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Forkbench vs Cursor
Cursor is an AI-first code editor (a VS Code fork) with bundled model access and cloud/background agents, billed per seat with inference included.
Cursor and Forkbench get mentioned together but sit in different categories. Cursor is an AI editor you switch to — a VS Code fork with a model and agents built in, billed with inference included. Forkbench doesn't replace your editor or your agents: it's a native-macOS control room for the CLI agents you already run (Claude Code, Codex, Gemini, Aider), adding the coordination and secrets layer around them. Plenty of people use both.
| Forkbench | Cursor | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Terminal + control room for CLI agents | AI code editor (VS Code fork) |
| Your editor | Keep it (nvim / tmux / any) | Replaced by Cursor |
| Agent model | Bring your own CLI agent | Cursor's own agent + models |
| Inference billing | BYO — no bundled inference | Bundled (per-seat + usage) |
| Secrets handling | Zero-read Vault | No dedicated zero-read broker |
| Local-first | Yes — code + keys stay on your Mac | Cloud features + background agents |
| Price | Free; Pro $12/mo; Team $20/seat (BYO agent) | Free / $20 / $40-seat (inference bundled) |
Where Cursor is strong
- A full AI IDE — inline edits, tab-completion, and chat in one polished app.
- Inference is bundled: one subscription covers the model usage.
- Large funding and momentum, plus cloud/background agents.
Where Forkbench differs
- Keep your terminal and editor: Forkbench replaces your terminal emulator, not your IDE — Neovim, tmux, your shells and keybindings work unchanged.
- Bring your own agent: run any CLI agent on the subscriptions you already pay for — no second inference bill, no lock-in to one model.
- Zero-read Vault: agents use your API keys without ever seeing the plaintext; keys stay in the macOS Keychain.
- A shared task board, Notebooks, multi-Mac coordination, and phone/web remote — coordination Cursor doesn't ship for external CLI agents.
The bottom line
If you want one polished AI editor with the model included and you're happy to work inside it, Cursor is excellent — and you can still run it alongside Forkbench. If you'd rather keep your terminal, your editor, and the CLI agents you already pay for, and add a shared board plus a vault that keeps your keys out of the agents, that is Forkbench.
Comparison based on publicly available information as of mid-2026. Spot something out of date? Tell us.