What are the key differences between Windsurf and PhpStorm?

Compare Windsurf and PhpStorm side by side on Lunoo to see detailed feature differences, AI scores, and expert analysis.

How are Windsurf and PhpStorm scored?

Windsurf has an AI score of 8.2/10 and PhpStorm has an AI score of 9.2/10. Scores are based on category fit, feature coverage, pricing signals, public reception, and recency.

Windsurf vs PhpStorm 2026 - Compared

Windsurf

PhpStorm

WINNER Windsurf

PhpStorm edges ahead with a score of 9.2/10 compared to 8.2/10 for Windsurf. While both are highly rated in their respec...

emoji_events WINNER

Windsurf

8.18 Great

Adventure Get Windsurf open_in_new

PhpStorm

7.85 Good

Code Editor Get PhpStorm open_in_new

Windsurf From $9.99/mo Free plan available

payments

PhpStorm From $149.00/mo (Professional Edition) Free plan available

psychology AI Verdict

PhpStorm edges ahead with a score of 9.2/10 compared to 8.2/10 for Windsurf. While both are highly rated in their respective fields, PhpStorm demonstrates a slight advantage in our AI ranking criteria. A detailed AI-powered analysis is being prepared for this comparison.

emoji_events Winner: Windsurf

verified Confidence: Low

Ready to decide? Get Windsurf arrow_forward

description Overview

Windsurf

Windsurf is a modern, AI-native code editor that competes directly with Cursor, offering a highly responsive and agentic development experience. It features a sleek interface, powerful AI chat and edit commands, and deep project context. It emphasizes speed and a fluid workflow, with intuitive keyboard shortcuts and an interface designed for rapid AI interaction. Like Cursor, it allows developers...

PhpStorm

PhpStorm, from JetBrains, remains the gold standard for PHP development in 2025. Its intelligent code completion, robust debugging tools, and deep integration with popular frameworks like Laravel and Symfony make it a powerhouse for professional PHP developers. It offers advanced refactoring capabilities, test automation, and a wealth of productivity features. While it's a paid product, the time...