kitio.aiKiro vs Theia IDE
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Theia IDE is completely free, while Kiro is freemium.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Spec-driven development
- Agent hooks
- Steering files
- MCP support
- Kiro CLI
- Built-in AI assistance
- Any model, including local
- VS Code extension support
- Desktop and browser versions
- No telemetry on code
| Feature | Kiro | Theia IDE |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Agentic IDE from AWS built around specs before code | Open-source AI-native IDE for desktop and browser |
| Category | Coding | Coding |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Free |
| Starting price | $20/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes, fully free |
| Made by | Amazon Web Services | Eclipse Foundation |
| Based in | United States | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Theia IDE is completely free, while Kiro is freemium.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
6 plans
Kiro Free
Free
- 50 credits
- Open weight models and Claude Sonnet 4.5
Kiro Pro
$20/mo
- Per user
- 1,000 credits
- Premium models
- Add-on credits at $0.04
Kiro Pro+
$40/mo
- Per user
- 2,000 credits
Kiro Pro Max
$100/mo
- Per user
- 5,000 credits
Kiro Power
$200/mo
- Per user
- 10,000 credits
Enterprise
Contact sales
- Centralized billing and SSO
- Usage analytics
- Enterprise security 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
Kiro
- Plans work before writing code
- Hooks automate repetitive checks
- Free tier with 50 credits a month
- Specs add overhead for small changes
- Credit usage can be hard to predict
Theia IDE
- Free and fully open source
- Use any AI provider or local model
- Runs VS Code extensions
- You pay your own model provider
- Smaller community than VS Code
- Some extensions may not behave identically
Which one should you choose?
Choose Kiro if you want:
- Plans work before writing code
- Hooks automate repetitive checks
- Free tier with 50 credits a month
Watch out: specs add overhead for small changes.
Choose Theia IDE if you want:
- Free and fully open source
- Use any AI provider or local model
- Runs VS Code extensions
Watch out: you pay your own model provider.
Kiro vs Theia IDE FAQ
What is the difference between Kiro and Theia IDE?
Kiro: Agentic IDE from AWS built around specs before code. Theia IDE: Open-source AI-native IDE for desktop and browser. Both are coding tools.
Is Kiro or Theia IDE cheaper?
Theia IDE is completely free, while Kiro is freemium.
Do Kiro and Theia IDE have free plans?
Kiro: Yes. Theia IDE: Yes, fully free.
Who makes Kiro?
Kiro is made by Amazon Web Services, based in United States.
Who makes Theia IDE?
Theia IDE is made by Eclipse Foundation.
Which should I choose, Kiro or Theia IDE?
Choose Kiro if you value plans work before writing code and hooks automate repetitive checks. Choose Theia IDE if you value free and fully open source and use any ai provider or local model.