Updated April 2026
Windsurf vs Amazon Q
Quick verdict
Windsurf edges ahead with a 4.4★ rating versus Amazon Q's 4.2★. Windsurf is ideal for Developers wanting affordable AI IDE with agentic features, while Amazon Q serves AWS developers and enterprise teams on AWS who want AI-assisted coding with deep. Your pick depends on your priorities.
Windsurf
AI IDE with agentic coding capabilities
Freemium
Amazon Q
AWS AI assistant for developers and enterprises — coding, data, and business intelligence
Freemium
| Feature | Windsurf | Amazon Q |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★ 4.4 / 5 | ★ 4.2 / 5 |
| Pricing | Free · Pro $15/mo · Team $35/mo | Free tier / Q Developer Individual $19/mo / Q Business $20/user/mo |
| Best For | Developers wanting affordable AI IDE with agentic features | AWS developers and enterprise teams on AWS who want AI-assisted coding with deep cloud service integration and enterpris |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Freemium |
Windsurf — Key Features
Pros
- Strong agentic capabilities
- Affordable Pro tier
- Good codebase awareness
- Free tier
Cons
- Newer product
- Smaller community
- Occasional context misses
Amazon Q — Key Features
- Code completion in VS Code and JetBrains
- AWS-native code suggestions
- Security vulnerability scanning
- Unit test generation
- Legacy code modernisation (Java)
- Q Business for enterprise knowledge
Pros
- Best AI tool for AWS developers
- Deep AWS service integration
- Security scanning is genuinely useful
- Free tier is generous for individual developers
Cons
- Less useful outside the AWS ecosystem
- Q Business pricing adds up for large teams
- Less capable than Cursor/GitHub Copilot for general coding
- UI less polished than competitors
What is Windsurf?
Windsurf is AI IDE with agentic coding capabilities. It is best suited for Developers wanting affordable AI IDE with agentic features.
What is Amazon Q?
Amazon Q is AWS AI assistant for developers and enterprises — coding, data, and business intelligence. It is best suited for AWS developers and enterprise teams on AWS who want AI-assisted coding with deep cloud service integration and enterpris.
Key differences at a glance
- Rating: Windsurf scores 4.4/5, Amazon Q scores 4.2/5
- Pricing model: Windsurf is Freemium, Amazon Q is Freemium
- Windsurf pricing: Free · Pro $15/mo · Team $35/mo
- Amazon Q pricing: Free tier / Q Developer Individual $19/mo / Q Business $20/user/mo
- Best for: Windsurf → Developers wanting affordable AI IDE with agentic features | Amazon Q → AWS developers and enterprise teams on AWS who want AI-assisted coding with deep
Pricing comparison
| Tool | Pricing |
| Windsurf | Free · Pro $15/mo · Team $35/mo |
| Amazon Q | Free tier / Q Developer Individual $19/mo / Q Business $20/user/mo |
Pricing verified April 2026. Use our AI Cost Calculator →
Which tool should you choose?
Choose Windsurf if: you prioritise Developers wanting affordable AI IDE with agentic features. Windsurf's strengths include Strong agentic capabilities, Affordable Pro tier.
Choose Amazon Q if: you need AWS developers and enterprise teams on AWS who want AI-assisted coding with deep cloud service integ. Amazon Q stands out for Best AI tool for AWS developers, Deep AWS service integration.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Windsurf or Amazon Q better?
It depends on your use case. Windsurf scores 4.4/5 on ToolChase and is best for Developers wanting affordable AI IDE with agentic features. Amazon Q scores 4.2/5 and is best for AWS developers and enterprise teams on AWS who want AI-assisted coding with deep.
How much does Windsurf cost?
Free · Pro $15/mo · Team $35/mo See the Windsurf review for full details.
How much does Amazon Q cost?
Free tier / Q Developer Individual $19/mo / Q Business $20/user/mo See the Amazon Q review for full details.
Can I use both Windsurf and Amazon Q?
Yes — many teams use complementary tools. Windsurf is stronger for Developers wanting affordable AI IDE with agentic features, while Amazon Q covers AWS developers and enterprise teams on AWS who want AI-assis.
Not sold on either?
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