Claude Code wins on architecture depth (94 vs 70) — its Coordinator mode with Fork sub-agents and 5-layer memory system enables truly autonomous multi-file refactoring. Cursor wins on daily workflow speed — its IDE-native Tab completions and instant feedback are unmatched for feature work.
With the same underlying model, Claude Code scores higher on SWE-bench Verified (87.6% vs ~82%) and SWE-bench Pro (64.3% vs ~58%). The gap comes from Claude Code's superior multi-agent orchestration — it can research, implement, and verify in parallel.
Both cost $20/mo at the entry level. Claude Code includes Sonnet 4.6 in the Pro plan; Opus 4.7 requires the Max tier ($100-200/mo). Cursor lets you bring your own API key, so you can use Opus 4.7 at $5/$30 per 1M tokens.
Claude Code's leaked source code (512K lines, March 2026) revealed a sophisticated 7-dimension architecture. Its Coordinator mode spawns isolated sub-agents with shared prompt cache — no other agent does this. Cursor excels at IDE integration: real-time diff preview, multi-cursor editing, and visual tab completion. Different strengths for different workflows.