Cursor is the AI code editor that changed how developers build software. It's fast, contextual, and incredibly good at generating application code. Naturally, people use it to generate tests too: select a file, hit Cmd+K, type “write tests for this,” and Cursor delivers.
The problem starts when you run those tests.
Cursor generates tests based on the files you have open and its understanding of your project. But it doesn't execute the tests, doesn't see the failures, and doesn't iterate. You get a first draft that may or may not work, and for complex files, it usually doesn't.
ShipTested picks up exactly where Cursor stops. It generates tests, runs them in a sandbox, reads the errors, fixes the code, and re-runs. The output isn't a draft. It's a passing test suite.
| Feature | ShipTested | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| Primary purpose | Test generation + execution | General-purpose AI code editor |
| Generates test code | ||
| Runs tests | Isolated sandbox | You run in your terminal |
| Auto-fix loop | Iterates until passing | You prompt again manually |
| Project-level batch | Test 50+ files at once | File-by-file via Cmd+K |
| Framework detection | Automatic | Partial (from open files) |
| Correct import paths | Resolves from full file tree | Depends on context window |
| PR bot | Auto-test on every PR | |
| Coverage report | ||
| Works without IDE | Web dashboard | Desktop app only |
| Cost | Free + $15/mo Pro | $20/mo Pro / $40/mo Business |
Cursor is limited by what fits in its context window. When you ask it to write tests for a file, it sees that file, some neighboring files, and whatever it can infer from your project. But it doesn't see your full dependency tree, your tsconfig path aliases, or your existing test patterns across the repo.
This matters for mocking. If your UserService depends on a DatabaseClient that wraps Supabase, Cursor might mock UserService directly instead of mocking the DatabaseClient because it never saw the dependency chain.
ShipTested runs a full project analysis before generating a single test. It maps every import, resolves every alias, catalogs every dependency, and checks your existing tests for mocking conventions. The generation step is informed by the entire project, not just the visible context.
For a single utility function, Cursor is faster. You're already in the editor, one keystroke away. For backfilling test coverage across an entire project, ShipTested saves hours.
Many Cursor users built their entire app with AI assistance. The codebase works, but they don't fully understand every file. Asking Cursor to write tests file-by-file requires navigating code you may not understand, making judgment calls about what to mock, and debugging failures in code you didn't write.
ShipTested doesn't require you to understand your codebase. Upload it, let the analysis engine figure out the structure, and get tested code back. For developers who built fast with AI and need coverage retroactively, this is the path of least resistance.
When you're actively building and want to write tests alongside your code in real-time. When you're working on a single file and want a quick test draft. When you want an AI code editor that does everything, not just testing.
When you have an existing codebase with zero coverage and need tests across dozens of files. When you want tests that are verified to pass before you even see them. When you want automated test generation on every PR. When you built your app with AI and need a “just make it tested” button.
Absolutely. Use Cursor to write tests as you code new features. Use ShipTested to backfill coverage on everything you've already built, and to auto-generate tests on PRs.
Free tier. 3 files/month, no credit card required.