Windsurf, a startup focused on AI-driven coding (“vibe coding”), reports that Anthropic has significantly reduced direct access to the Claude 3.7 Sonnet and Claude 3.5 Sonnet models.
According to Windsurf CEO Varun Mohan, the company received little advance notice of this decision. Windsurf is now looking for alternative computing power from external parties so it can continue to offer Anthropic’s AI models via its platform.
“Disappointing”
Mohan stated in a post on X that Windsurf had indicated that it was willing to purchase the full capacity from Anthropic for a fee. He called Anthropic’s decision disappointing, partly because of the short time frame in which it was implemented. In a blog post, Windsurf said that it does have some capacity through other providers, but that this is insufficient. This could lead to availability problems in the short term.
The decision comes shortly after Anthropic appeared to pass Windsurf over for the introduction of Claude 4. This is a new series of models with strong performance in the field of software development. On the day of the launch, Windsurf said it had not been given direct access to offer Claude 4 on its platform — and that is still the case.
As a result, Windsurf had to switch to a cumbersome and more expensive solution, making it more difficult for developers to use Claude 4. Other tools such as Anysphere’s Cursor, Cognition’s Devin, and Microsoft’s GitHub Copilot did have direct access to Claude 4 at launch.
Dynamic market
The vibe coding market has been in flux in recent months. In April, OpenAI reportedly completed its acquisition of Windsurf. At the same time, Anthropic is investing more and more in its own AI tools for coding. In February, the company released its own programming assistant, Claude Code, and in May, it hosted its first Code with Claude conference for developers.
According to Anthropic spokesperson Steve Mnich, the company is focused on long-term partnerships that serve the broader developer community. He told TechCrunch in an email that Claude 4 is still accessible via Windsurf, but only through an API key. Developers can also use Claude through direct integrations with Anthropic’s API, through partners, or through other development tools.
Windsurf has grown rapidly this year, reaching annual revenue of $100 million in April. With this, the company is trying to catch up with larger players such as Cursor and GitHub Copilot. However, limited access to Anthropic’s models seems to be standing in the way of that ambition.
Frustration among developers
Several Windsurf users who spoke to TechCrunch expressed their frustration at the lack of direct access to Anthropic’s best AI models. As a temporary solution, Windsurf allows users to link their own Anthropic API key to their account. However, developers note that this method is more expensive and complex than if Windsurf were to offer the models directly.
For developers who do vibe coding, freedom of choice is crucial. Major players such as OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic release new models every few months, each time raising the bar. That’s why it’s important for startups in this sector to support AI models from all major developers.
Windsurf spokesperson Payal Patel told TechCrunch in an email that the company has always believed in offering users freedom of choice. According to her, Anthropic’s recent decision makes that more difficult.