Claude Code vs Amazon Q Developer
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Amazon Q Developer has the lower starting price: about $19 a month, against $20 for Claude Code.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Terminal agent
- IDE extensions
- Subagents and hooks
- MCP support
- GitHub Actions integration
- IDE plugins and CLI
- Agentic coding requests
- Java and .NET transformation
- Reference tracking
- Admin dashboard on Pro
| Feature | Claude Code | Amazon Q Developer |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Anthropic's agentic coding tool for terminal, IDE and web | AWS coding assistant for the IDE and CLI, formerly CodeWhisperer |
| Category | Coding | Coding |
| Pricing model | Paid | Freemium |
| Starting price | $20/mo | $19/mo |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Made by | Anthropic | Amazon Web Services |
| Based in | United States | United States |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Amazon Q Developer has the lower starting price: about $19 a month, against $20 for Claude Code.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
5 plans
Pro
$20/mo
- Claude Code included
- More usage than Free
- Claude in Chrome
Max
$100/mo
- From $100; 5x or 20x Pro usage
- Higher output limits
- $100-$200/mo in API credits
Team Standard
$25/mo
- Per seat
- Claude Code and Cowork
- More usage than Pro
Team Premium
$125/mo
- Per seat
- 5x usage of standard seats
Enterprise
$20/seat + usage
- Billed annually, 20-seat minimum
- Usage at API rates
- Admin spend controls
2 plans
Free Tier
Free
- 50 agentic requests a month
- 1,000 lines of transformation a month
- IDE and CLI access
Pro Tier
$19/mo
- Per user
- Higher agentic request limits
- 4,000 lines of transformation pooled
- Identity Center and admin controls
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Claude Code
- Strong at multi-step coding tasks
- Highly customizable with hooks and skills
- Works where you already code
- Usage limits on Pro plan
- Locked to Anthropic models
Amazon Q Developer
- Free tier with no time limit
- Deep knowledge of AWS services
- Automates Java version upgrades
- Free tier allows only 50 agentic requests a month
- Extra transformation lines cost more
- Most useful for teams already on AWS
Which one should you choose?
Choose Claude Code if you want:
- Strong at multi-step coding tasks
- Highly customizable with hooks and skills
- Works where you already code
Watch out: usage limits on pro plan.
Choose Amazon Q Developer if you want:
- Free tier with no time limit
- Deep knowledge of AWS services
- Automates Java version upgrades
Watch out: free tier allows only 50 agentic requests a month.
Claude Code vs Amazon Q Developer FAQ
What is the difference between Claude Code and Amazon Q Developer?
Claude Code: Anthropic's agentic coding tool for terminal, IDE and web. Amazon Q Developer: AWS coding assistant for the IDE and CLI, formerly CodeWhisperer. Both are coding tools.
Is Claude Code or Amazon Q Developer cheaper?
Amazon Q Developer has the lower starting price: about $19 a month, against $20 for Claude Code.
Do Claude Code and Amazon Q Developer have free plans?
Claude Code: No. Amazon Q Developer: Yes.
Who makes Claude Code?
Claude Code is made by Anthropic, based in United States.
Who makes Amazon Q Developer?
Amazon Q Developer is made by Amazon Web Services, based in United States.
Which should I choose, Claude Code or Amazon Q Developer?
Choose Claude Code if you value strong at multi-step coding tasks and highly customizable with hooks and skills. Choose Amazon Q Developer if you value free tier with no time limit and deep knowledge of aws services.