> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://archie.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Archie vs. Cursor: AI app builder or AI code editor?
> Archie vs. Cursor compared: who each is for, how you build, backend and deployment, pricing, and how to use them together.
**Cursor and Archie solve different problems, and many teams use both.** Cursor is an AI-powered code editor: it makes developers faster at writing, refactoring, and reviewing code they already own. Archie is an AI app builder: it takes an idea, generates a plan of the whole app, and builds and deploys the full-stack application — frontend, backend, database, and hosting. Because Archie can sync your code to a standard GitHub repository, you can open the same project in Cursor.
Last reviewed September 2026, based on Cursor's public documentation and pricing. Competitor products change often — if something here is out of date, tell us at [support@archie.com](mailto:support@archie.com).
## At a glance
| | Archie | Cursor |
| - | - | - |
| **What it is** | An AI app builder | An AI-powered code editor |
| **Built for** | Founders, product teams, designers, and developers | Developers |
| **You start with** | An idea in plain language | A codebase |
| **Architecture** | Defined by the [plan](/docs/features/plan/overview) | Decided by you |
| **Backend and hosting** | Included: [Archie Core](/docs/features/backend/overview) and a global CDN | You bring your own |
| **Coding required** | No — but full code access when you want it | Yes |
| **Pricing** | Free with 50 AI credits per month; Pro from \$25/month | Free Hobby plan; Pro \$20/month; Pro+ \$60/month; Ultra \$200/month |
## How each one works
**Cursor** is an editor you install and point at your code. Its agents handle multi-file changes, refactors, and test-and-fix loops, cloud agents run tasks in the background, and it supports frontier models from several providers. It assumes you know how to architect, deploy, and operate the application you're working on.
**Archie** starts one step earlier. Your idea becomes a [plan](/docs/features/plan/overview) — overview, modules, user types, system services, and integrations — that you shape before any code exists. **Generate Frontend** lays out every screen in a [UI architecture](/docs/features/frontend/generating) and builds a click-through prototype, **Generate Backend** builds the database and APIs on [Archie Core](/docs/features/backend/overview), and **Generate Full-Stack** deploys the app. See [How Archie works](/docs/introduction/getting-started/welcome#how-archie-works).
## Key differences
### Writing code faster vs. getting the whole app built
Cursor makes an experienced developer faster inside an existing codebase. Archie produces the codebase — and the architecture, backend, and deployment around it — from a description. If you're not a developer, or you don't want to assemble infrastructure, Archie does that part for you.
### The backend and infrastructure
With Cursor, you choose and run the database, auth, APIs, and hosting. With Archie, they're included: a relational database with a visual [data model](/docs/features/backend/data-model/overview), auto-generated [GraphQL](/docs/features/backend/graphql-api-explorer/overview) and [REST](/docs/features/backend/rest-api-explorer/overview) APIs, [authentication](/docs/features/backend/app-services/authentication-providers/overview), [role-based access](/docs/features/backend/app-services/role-based-access), Git-like [environments](/docs/features/backend/environments/overview), and one-click [deployment](/docs/features/frontend/deployment) with custom domains.
### Editing
Cursor is built around editing code. Archie gives you four ways to change an app: [talk to Archie](/docs/features/frontend/talking-to-archie), the [visual editor](/docs/features/frontend/visual-editor), [draw mode](/docs/features/frontend/draw-mode), and the built-in [code editor](/docs/features/frontend/code-editor) — or sync to GitHub and edit anywhere, including Cursor.
## Using Archie and Cursor together
A common workflow: define and generate the app in Archie, connect GitHub, and let developers extend it in Cursor. Archie's two-way GitHub sync pushes generated code to your repository and pulls back commits made outside Archie, so both tools work on the same project. The backend stays on Archie Core, with its APIs, auth, and environments. See [Organization integrations](/docs/introduction/organizations/organization-integrations).
## When to choose Cursor
* You're a developer working in an existing codebase.
* You want AI help writing, refactoring, and reviewing code, and you'll handle architecture and infrastructure yourself.
## When to choose Archie
* You want to go from an idea to a deployed full-stack app without assembling the architecture, backend, and hosting yourself.
* You want the app defined — users, roles, modules, data — before code is written.
* You want a team with different skill levels working on the same app.
## FAQ
### Is Archie a Cursor alternative?
Not exactly. Cursor is a code editor for developers; Archie is an app builder that generates and deploys the whole application. They're often used together.
### Can I open an Archie project in Cursor?
Yes. Connect GitHub and Archie keeps your code in a standard repository with two-way sync, so you can work on it in Cursor, Claude Code, or any editor. See [Does Archie work with Cursor, Claude Code, or other AI coding agents?](/docs/faq/archie-vs-other-tools#does-archie-work-with-cursor-claude-code-or-other-ai-coding-agents)
### Does Archie work with Windsurf or Claude Code too?
Yes. Anything that works with a GitHub repository works with an Archie project once GitHub sync is connected.
### Do I need to be a developer to use Archie?
No. You describe the app and shape the plan; Archie builds it. Developers get full access to the code, data model, and infrastructure. See [Who is Archie for?](/docs/faq/getting-started#who-is-archie-for)
## Related comparisons