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OpenAI Codex vs Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)

Two sides of the AI coding assistants decision: terminal agent and AI-first editor. When each fits, what it costs, who moves from one to the other, and what makers who chose it say.

OpenAI CodexTerminal agentllms.txt
Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)AI-first editorllms.txt

Acquired: Now part of Cognition, maker of Devin; windsurf.com redirects to devin.ai. source

Ask your AI about this, with this page as the source:ChatGPT ↗Claude ↗Perplexity ↗

Which fits you

Choose OpenAI Codex if
  • You're comfortable in a terminal and want to hand off whole tasks

Use it whenYou already pay for ChatGPT, or want an open-source CLI backed by OpenAI models.

Trade-offBuilt around OpenAI models, and usage limits depend on your ChatGPT plan.

Choose Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) if
  • You want to see and steer each change inside your editor

Use it whenYou want an AI editor with a free tier and plan to hand some tasks to Devin cloud agents.

Trade-offRecently renamed from Windsurf to Devin Desktop and reshaped around Cognition's agents; paid plans run on quotas, with extra usage at API rates.

At a glance

OpenAI CodexDevin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)
Used by136 makers' products43 makers' products
Cost at default usagedevelopers 1 seat$8.00/mo ChatGPT Go$20/mo Pro
Downloads★ 126.3k
PricingIncluded with ChatGPT plans (limited on Free; Go $8/month; Plus $20/month; Pro from $100/month; Business $20/user/month; Enterprise custom), extendable with credits; the CLI can also use an API key. · paid from $8/moFree tier with a light agent quota; Pro $20/month, Max $200/month; Teams $80/month plus $40 per developer seat; extra usage billed at API rates; custom Enterprise. · paid from $20/mo
Free tierYesYes
Open sourceYesNo
Incidents, 90 daysfrom its status page3+ (1 major)13 (9 major)

What makers say

Makers on using it for AI coding assistants, from Product Hunt and Starter Story interviews, each linked to the source. Products with a page of their own and fuller notes first.

On OpenAI Codex
Codex is one of the three harnesses HarnessRouter routes to, and we use it in our own build loop. Its structured output made it one of the cleanest harnesses to normalize against.
HarnessRouter, the makerSep 2026 ↗
Helps us move faster from idea to implementation. Useful for prototyping, debugging, and shipping production-ready changes. A fast, reliable coding partner during development.
GetThis, the makerSep 2026 ↗
Helps us move faster from idea to implementation. Useful for prototyping, debugging, and shipping production-ready changes. A fast, reliable coding partner during development.
GetThis, the makerMay 2026 ↗
101 more on the OpenAI Codex page →
On Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)
Windsurf is amazing. It's our go to code editor and is amazing to use to help us build out new features and fix bugs in our application! Its especially amazing to use with Claude!
CreatorCube AI, the makerSep 2026 ↗
Windsurf has been a joy to use. It’s fast, clean, and optimized for modern AI workflows. It helped me iterate quickly and stay in flow during long development sessions.
ModelPilot, the makerSep 2026 ↗
Windsurf's agentic IDE capabilities were essential for managing complex refactors and deep logic changes. It acted as my co-pilot during the entire 1,800-hour journey.
HtmlDrag, the makerSep 2026 ↗
26 more on the Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) page →

Loved and watch-outs

Themes that recur in makers' words and Hacker News comments, each linked to what it summarises.

OpenAI Codex
Most loved
  • Takes complete repo-wide tasks, from implementation through tests, debugging and release prep, and verifies them in the same environment. PHPH 2PH 3PH 4
  • Particularly strong at backend architecture and tracking down bugs from vague descriptions. PHHN
  • Usage limits are generous compared with Claude Code and Cursor. PHPH 2
On Product Hunt: 5.0★, 96 reviews
Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)
Most loved
  • The Cascade agent iterates on its own suggestions and applies changes without constant manual approval. PHPH 2PH 3
  • Context handling is strong: it tracks recent edits and pulls the right files, helping across large codebases. PHPH 2PH 3
  • The editor feels fast, lightweight and clean, keeping developers in flow during long sessions. PHPH 2
On Product Hunt: 4.7★, 68 reviews · mentioned most: developer productivity, AI autocomplete, agentic workflow · complaints: bugs, customer support

Who uses each

OpenAI Codex136 makers' products
agent-managerAgent-SinAgentRailAlmanacAmamiAmnesiaAmy by JellyfishAskCodiBuildermarkChertChronockClick+124 more
Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)43 makers' products
AritectAtlasComputerXCreatorCube AIFinyuusHtmlDragImbueLoki.BuildModelPilotPerfai SecurityPingPromptRaycast+31 more
Used by both — often one replacing the other, or each for a different part of the product
FinyuusSnaplySnapstick

What makers pair each with

With OpenAI Codex
Hosting
Frontend Framework
Transactional Email
LLM API
With Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)
Frontend Framework
Database
LLM API
Hosting

Neither quite right?

See the whole AI coding assistants decision →
CursorAI-first editorA VS Code-style editor with AI completions, chat and agents built in, keeping your VS Code extensions.vs OpenAI Codex →vs Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) →
Claude CodeTerminal agentHanding off multi-step tasks — features, refactors, bug hunts — to an agent that reads the repo, edits files and runs commands.vs OpenAI Codex →vs Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) →
OpenCodeTerminal agentAn open-source coding agent that works with almost any model provider, local models, or an existing Copilot or ChatGPT subscription.vs OpenAI Codex →
GitHub CopilotEditor pluginAdding AI completions, chat and agents to the editor you already use, including VS Code and JetBrains IDEs, plus pull request reviews on GitHub.vs OpenAI Codex →vs Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) →