Decalyst vs Windsurf
Windsurf is Codeium's native IDE featuring the Cascade agent with Flow mode. Subscription-based with included credits, supports BYOK on some plans, VS Code fork. Best for users who want Cascade's flow experience and Codeium's ecosystem.
Pick Decalyst if:
You prefer flexible per-request billing over monthly subscriptions or want security scanning on every diff.
Pick Windsurf if:
You want Cascade's Flow agent, are comfortable with VS Code fork, and prefer monthly subscription billing.
| Dimension | Decalyst | Windsurf |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Credits, $1 buys 500 credits, no feature gates | Subscription with included credits, Flow mode unlocked at higher tiers |
| BYOK LLM keys | Yes, zero markup on every tier | BYOK supported on select plans, varies by tier |
| Local model support | Embeddings local, generation hosted on DigitalOcean inference | Limited local model integration, primarily Codeium-hosted generation |
| Security scan on every diff | Yes, 20-point scanner included on Free | No built-in security scanning |
| IDE depth | Native desktop (Tauri 2 + Monaco) | VS Code fork with Cascade agent and Flow mode |
| Agent specialization | 9 named agents (Dispatch, Echo, Lens, Chuck, Scout, Nova, Forge, Hawk, Pixel) | Cascade agent with Flow mode for multi-step reasoning and streaming edits |
| Telemetry | Opt-in only | Telemetry enabled by default (can be configured) |
| When to pick | Per-request billing, security-first, fresh IDE architecture | Flow agent experience, VS Code fork comfort, predictable subscription cost |
Pricing
Windsurf uses a subscription model with included credits; Flow mode is unlocked at higher subscription tiers. You pay a monthly fee regardless of usage. Decalyst uses flexible credits (500 per $1) with no tier-based feature gates, so you pay only for what you use and can scale down without commitment.
BYOK and key handling
Windsurf supports BYOK on select subscription plans, though availability varies by tier (check Codeium docs for current details). Decalyst supports BYOK on every tier with zero markup. If key management and avoiding vendor lock-in are priorities, Decalyst is more flexible.
Local vs hosted models
Windsurf is primarily Codeium-hosted generation with limited local model integration. Decalyst runs embeddings locally and generation on DigitalOcean inference. Neither fully supports private on-device inference like Ollama or LM Studio for the main agent; Cline and Aider do.
Security review on every diff
Windsurf has no built-in security scanner. Decalyst includes a 20-point security scanner on every diff across all tiers, automatically catching injection, XSS, secrets, and more without additional cost.
IDE depth and architecture
Windsurf is a VS Code fork with Cascade agent and Flow mode for streaming multi-step edits. Decalyst is a native desktop app (Tauri 2 + Monaco) with a fresh architecture and 9 specialized agents. Windsurf will feel familiar if you use VS Code; Decalyst offers a cleaner slate.
Telemetry and privacy posture
Windsurf collects telemetry by default, with some configuration available. Decalyst is opt-in only: no telemetry without your explicit consent. Both are commercial; review Codeium and Decalyst privacy policies for details on data retention and third-party sharing.
When to pick which
Pick Windsurf if you want Cascade's Flow mode and are comfortable with a VS Code fork. Pick Decalyst for flexible per-request billing, always-on security scanning, and fresh native IDE architecture.