Anysphere Launches $200/Month Ultra Plan for Cursor AI Coding Tool
Anysphere, the company behind the popular AI coding tool Cursor, has just unveiled a new premium subscription tier. Dubbed "Ultra," this plan comes with a $200-per-month price tag, offering users a significant boost in access to powerful AI models. Imagine it as upgrading from a standard data plan to an unlimited one – but for AI-assisted coding.
Specifically, Ultra subscribers get 20 times more usage of AI models from industry giants like OpenAI, Anthropic, Google DeepMind, and even xAI, compared to the existing $20-a-month "Pro" plan. In addition to increased usage, Anysphere promises that Ultra users will receive priority access to new features, ensuring they're always on the cutting edge of Cursor's capabilities.
According to Anysphere CEO Michael Truell, these expanded offerings are made possible through multi-year partnerships forged with various AI model providers. It is worth noting that, over the past several months, companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google DeepMind have also introduced pricier subscription options, ranging from $100 to $250 per month, aiming to cater to their most demanding users.
Cursor's Impressive Growth
This new, premium subscription seems well-positioned to fuel Anysphere's already impressive growth. Just earlier this month, the company announced that Cursor had reached a staggering $500 million in annualized recurring revenue (ARR). Furthermore, major players such as Nvidia, Uber, and Adobe are already utilizing the tool. In fact, Anysphere was among the fastest companies to reach $100 million in ARR, demonstrating the immense demand for AI-powered coding assistance.
However, the field of AI-assisted coding is becoming increasingly competitive. Many of the AI model providers that Cursor relies on are also developing their own AI coding solutions. OpenAI, for instance, has reportedly acquired Windsurf, a Cursor competitor, to bolster its own AI coding offerings. Similarly, Anthropic is actively developing Claude Code, its in-house AI coding tool that leverages its popular AI models.
The question remains: can Anysphere maintain its current growth trajectory without facing conflicts with its AI model providers? As these businesses expand, we're seeing more competitive strategies emerge. Recently, Anthropic reportedly restricted Windsurf's direct access to Claude AI models, seemingly in an effort to undermine its primary competitor, OpenAI. This move shows how fierce the competition is becoming.
Interestingly, Anysphere is also investing in developing its own AI models to complement those from OpenAI and Anthropic. Back in May, the company introduced a new "Tab" AI model capable of suggesting code changes across multiple files. This move could potentially mitigate some of the risks associated with relying solely on third-party AI models.
Despite the rising competition, there are indications that Anysphere's partnerships with AI model providers remain strong. Anthropic co-founder Jared Kaplan recently stated his belief that Anthropic would be working with Cursor for the foreseeable future. Anysphere's multi-year partnerships with Anthropic and other providers suggest that these relationships are not on the verge of collapse. Nevertheless, the battle for users in the AI coding space is definitely intensifying.
Source: TechCrunch