Both tools let you describe a change in plain English and have an AI make it across your files. The difference is where you work. Claude Code lives in your terminal. Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) is an editor, and its docs and pricing now live on Devin's sites, so older tutorials may not match.
The short version
| Claude Code | Devin Desktop | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | An agent you talk to in your terminal | An AI code editor |
| Where you work | Terminal (plus IDE and desktop integrations) | Its own editor |
| Free plan | No. Needs a paid Claude plan or API credits | Yes: unlimited Tab completions and inline edits, light agent quota |
| MCP servers | Yes | Yes (stdio, Streamable HTTP, SSE) |
| Project instructions | CLAUDE.md, plus skills | Reads AGENTS.md, imports older .windsurf/rules files |
Check Anthropic's pricing and Devin's pricing rather than trusting any table, including this one.
What they have in common
- Agentic editing. Both can make changes across several files from one request.
- MCP support. Both plug in extra tools through MCP (Model Context Protocol), so servers such as GitHub or a browser tool can work in either.
- Standing instructions. Both read project instruction files so the AI knows your conventions.
Key differences
Terminal versus editor. Claude Code is a conversation in a terminal. You open it in your project folder, and it reads files, proposes edits and asks permission before it changes things. Devin Desktop gives you an editor layout, with files, code and AI in one window.
Cost to start. Claude Code has no free plan. Devin Desktop's free plan includes unlimited Tab completions and inline edits, although agent use is a light quota.
Extensibility. Claude Code supports skills, hooks, subagents, MCP servers and CLAUDE.md project memory. Devin Desktop lists MCP and AGENTS.md support.
Editor freedom. Because Claude Code runs in the terminal, you can keep using whichever editor you like. Devin Desktop is its own editor.
Stability of docs. The rename means some older tutorials won't match what you see. Check Devin's current docs.
Using them together
Nothing stops you running Claude Code in a terminal alongside a project open in an editor. Some people use an editor for everyday work and a terminal agent for larger jobs. We haven't verified a specific Devin Desktop and Claude Code workflow, so treat that as a general pattern rather than a documented integration.
Who should pick what
- New to code, want to try for free: Devin Desktop.
- Live in the terminal, or want automation: Claude Code.
- Want to keep your current editor: Claude Code.
- Choosing for a team: Try both on one real task and see which one people keep using.
Our verdict
If you want the least friction, start with Devin Desktop. If you want the most control and don't mind the terminal, start with Claude Code. Our guide to installing Claude Code gets you going with the latter.