Amazon Q Developer vs Windsurf
Auto-updated comparison · last refreshed September 3, 2026
TL;DR
| Amazon Q Developer | Windsurf | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | extension | ide-fork |
| Vendor | AWS | Codeium |
| Pricing | Free tier · Pro $19/month (Pro tier for higher limits + advanced features) | Free tier · Pro $15/month · Business $30/user |
| Autocomplete | Yes | Yes |
| Agent mode | Yes | Yes |
| MCP support | No | Yes |
| Local models | No | No |
| Self-hosted | No | No |
| Codebase indexing | Yes | Yes |
| Team features | Yes | Yes |
Where Amazon Q Developer wins
- deep AWS integration
- IaC generation (CDK, Terraform)
- enterprise-friendly
Where Windsurf wins
- Cascade autonomous mode
- flow credits stretch further
- explains plans before acting
Weaknesses
Amazon Q Developer: only shines on AWS workloads; less impressive outside AWS context
Windsurf: occasional Cascade hangs; slightly slower autocomplete
Best for
Pick Amazon Q Developer if you are AWS-heavy devs, or cloud infrastructure work, or enterprises on AWS.
Pick Windsurf if you are multi-file refactors, or budget-conscious devs, or less experienced users.
Try Amazon Q Developer Try Windsurf
FAQ
Is Amazon Q Developer more expensive than Windsurf?
Free tier · Pro $19/month (Pro tier for higher limits + advanced features) vs Free tier · Pro $15/month · Business $30/user. Compare the Pro tiers first if you're a solo dev; Business/Enterprise only matters for teams.
Do Amazon Q Developer and Windsurf use the same AI models?
Amazon Q Developer supports: claude-sonnet-4-6, internal-aws. Windsurf supports: claude-sonnet-4-6, gpt-4.1, gemini-2.5-pro. Most modern tools default to Claude Sonnet 4.6 in 2026.
Can I use both?
Yes. They don't conflict at the file level. Some devs use one for autocomplete and one for agent work.
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