Kiro
An agentic, spec-driven IDE from AWS that turns prompts into specs, code and tests.
- Starting price
- Free tier; Pro $20 / user / month
- Free trial
- Free tier (50 credits)
- Commercial use
- Yes
Overview
Kiro is an agentic development environment built and operated by AWS around what it calls spec-driven development: a prompt is first turned into written requirements, a design and a task list, and only then does the agent work through those tasks. It runs as a desktop IDE built on Code OSS, so VS Code settings and Open VSX extensions carry over, and the same account also reaches a CLI, sandboxed browser sessions and a mobile app. Every tier is metered in credits per task.
Our take
Kiro puts its weight on the part of the job that happens before any code is written. If you want requirements and a task list on paper and agreed before an agent starts editing files, that is the shape of the whole product, and what it leaves behind reads as much for the next developer as for the machine. On a one-line fix that ceremony is pure overhead, and a chat assistant inside the editor you already use will be finished first. It makes the most sense for teams that treat agent output as something to review and hand over rather than to accept, and for shops already standardised on AWS, where the account, the region controls and the enterprise data handling are familiar ground.
Key Facts
| Category | |
|---|---|
| Starting price | Free tier; Pro $20 / user / month Credit-based. Pro+ $40, Pro Max $100 and Power $200 per user per month. |
| Free trial | Free tier (50 credits) |
| Commercial use | Yes |
| Output | Specs, code, documentation and tests from prompts |
| API | CLI available |
Screenshots
Placeholders. They are replaced as soon as the vendor sends material, and both open the same short form.
Features
- Where it runs
- Desktop IDE for macOS, Windows and Linux (based on Code OSS), plus a CLI, browser sessions in sandboxes and a mobile app
- Inline completions
- Not in the editor: the IDE documentation lists syntax highlighting, error indicators, folding, tabs and split view, and code is written through agentic chat and specs rather than as-you-type suggestions. Ghost-text inline suggestions and a command dropdown do exist in the Kiro CLI, for terminal commands such as git, npm, docker and aws, switched with kiro-cli inline enable
- Agent mode
- Yes, spec-driven: turns prompts into specs, then code, documentation and tests
- Model choice
- Yes, Anthropic Claude, open-weight models, or Auto model routing
- Data control
- Enterprise content is not used for service improvement and is opted out of telemetry by default; free and individual users can switch off usage analytics and content collection in settings. TLS 1.2 or higher in transit, AWS KMS at rest, with customer-managed keys and a chosen storage region for enterprise
- Ecosystem fit
- AWS-built; supports MCP, Agent Client Protocol and Skills.md; imports VS Code settings and Open VSX plugins
- API
- CLI available
Integrations
- Figma
- Terraform
- Datadog
- Stripe
Deployment and Support
- Deployment
-
- Cloud (SaaS)
- Browser-based
- Support
-
- Email helpdesk
- Community forum
- Onboarding
-
- Documentation and knowledge base
- Company size
-
- Freelancers
- Small and mid-sized
- Enterprise
Suitability
| Industry | Freelancers | Small and mid-sized | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agencies | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Architecture & Engineering | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Consulting | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Media & Creative | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Technology | Stated as a fit | Stated as a fit | Stated as a fit |
The table combines the industries the vendor addresses with the company sizes the tool is aimed at. An empty cell means the combination is not stated, not that it is ruled out.
Pros and Cons
Strengths
- Spec-driven flow documents requirements before coding
- Based on Code OSS, imports VS Code settings and Open VSX plugins
- Model choice including Claude, open-weight models and Auto routing
Limitations
- Credit-based usage on every tier
- Newer product with a smaller ecosystem than established IDEs
Pricing
-
Free
$0
50 credits per month.
-
Pro
$20
Per user per month. 1,000 credits.
-
Pro+
$40
Per user per month. 2,000 credits.
-
Pro Max
$100
Per user per month. 5,000 credits.
-
Power
$200
Per user per month. 10,000 credits.
Best For
Alternatives and Comparisons
What users say
Reviews
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