Synara vs Cursor

Cursor is an AI coding app with an editor and an Agents Window that runs local and cloud agents across repositories, worktrees and remote machines. Synara is a free, open-source workspace that runs Cursor's agent next to Claude Code, Codex and seven more runtimes, each with the subscription you already have.

Key differences from Cursor

  • Scope: Cursor is built around its own agent. Synara is a workspace for many coding-agent runtimes, and Cursor's agent is one of them.
  • Price: Cursor's cloud agents and automations need Cursor Premium ($30/month) or higher. Synara is free, and each runtime uses the subscription you already have.
  • Source: Synara is open source under the MIT license. Cursor is not.
  • Handoffs: Synara can pass a task between supported runtimes without leaving the task.

Side by side

Price
Synara: Free. You keep using the provider plans you already pay for.
Cursor: Free plan with limited agent use. Cloud agents and automations need Premium ($30/month) or higher.
Open source
Synara: Yes, MIT license.
Cursor: No.
Platforms
Synara: macOS, Windows and Linux desktop apps, plus a headless server package. Synara Remote and native iPhone and iPad apps are coming soon.
Cursor: macOS, Windows and Linux, plus a CLI and an iOS app for remote control.
Coding agents
Synara: Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, Cursor, Antigravity, Grok Build, Devin CLI, Pi, Oh My Pi, Factory Droid. Supported runtimes can hand a task to each other mid-task.
Cursor: Cursor's own agent with Cursor's Grok and Composer models; Premium and above add Anthropic, OpenAI and Google models at API prices.
Parallel work
Synara: Separate tasks, each optionally in its own Git worktree, with split views, a Kanban board and Inbox, native subagents, automations, Hubs and Studio.
Cursor: Agents Window with local and cloud agents, worktrees and remote machines; Projects (beta) split work across subagents with list and board views.
Terminal
Synara: Real terminals in each task's working directory.
Cursor: Full IDE with an integrated terminal.
Browser verification
Synara: Built-in browser with shared agent control, Computer Use for Mac apps (beta) and an iOS Simulator panel on macOS.
Cursor: Browser automation and Design Mode; computer use on cloud agents.
Diffs and pull requests
Synara: Live diffs, commits and pushes, plus a GitHub pull-request workspace with stacked PRs and auto-fix CI.
Cursor: Diff review, commits and pull-request management, including stacked PRs.
Account and data
Synara: No Synara account needed for local use. Workspace history stays on your machine.
Cursor: Cursor account required. Cloud agents run on Cursor's virtual machines or on your own machines.

Choose Synara if

  • You use Claude Code or Codex with their own subscriptions and want Cursor's agent beside them.
  • You want an open-source workspace you can inspect and build yourself.

Cursor may suit you better if

  • You want a full IDE with tab completion and an agent in one app.
  • You want managed cloud agents, automations and Cursor's own models.

Questions

Can Synara run Cursor's agent?

Yes. Install and sign in to Cursor's CLI agent (installed as agent and cursor-agent), and Synara runs it as one of its ten runtimes. Cursor keeps the account, model access and agent service.

Does Synara replace the Cursor editor?

No. Synara runs Cursor's terminal agent, not the editor. You can keep any editor open beside Synara and use Synara to run and review several agents in parallel.

Sources

Cursor details were checked against these official pages on . Both products change quickly, so confirm anything important on Cursor's site. Synara details come from the Synara feature guide.

Other comparisons

Free, open source, and runs the coding agents you already use.

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