Kiro vs Cursor (2026): pricing, limits and models compared

Kiro compared with Cursor
	Kiro	Cursor
What it is	An agentic IDE built around specs: requirements, design and tasks are agreed before code.	An AI-first code editor with cloud agents, Bugbot reviews and code hosting.
Where it runs	Kiro IDE, CLI, web, Kiro Crew and an Android app, on one subscription.	The Cursor editor, CLI, cloud agents and an iOS app in beta.
Free option	50 credits a month: open-weight models and Claude Sonnet 4.5.	Limited agent and chat requests.
Plan ladder	Free · Pro $20 · Pro+ $40 · Pro Max $100 · Power $200 · Teams $20/seat	Free · Plus $8 · Premium $30 · Super $100 · Ultra $200 · Teams from $30/seat
How usage is counted	Monthly credits (1,000 on Pro); each model has a published multiplier. Extra credits $0.04 each.	A weekly pool for Grok and Cursor's own models; third-party models billed at API list price.
Models	Auto, plus Claude Opus 5.5, Sonnet 5.5 and Haiku 5.5, GPT-5.6, Kimi K3, Grok 4.7 and open-weight models, all inside your credits.	Grok and Composer in the plan. Claude, GPT and Gemini on Premium and up, billed separately.
Bring your own key	Not available.	Premium and up, for chat models.
Training on your code	On by default for free and individual social or Builder ID sign-ins, with an opt-out. Not used via IAM Identity Center or Enterprise.	Only with Privacy Mode off.
Compliance	HIPAA eligible (IDE and CLI), in AWS ISO 27001 scope, FedRAMP High in GovCloud.	SOC 2 Type II.
Recent changes to know	CLI 3.0 retired the Classic interface, desktop app and inline autocomplete.	Grok-centred plans since October; a marketplace security incident on October 29.

Kiro

Cursor

What it is

An agentic IDE built around specs: requirements, design and tasks are agreed before code.

An AI-first code editor with cloud agents, Bugbot reviews and code hosting.

Where it runs

Kiro IDE, CLI, web, Kiro Crew and an Android app, on one subscription.

The Cursor editor, CLI, cloud agents and an iOS app in beta.

Free option

50 credits a month: open-weight models and Claude Sonnet 4.5.

Limited agent and chat requests.

Plan ladder

Free · Pro $20 · Pro+ $40 · Pro Max $100 · Power $200 · Teams $20/seat

Free · Plus $8 · Premium $30 · Super $100 · Ultra $200 · Teams from $30/seat

How usage is counted

Monthly credits (1,000 on Pro); each model has a published multiplier. Extra credits $0.04 each.

A weekly pool for Grok and Cursor's own models; third-party models billed at API list price.

Models

Auto, plus Claude Opus 5.5, Sonnet 5.5 and Haiku 5.5, GPT-5.6, Kimi K3, Grok 4.7 and open-weight models, all inside your credits.

Grok and Composer in the plan. Claude, GPT and Gemini on Premium and up, billed separately.

Bring your own key

Not available.

Premium and up, for chat models.

Training on your code

On by default for free and individual social or Builder ID sign-ins, with an opt-out. Not used via IAM Identity Center or Enterprise.

Only with Privacy Mode off.

Compliance

HIPAA eligible (IDE and CLI), in AWS ISO 27001 scope, FedRAMP High in GovCloud.

SOC 2 Type II.

Recent changes to know

CLI 3.0 retired the Classic interface, desktop app and inline autocomplete.

Grok-centred plans since October; a marketplace security incident on October 29.

Verdict

Pick Kiro if you want structure. Its spec-driven approach makes the agent agree requirements, a design and tasks with you before it writes code, which suits larger features and teams that review plans. Credits are simple to reason about: every model has a published multiplier, and Claude and GPT models are included in your credits rather than billed separately. AWS compliance coverage, including HIPAA eligibility and FedRAMP High in GovCloud, is a plus for regulated teams.

Pick Cursor if you want a fast, prompt-driven editor with cloud agents and Bugbot reviews, and Grok and Composer as your everyday models. Plus at $8 is the cheapest way into either product.

On model costs, Kiro is the better deal if you mainly want Claude: Pro’s 1,000 credits cover Claude Sonnet and Opus at their multipliers. Cursor charges API list price for Claude from the first request, on top of the plan.

Both changed a lot this autumn. Kiro’s CLI 3.0 retired the Classic interface, the desktop app and inline autocomplete, and its IDE replaced Autopilot with a permission-mode menu. Cursor rebuilt its plans around Grok and had a marketplace security incident. Check the details before rolling either out to a team.

On privacy, Kiro collects content by default for free and individual users who sign in with social login or AWS Builder ID; opt out in settings or sign in through IAM Identity Center. Cursor trains only when Privacy Mode is off.

Frequently asked questions

Is Kiro cheaper than Cursor?

Cursor's entry plan is cheaper ($8 against $20), but it only runs Grok. Kiro's $20 Pro plan includes Claude and GPT models inside its 1,000 credits, which Cursor bills at API list price from Premium ($30) up.

What is spec-driven development?

Kiro agrees requirements, a system design and a task list with you before writing code, so you can review the plan first. Cursor's agent works directly from your prompt and rules.

Which is better for regulated industries?

Kiro has the broader compliance coverage: HIPAA eligibility for the IDE and CLI, AWS ISO 27001 scope and FedRAMP High in GovCloud. Cursor holds SOC 2 Type II.

Kiro × Cursor

Verdict

Frequently asked questions

Sources