Two billion-dollar-plus companies just stole the spotlight this week: Windsurf ($3 B) and Cursor ($9 B).

What interests me isn’t the cash—it’s the copy. So here’s the plan, I will,

  1. Size up their taglines.
  2. Pick a winner and say why.
  3. Hand you three steal-worthy takeaways you can drop straight into your own work.

Cursor

The AI Code Editor Built to make you extraordinarily productive, Cursor is the best way to code with AI.

Why this slaps?

  1. Zero guesswork: “AI-powered code editor.” Done.
  2. Concrete promise: more productivity.
  3. Sub-headline nails both the benefit (“extraordinarily productive”) and the edge (AI).
  4. Salesy in the best way—direct, no fluff.
  5. Loud AI angle separates it from every other IDE on the shelf.

Windsurf

Introducing the Windsurf Editor The new purpose-built IDE to harness magic.

Why it wobbles?

  1. “Purpose-built IDE” hints at a niche, but “magic” never spells out the payoff.
  2. Neither the process nor the result is clear. It’s basically “trust us, it’s cool.”
  3. “Introducing” shines the light on the brand, not the user’s gain.
  4. Mystique? Yes. Clarity? Meh.
  5. No AI mention, so the differentiator stays fuzzy.

Drumroll, please…

Before I spill my pick, what’s yours? Which line do you think moves more sign-ups and dollars?

Here’s a tiny teaser so you can’t cheat. 😄

Since I can’t peek at their conversion or bounce stats, I’m leaning on my trusty spider-sense.

My vote: Cursor.

Why Cursor wins?

  1. Explains itself in five seconds flat.
  2. Category and use case are crystal clear.
  3. The payoff (productivity) is measurable and real.

Be like Cursor. 😄

-Bruce

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