabs already cover those commands
Pricing
Pricing and scope
Cursor is priced like an AI product with usage tiers. Solo is priced like a focused local workflow tool. That difference matters because they solve different layers of the workflow.
Solo pricing lens
Solo has a free tier for up to 4 projects and 20 processes, with Pro above that.
Cursor pricing lens
Cursor has a free Hobby tier plus paid Pro, Pro+, Ultra, Teams, and Enterprise plans.
Decision shortcut
If your current editor already works, Solo adds process management without requiring an editor change.
Migration
What switching looks like
Moving from Cursor to Solo is usually an unbundling move, not a rip-and-replace.
- Keep your current editor, including Cursor, if it still works well for editing and review.
- Move long-lived commands, local agents, and shared startup workflows into solo.yml so they live in one dedicated dashboard.
- Use Solo through MCP when you want Cursor to keep the coding surface and Solo to keep the local control surface.
Common questions
Does Solo replace Cursor?
No. Solo is not an editor. Choose it when agents and project commands should live outside the editor.
Can Solo and Cursor work together?
Yes. Cursor can stay the editing surface while Solo manages local agents, shell sessions, and project commands in a separate app.
The Verdict
Cursor puts editing, agents, code review, and automation in one coding environment. Solo does not replace those features. It adds a separate local workspace for CLI agents and project commands, including resource visibility, command restart policy, notifications, and shared configuration. Use Cursor for coding work, Solo for the surrounding local environment, or both together.
Solo preview
See what Solo actually is
Solo is a lightweight desktop terminal workspace for local agents, project commands, interactive terminals, and long-running services. It sits beside your editor, keeps your stack visible, and gives Claude Code, Codex, and the rest of your tools one shared local control surface.
Built by
Built by Aaron Francis
Solo is built by Aaron Francis, creator of faster.dev and Database School, and VP of Marketing at Laravel. He built Solo after running Claude Code alongside his own dev stack and getting tired of juggling nine terminal tabs just to keep local agents, services, and project commands visible.
He is also a dad to two sets of twins, which tends to create a strong preference for software that reduces chaos instead of adding more of it. That is why Solo keeps showing up in these comparisons as the local workspace around your tools, not another editor or orchestrator trying to absorb the whole workflow.
Related comparisons
Keep comparing the nearby options
If you are evaluating Solo, Cursor, these are the closest next comparisons in the matrix.
Try a complete workflow
Start with one project and a small task. These guides walk through the setup and what to check when the work finishes.
Run Claude Code and Codex together
Set up both tools in one project, give one agent implementation work, and ask the other to review the diff.
Read the guide →Coordinate agents through MCP
Give a lead agent a plan, shared todos, and a scratchpad so workers have clear assignments and a useful handoff.
Read the guide →Run your dev stack alongside agents
Put a Laravel server, Vite, and a queue worker in solo.yml, then manage their output and restart behavior in Solo.
Read the guide →FreeFull-featured, with no trial or expiration.$0forever
Up to 4 projectsUp to 20 processes totalAll features includedMCP integration for AI agentsNative notificationsAll future updatesGet started free
ProUnlimited projects and processes.$99/yearEverything in FreeUnlimited projectsUnlimited processesPriority email supportActivate on 3 devicesAll future updatesGet pro licenseCancel anytime with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Team seats
Centralized billing, simple claim-link distribution
Buy seats under one Stripe subscription, then share a claim link in Slack or email. Each claimant signs in or registers and receives a normal Solo Pro license. Optional auto-grow adds prorated seats automatically when the pool is full, so your team never hits a license wall.
Seats 1–3
$99/seat/yr
Seats 4–10
$89/seat/yr
Seats 11–50
$79/seat/yr
Seats 51+
$69/seat/yr
Brackets apply per seat — a 10-seat team pays $99 each for seats 1–3 and $89 each for seats 4–10.
Give every coding agent
the same room to work in.
Download Solo 
Free for four projects on macOS and Windows.
Start with a terminal and add the programmable meta-harness when you need to coordinate agents with your local development stack.
“I can't live without it.”