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Amazon Q Developer vs Windsurf

Amazon Q Developer logo

Amazon Q Developer

Software

Generative AI assistant for coding, testing, and AWS development

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Windsurf logo

Windsurf

Software

The agentic IDE

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Amazon Q Developer deepest value and AWS-specific expertise is tied to the AWS ecosystem, less compelling for non-AWS shops; Windsurf recently rebranded to Devin Desktop, creating product identity confusion
  • They diverge on capability: Amazon Q Developer covers Code generation, Windsurf covers Cascade AI agent.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Amazon Q Developer and Windsurf actually diverge.

Attributes where Amazon Q Developer and Windsurf differ
AttributeAmazon Q DeveloperWindsurf
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Platformsweb, windows, mac, linux, apimacOS, Linux, Windows
FoundedUnknown2021

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Amazon Q Developer

  • Code generation
  • Agentic task automation
  • Security scanning
  • Application transformation
  • AWS expertise
  • Private code customization
  • Admin governance dashboard
  • IP indemnity protection

Only in Windsurf

  • Cascade AI agent
  • Agentic programming
  • Context-aware assistance
  • Automated command execution
  • Multi-file understanding
  • Intelligent code generation
  • Real-time debugging
  • Integrated terminal

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Amazon Q Developer

  • AI-assisted code completion in an IDEnot Windsurf
  • Automating Java and .NET application upgradesnot Windsurf
  • Scanning codebases for security vulnerabilitiesnot Windsurf
  • Getting AWS architecture guidance while codingnot Windsurf
  • Automating feature implementation via agentsnot Windsurf

Windsurf

  • Agentic developmentnot Amazon Q Developer
  • AI-assisted codingnot Amazon Q Developer
  • Complex project managementnot Amazon Q Developer
  • Automated coding tasksnot Amazon Q Developer
  • Learning new codebasesnot Amazon Q Developer

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Amazon Q Developer

  • Deepest value and AWS-specific expertise is tied to the AWS ecosystem, less compelling for non-AWS shops
  • Free tier caps agentic requests at 50 per month, which can be exhausted quickly on larger tasks
  • Additional transformation usage beyond plan limits is billed per line of code, adding unpredictable costs
  • GitHub and Eclipse integrations are still in preview, indicating incomplete platform coverage

Windsurf

  • Recently rebranded to Devin Desktop, creating product identity confusion
  • Cascade agent reached end-of-life on July 1, 2026, requiring migration to Devin Local
  • Free tier quota runs out quickly for active developers, within a couple days of coding
  • Pricing increased significantly in March 2026 overhaul, moving from credit-based to daily/weekly quotas
  • OpenAI acquisition raises concerns about long-term product direction diverging from Codeium's vision

Pricing, plan by plan

Amazon Q Developer

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 50 agentic requests per month
    • Access to latest Claude models
    • IDE and CLI use
  • Pro$19/month
    • Expanded agentic request limits
    • 4,000 lines of code per month per user for transformation, pooled at account level
    • Admin dashboard with user and policy management

Windsurf

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Light daily and weekly quotas
    • Unlimited tab autocomplete
    • Access to Cascade AI agent
  • Pro$20/month
    • Standard quotas
    • Windsurf proprietary SWE model
    • Cloud sessions for background work
  • Max$200/month
    • Heavy daily quotas
    • Long agent sessions
    • Frontier third-party models
  • Teams$40/month-per-user
    • All Pro features
    • Centralized billing
    • Usage analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose Amazon Q Developer if

  • You need code generation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, windows, mac, linux, api.
  • You also want agentic task automation.
Amazon Q Developer review

Choose Windsurf if

  • You need cascade ai agent.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on macOS, Linux, Windows.
  • You also want agentic programming.
Windsurf review

Questions people ask

Is Amazon Q Developer or Windsurf better?
Neither clearly leads. Amazon Q Developer starts at Free and Windsurf at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Amazon Q Developer or Windsurf?
Amazon Q Developer starts at Free and Windsurf at Free.
Does Amazon Q Developer or Windsurf run on more platforms?
Amazon Q Developer runs on web, windows, mac, linux, api. Windsurf runs on macOS, Linux, Windows.
Can I use Amazon Q Developer for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Amazon Q Developer best used for?
Amazon Q Developer is most often used for ai-assisted code completion in an ide, automating java and .net application upgrades, scanning codebases for security vulnerabilities, getting aws architecture guidance while coding. Of those, ai-assisted code completion in an ide and automating java and .net application upgrades are not what Windsurf is typically brought in for.
What can Amazon Q Developer do that Windsurf cannot?
Amazon Q Developer covers Code generation, Agentic task automation, Security scanning, Application transformation. Windsurf covers Cascade AI agent, Agentic programming, Context-aware assistance, Automated command execution.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Amazon Q Developer: What does Amazon Q Developer cost?

There is a free tier with no cost, and a Pro tier priced at $19 per user per month that adds expanded agentic request limits, admin controls, and IP indemnity.

Source
Windsurf: Does Windsurf support MCP (Model Context Protocol) integrations?

Yes. Windsurf supports MCP with integrations for 21 third-party tools for extending functionality and connecting to external systems.

Source
Amazon Q Developer: What are the limits on the free plan?

The free tier includes 50 agentic requests per month, access to the latest Claude models in IDE and CLI, and 1,000 lines of code per month for Java transformation.

Source
Windsurf: What is Windsurf's current status as of 2026?

Windsurf rebranded to Devin Desktop in June 2026 and is backed by OpenAI after its 2025 acquisition. Cascade reached end-of-life on July 1, 2026, with Devin Local as the Rust-rewritten successor.

Source
Amazon Q Developer: How is usage metered beyond plan limits?

Java and .NET transformation usage beyond the plan's included lines of code is billed as overage at $0.003 per line of code submitted.

Source
Amazon Q Developer: Can I cancel my Amazon Q Developer Pro subscription anytime?

Subscriptions are billed monthly per user and prorated in the first month, but canceling before the end of a billing month still incurs the full month's subscription fee.

Source
Amazon Q Developer: What counts as an agentic request?

Agentic requests include both question-and-answer chat interactions and autonomous coding tasks performed by Q Developer's agents, all drawn from the same monthly quota.

Source
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