Comparison
Claude skills vs Cursor rules
Both are plain-text instructions for a coding agent. Skills are folders with a SKILL.md whose description tells the agent when to load them; Cursor rules are rule files kept with your project and applied by the editor.
A Claude Code skill is a folder containing a SKILL.md file. The file starts with YAML frontmatter (name and description) followed by Markdown instructions. Personal skills live under ~/.claude/skills/; project skills live under .claude/skills/ in the repository.
Choose by workflow
- Pick skills when you want reusable, task-triggered procedures (a premortem, a review checklist).
- Pick rules when the guidance is project conventions that should always apply.
- You can keep both; they do not conflict.
Costs and billing basis
Skills themselves are text files; cost comes from the agent you run them in and any skill pack you buy.
| Option | Price reference | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Cursor Pro | $20/mo (rules included) | Vendor source Checked 2026-10-26 |
| Agent Skill Pack (Free / Pro / Lifetime) | Free $0; Pro $29/mo; Lifetime $199 | Vendor source Checked 2026-10-26 · our own pricing |
Prices are dated references, not checkout quotes. Compare included limits, billing period and support before deciding.