Cursor is a superb AI-powered code editor — a fork of VS Code with Claude and GPT baked in. ArchStage is a process layer on top of Claude Code: sprints, tech specs, phase files, pipeline. Both can coexist; they solve different problems.
| Capability | ArchStage | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| Primary surface | Sprint pipeline + chat | Code editor + chat |
| Unit of work | Whole sprint, phase by phase | Inline edits, per-file prompts |
| Spec-driven execution | Tech spec + plan + phases | Chat / agent-driven |
| Project scaffolding | Generates structure from a sentence | Relies on existing project |
| Good for coders | Yes — power users welcome | Yes — core audience |
| Good for non-coders | Yes — guided wizard | Requires code fluency |
| Pricing | One-time €38 (launch) / €59 | Monthly subscription |
| AI provider | Claude (Pro / Max / API) | Bundled — multiple models |
| Where it writes | Your folder, same as Cursor | Your folder |
Cursor is where you go to write and edit individual files with AI help. ArchStage is where you go to plan a sprint, break it into phases, and kick off the work. Think of ArchStage as the project manager and Cursor as the keyboard.
ArchStage generates a tech spec, an implementation plan, and phase files before any code is written. Cursor's default flow is more conversational — great for exploration, less structured for a sprint of known scope.
Cursor assumes you know how to navigate a codebase. ArchStage offers a guided wizard that turns a plain-language description into a running project — founders, designers, and PMs can use it without ever opening a terminal.
Many ArchStage users run it alongside Cursor: ArchStage plans and scaffolds the sprint, Cursor edits the resulting files when you want hands-on control. Code files are plain text on disk either way.
Cursor is the editor you reach for when you're in the files. ArchStage is the app you open when you want to scope and ship a sprint. If you're doing both, they stack cleanly.