What each tool does
Bolt is a browser-based builder where you describe a website, web app, prototype or slide deck and its coding agents build it, fixing errors as they go. You can start from scratch, from Figma, from GitHub or from a team template, and it picks an AI model for you.
Windsurf, as this listing describes it, points to Devin Desktop: a desktop hub for running many AI coding agents at once. From one place you plan work, hand tasks to agents running locally or in the cloud, review what they produce and ship changes. An agent editor with sessions and spaces helps you track each agent and see when a pull request is ready.
Key differences
- Who it is for: Bolt suits founders and non-coders; Windsurf is for developers who already work with code, repositories and pull requests.
- Approach: Bolt turns a chat into a finished app; Windsurf manages and reviews the work of multiple agents on existing projects.
- Where it runs: Bolt works in the browser on any computer; Windsurf is offered as a macOS desktop app.
- Output: Bolt gives you a working site, app or deck; Windsurf produces code changes that you review and merge.
Which should you choose?
Choose Bolt if you want to go from an idea to something clickable without learning to code, and you want to work from any browser, including on a Windows laptop.
Choose Windsurf if you are a developer or part of a team that wants to delegate several tasks to agents in parallel and keep control through planning and review. Teams can request a demo.
Both are listed as freemium, so you can start free. Paid plans are typically charged in USD by card; check each pricing page for current plans.
Can you use both?
Possibly, in a small team. A founder might build the first prototype in Bolt, and once the project moves into a proper code repository, developers could use Windsurf to run agents on further features and fixes.
