Launch Composer 2.5
TL;DR
Composer 2.5 is now available, offering substantial improvements in intelligence, sustained work on long-running tasks, and more reliable instruction following. It includes updated token pricing and double usage limits for the first week.
What changed
Composer 2.5 launched on May 18, 2026. It delivers better intelligence and behavior than Composer 2, with stronger performance on long-running tasks and more reliable handling of complex instructions.
Pricing shifted to Standard mode at $0.50 per million input tokens and $2.50 per million output tokens. Fast mode, set as default, runs at $3.00 input and $15.00 output per million tokens. Double usage limits apply automatically for the first week.
Why it matters
The update focuses on sustained agent work rather than quick single-turn responses. This change supports builders who want agents to carry projects across multiple steps without frequent resets or re-prompting.
Solo operators gain a practical edge on tasks that span hours instead of minutes. The pricing structure favors selective use of Fast mode for high-value work while keeping Standard available for routine steps. Cursor is betting that improved instruction following will reduce the need for constant oversight in cloud agents.
How to use it
Open Cursor and select Composer 2.5 from the model menu. Review exact rates and limits in the model docs at cursor.com/docs/models/cursor-composer-2-5. The doubled usage window starts on the day you first access the model after May 18.
Switch modes per session based on task length and budget. Full details appear in the announcement post at cursor.com/blog/composer-2-5.
Watch for
Track whether long tasks finish with fewer manual interventions over the coming weeks. Quality drops on nuanced edge cases would undermine the reliability claim. The next logical step is tighter integration between Composer and the new multi-repo environment tools released earlier in May.
Who this matters for
- Vibe Builders: Use Composer 2.5 to manage multi-step project workflows without constant manual re-prompting.
- Developers: Deploy Composer 2.5 for long-running agentic tasks to benefit from improved instruction following.
Harsh’s take
Composer 2.5 marks a shift from chat-based assistants to persistent agents. By prioritizing sustained work over single-turn speed, Cursor is addressing the primary friction point in AI development: the context collapse that happens during complex, multi-hour tasks. The new pricing model reflects this, charging a premium for Fast mode while keeping Standard accessible for background processing.
Operators should capitalize on the doubled limits this week to stress-test the model on their most convoluted codebases. The real value here is not just better logic, but the reliability of instruction following across long sequences. If the agent can actually stay on track without human intervention for thirty minutes, the ROI on those higher token costs becomes an easy sell for any serious builder.
by Harsh Desai
About Cursor
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