Poolside

Enterprise AI coding platform with on-premise and VPC deployment for secure software development

Cursor

AI-first code editor built for pair programming with large language models

Poolside

Strong

17/25

Cursor

Moderate

15/25

Score Breakdown

DimensionPoolsideCursor

Data Residency

Where is your data stored and processed?

Poolside: On-premise and VPC deployment with zero data egress. Customer code never leaves the customer's environment. EU organisations can deploy on their own EU infrastructure. Maximum data sovereignty.

Cursor: Privacy Mode prevents code storage on servers; no geographic data residency selection

5/5

On-premise and VPC deployment with zero data egress. Customer code never leaves the customer's environment. EU organisations can deploy on their own EU infrastructure. Maximum data sovereignty.

3/5

Privacy Mode prevents code storage on servers; no geographic data residency selection

Legal Jurisdiction

Which laws govern the company and your data?

Poolside: Delaware incorporation (US). French SAS entity exists but parent is US. CLOUD Act applies to the corporate entity, though on-premise deployment means code never reaches Poolside's infrastructure.

Cursor: US Delaware corporation subject to CLOUD Act; Privacy Mode mitigates some risks

2/5

Delaware incorporation (US). French SAS entity exists but parent is US. CLOUD Act applies to the corporate entity, though on-premise deployment means code never reaches Poolside's infrastructure.

2/5

US Delaware corporation subject to CLOUD Act; Privacy Mode mitigates some risks

Data Retention & Training

Is your data used for model training?

Poolside: On-premise/VPC mode: customer has full control, no data leaves their environment. Training uses synthetic data (RLCEF), not customer-contributed code. Structural separation.

Cursor: Privacy Mode guarantees no code stored in plaintext and no use for AI training

5/5

On-premise/VPC mode: customer has full control, no data leaves their environment. Training uses synthetic data (RLCEF), not customer-contributed code. Structural separation.

4/5

Privacy Mode guarantees no code stored in plaintext and no use for AI training

Certifications

ISO 27001, SOC 2, Cyber Essentials, etc.

Poolside: Drata trust centre exists, suggesting SOC 2 is in progress. No public confirmation of SOC 2 or ISO 27001. US government ATO achieved (military/public sector).

Cursor: SOC 2 Type II certified; enterprise plan includes security audit access

2/5

Drata trust centre exists, suggesting SOC 2 is in progress. No public confirmation of SOC 2 or ISO 27001. US government ATO achieved (military/public sector).

3/5

SOC 2 Type II certified; enterprise plan includes security audit access

Regulatory Fit

Suitability for regulated industries and professional services

Poolside: On-premise deployment model is excellent for regulated industries. US jurisdiction is the main concern. French entity provides some EU connection. Public sector certifications (ATO, IL5) demonstrate security maturity.

Cursor: Privacy Mode and SOC 2 make it suitable for most engineering teams; strict residency requirements need enterprise discussion

3/5

On-premise deployment model is excellent for regulated industries. US jurisdiction is the main concern. French entity provides some EU connection. Public sector certifications (ATO, IL5) demonstrate security maturity.

3/5

Privacy Mode and SOC 2 make it suitable for most engineering teams; strict residency requirements need enterprise discussion

Total Score

17/25

15/25

Best For

Poolside

Best for privacy-conscious teams who need strong data retention controls; teams on a tight budget.

Cursor

Best for privacy-conscious teams who need strong data retention controls; organisations that need self-hosted or on-premise deployment.

Detailed Comparison

Cursor vs Poolside: Trust & Compliance Comparison

Cursor (Anysphere, Inc., US) scores 15/25 overall with a Bronze (Moderate) trust badge. AI-first code editor built for pair programming with large language models. Poolside (Poolside, US) scores 17/25 with a Silver (Strong) trust badge. Enterprise AI coding platform with on-premise and VPC deployment for secure software development.

Dimension-by-Dimension Breakdown

#### Data Residency

Poolside leads with 5/5 vs 3/5.

●Cursor (3/5): Privacy Mode prevents code storage on servers; no geographic data residency selection

●Poolside (5/5): On-premise and VPC deployment with zero data egress. Customer code never leaves the customer's environment. EU organisations can deploy on their own EU infrastructure. Maximum data sovereignty.

#### Legal Jurisdiction

Both score equally at 2/5.

●Cursor (2/5): US Delaware corporation subject to CLOUD Act; Privacy Mode mitigates some risks

●Poolside (2/5): Delaware incorporation (US). French SAS entity exists but parent is US. CLOUD Act applies to the corporate entity, though on-premise deployment means code never reaches Poolside's infrastructure.

#### Data Retention & Training

Poolside leads with 5/5 vs 4/5.

●Cursor (4/5): Privacy Mode guarantees no code stored in plaintext and no use for AI training

●Poolside (5/5): On-premise/VPC mode: customer has full control, no data leaves their environment. Training uses synthetic data (RLCEF), not customer-contributed code. Structural separation.

#### Certifications

Cursor leads with 3/5 vs 2/5.

●Cursor (3/5): SOC 2 Type II certified; enterprise plan includes security audit access

●Poolside (2/5): Drata trust centre exists, suggesting SOC 2 is in progress. No public confirmation of SOC 2 or ISO 27001. US government ATO achieved (military/public sector).

#### Regulatory Fit

Both score equally at 3/5.

●Cursor (3/5): Privacy Mode and SOC 2 make it suitable for most engineering teams; strict residency requirements need enterprise discussion

●Poolside (3/5): On-premise deployment model is excellent for regulated industries. US jurisdiction is the main concern. French entity provides some EU connection. Public sector certifications (ATO, IL5) demonstrate security maturity.

Certifications at a Glance

Certification	Cursor	Poolside
SOC 2 Type II	Yes	No

Overall Verdict

Poolside has a clear trust advantage, scoring 17/25 compared to Cursor's 15/25. Poolside particularly excels in data residency, data retention & training.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for EU compliance, Poolside or Cursor?

Poolside has a TrustKit score of 17/25 while Cursor scores 15/25. Poolside currently rates higher across data residency, legal jurisdiction, data retention, certifications, and regulatory fit.

How do Poolside and Cursor compare on data residency?

Poolside scores 5/5 for data residency (On-premise and VPC deployment with zero data egress. Customer code never leaves the customer's environment. EU organisations can deploy on their own EU infrastructure. Maximum data sovereignty.), while Cursor scores 3/5 (Privacy Mode prevents code storage on servers; no geographic data residency selection).

Are Poolside and Cursor GDPR compliant?

Both tools are assessed across five compliance dimensions. Poolside has a regulatory fit score of 3/5 and Cursor scores 3/5. Check the full comparison above for a detailed breakdown.

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