Hailuo vs Windsurf
Side-by-side comparison of Hailuo and Windsurf.
Fast AI video clips from text or images, no camera needed
AI coding editor built around an autonomous agent
What they are
Hailuo
Hailuo AI, built by MiniMax, generates 1080p video clips up to 10 seconds long from text prompts or still images. Its Hailuo 2.3 model (February 2026) is notable for physics simulation accuracy, character animation, and style versatility across anime, illustration, and photorealistic output. The free tier exists but is limited to trial credits and watermarked output. Credit costs at 1080p are steep relative to what plans appear to offer on paper.
Windsurf
Windsurf is an AI-native IDE centered on Cascade, an agentic coding interface that reads your entire codebase and makes coordinated edits across multiple files from a single prompt. It ships proprietary models (SWE-1, SWE-1.5) alongside access to Claude, GPT, and Gemini, plus browser previews, deploys, and Devin cloud sessions for background development. Individual developers and teams use it as a full Cursor alternative. Note that the product is transitioning to the Devin Desktop name under Cognition, which may affect branding consistency going forward.
if you need ai video. It has a usable free tier to start with.
- +Generation speed of 30 to 90 seconds per clip is among the fastest in the category
- +Ranked first for physics simulation on WorldModelBench
- +Hailuo 2.3 handles anime, illustration, ink wash, and game CG styles better than most Western competitors
if you need ai coding. It has a usable free tier to start with.
- +Free tier includes unlimited Tab completions with no quota cost
- +Cascade agent handles multi-file edits, terminal commands, and test generation from one prompt
- +Proprietary SWE-1.5 model is optimized for speed and reduces dependence on expensive third-party tokens
Which to choose
Hailuo and Windsurf solve different problems, so most people would not choose between them directly. The comparison below helps if you are weighing where to spend budget, or deciding whether you need both.
Read the full reviews for Hailuo and Windsurf.
Pricing checked 28 Jun 2026.