Claude Code vs Amp
Compare Claude Code and Amp by workflow, pricing, privacy, model support, and best use cases.
Details checked Aug 29, 2026
Claude Code
Claude Code remains a leading terminal-native coding agent. The August 2026 cost and feedback tools make it more useful for teams operating Claude-based applications, not just editing repositories.
Amp
Amp is a strong fit for developers who want a terminal-first agent that can move between local work, remote execution, and multiple frontier models. It is less suitable for users who primarily want inline completion, a traditional IDE sidebar, local-only inference, or a currently available free plan.
Key Differences
Workflow
Claude Code is Anthropic's terminal coding agent for repository work, subagents, hooks, MCP, and automation, with growing operational tooling for API cost analysis and feedback.
Amp is a terminal-first, multi-model coding agent focused on long-running local and remote software-engineering workflows.
Pricing
Freemium
Paid
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Claude Code | Amp |
|---|---|---|
| Primary workflow | Claude Code is Anthropic's terminal coding agent for repository work, subagents, hooks, MCP, and automation, with growing operational tooling for API cost analysis and feedback. | Amp is a terminal-first, multi-model coding agent focused on long-running local and remote software-engineering workflows. |
| Type | Terminal / CLI Coding Agents | Terminal / CLI Coding Agents |
| Editor base | CLI | CLI |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Paid |
| Starting price | $20 | $20 |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Open source | No | No |
| Local models | No | No |
| BYOK | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | macOS, Linux, Windows, Terminal, VS Code, Cursor, VS Code forks, JetBrains IDEs, Claude desktop app, GitHub Actions, Claude Agent SDK | macOS, Linux, Windows via WSL, Web |
| Models | Claude Opus 4.8, Claude Sonnet 4.6, Claude Haiku 4.5 | GPT-5.6 Sol, GPT-5.6 Terra, GPT-5.6 Luna, Claude Fable 5, GLM-5.2, GPT-5.5, Gemini 3.7 Flash, GPT Image 2 |
| Enterprise features | Team and Enterprise account administration, Central billing, Usage analytics, SSO support on organization plans, Admin controls, Enterprise deployment support, GitHub Actions integration, Claude Agent SDK access, Cloud provider deployment options, Security and compliance review through Anthropic enterprise channels | SSO, Directory Sync / SCIM, Enterprise managed settings, Workspace admin controls, Minimal data retention, Authentication audit logs, Application audit logs on request, SOC 2 Type II |
| Best for | Terminal-first developers, Large refactors, Repository exploration, Debugging failing tests, Writing and updating tests, Code review preparation, Documentation automation, GitHub issue and PR workflows, Teams already using Claude, Developers who want a managed frontier-model coding agent | Developers who prefer terminal-first agentic coding, Long-running refactors, migrations, debugging, and repository changes, Teams that want agents to keep working on remote machines, Users who want model routing rather than committing to one model provider |
| Not best for | Users who need local model execution, Developers who mainly want inline autocomplete, Non-technical users looking for a visual prompt-to-app builder, Teams requiring provider-agnostic model routing, Users who want a fully open-source coding agent, Projects where agentic shell actions are not allowed by security policy | Developers mainly looking for inline autocomplete, Users who want a persistent VS Code sidebar extension, Local-only or offline model workflows, New users who require a currently open free tier |
Use Case Winners
Claude Code lists more team or enterprise controls.
Amp has stronger frontend or web workflow signals.
Amp supports more model/provider options or BYOK-style workflows.
Pricing Comparison
Claude Code
- API Pay-as-you-goUsage-based
Use Claude Code with a Claude Console account and pay standard Claude API token rates.
- Claude Pro$20 / month
$17/month when billed annually. Includes Claude Code with shared Claude plan usage limits.
- Claude Max 5x$100 / month
Higher individual usage tier with Claude Code included and about 5x Pro capacity per session.
- Claude Max 20x$200 / month
Highest individual usage tier with Claude Code included and about 20x Pro capacity per session.
- Claude Team$25+ / user/month
Team Standard starts at $25/user/month monthly or $20/user/month annually; Premium is available at higher usage and feature levels.
Amp
- Megawatt$20 / month
Includes $20 of agent usage, 750 hours of small Orbs, low/medium modes, and linked third-party subscription usage.
- Gigawatt$200 / month
Includes $200 of agent usage, 1,000 hours of xxlarge Orbs, and access to all modes including high and ultra.
- UnconstrainedUsage-based
Pay for model tokens and Orbs at standard rates; supports bring-your-own inference keys.
- EnterpriseContact sales
Adds SSO, directory sync, admin controls, minimal data retention, and support.
Privacy & Security
Claude Code
Claude Code may process prompts, codebase context, command output, files, tool calls, and repository metadata to provide coding assistance. Privacy and retention depend on whether the user authenticates through a Claude subscription, Anthropic API, or cloud provider deployment such as Bedrock, Vertex AI, or Foundry. Users should keep secrets out of prompts and source files, use environment variables or secret stores, and review permissions before allowing agentic actions.
Amp
Amp states that its server stores user and thread data, including partial code context, in US-based cloud infrastructure and sends partial code context to model providers for inference. It states that customer data is not used for training unless users explicitly opt in, while Enterprise workspaces can use stricter retention controls.
Choose Claude Code if...
- Terminal-first developers
- Large refactors
- Repository exploration
- Debugging failing tests
- Writing and updating tests
Choose Amp if...
- Developers who prefer terminal-first agentic coding
- Long-running refactors, migrations, debugging, and repository changes
- Teams that want agents to keep working on remote machines
- Users who want model routing rather than committing to one model provider
Avoid Claude Code if...
- Users who need local model execution
- Developers who mainly want inline autocomplete
- Non-technical users looking for a visual prompt-to-app builder
- Teams requiring provider-agnostic model routing
- Users who want a fully open-source coding agent
Avoid Amp if...
- Developers mainly looking for inline autocomplete
- Users who want a persistent VS Code sidebar extension
- Local-only or offline model workflows
- New users who require a currently open free tier