Which AI models does Cursor support?
Supported Models
Cursor integrates with several leading AI models. As of 2025, you can choose from OpenAI's GPT-4o, GPT-4, and GPT-3.5; Anthropic's Claude 3.5 Sonnet and Claude 3 Opus; and Google's Gemini models in some configurations.
Cursor also offers its own models, such as cursor-small, which is a faster, lighter model for quick edits. The exact list changes as new models are released and old ones deprecated.
You can switch models in the Cursor settings or directly in the Chat/Composer interface. Some models may require a Pro subscription or bring-your-own API key.
Model Availability by Plan
Free users typically have access to a limited set of models, often including GPT-3.5 and cursor-small, with usage limits. Pro users get access to premium models like GPT-4 and Claude 3.5 Sonnet, with higher usage limits.
If you have your own API key from OpenAI or Anthropic, you can use it with Cursor to access models directly, though this may bypass some of Cursor's built-in features.
Cursor periodically updates model support, so check the official documentation or settings for the current list.
Choosing the Right Model
For complex reasoning and code generation, models like GPT-4 and Claude 3.5 Sonnet tend to perform better. For quick, simple tasks, cursor-small or GPT-3.5 can be faster and cheaper.
You can switch models mid-conversation in Chat or Composer to compare results. Some users prefer Claude for long contexts, while others prefer GPT-4 for accuracy.
Keep in mind that model performance and availability can change, and Cursor may add or remove models over time.
- OpenAI: GPT-4o, GPT-4, GPT-3.5.
- Anthropic: Claude 3.5 Sonnet, Claude 3 Opus.
- Google: Gemini (in some setups).
- Cursor: cursor-small (fast, lightweight).
- Pro plan unlocks premium models with higher limits.
Common mistakes
- Assuming all models are available on the Free plan—many premium models require Pro.
- Thinking you must use Cursor's built-in models; you can often bring your own API key.
- Believing the model list is static; it changes frequently with new releases.
