Kiro

Kiro is AWS’s agentic coding environment, built around spec-driven development: you agree a spec with the agent before it writes code. It comes as an IDE, a CLI, a web app, a team product (Kiro Crew) and, since November 12, an Android app.

Pricing is simple monthly credits, from 50 free to 10,000 on the $200 Power plan. The latest releases are IDE 1.4.178 and CLI 3.3.0, both from November 12, 2026.

Who it’s for

Kiro says it’s for developers and teams, from quick fixes to large multi-repo tasks. Its spec-first approach suits people who want structure and a reviewable plan before an agent touches their code, and its AWS compliance coverage makes it an option for regulated teams.

What stands out

• Specs before code. Requirements, design and tasks are agreed first, so the plan is reviewable.
• Steering files. Project guidance in .kiro/ applies across every Kiro surface.
• One subscription, every surface. IDE, CLI, web, Android app and Kiro Crew are all included.
• Published model costs. Auto mode picks models for you, and every model has a stated credit multiplier.
• Agent hooks. Including hooks that run before and after context compaction.
• Enterprise auditing. Kiro tool calls can be audited in AWS CloudTrail.

Drawbacks and things to watch

• CLI 3.0 broke things. On November 3 it retired the Classic interface (the V2 agent stays available with kiro-cli --v2), stopped shipping the desktop app, and removed inline shell autocomplete with no replacement.
• Autopilot is gone. IDE 1.4.154 replaced the Autopilot toggle with a permission-mode menu.
• Removed models fail. Kiro doesn’t move you to another model automatically, so requests to a retired model stop working.
• No bring-your-own key. You’re limited to Kiro’s model catalogue.

Privacy and security

Free and individual users who sign in with social login or AWS Builder ID have telemetry and content collection on by default; you can opt out in settings, though free-tier inputs may be kept up to 60 days for abuse detection. Paid users signing in through IAM Identity Center or an external identity provider, and Enterprise users, aren’t used for training. The IDE and CLI are HIPAA eligible, Kiro is in scope for AWS’s ISO 27001 certification, and it’s FedRAMP High authorised in AWS GovCloud.

Getting started

Download the IDE from kiro.dev for macOS, Windows or Linux. On macOS without Homebrew, install the CLI with curl -fsSL https://cli.kiro.dev/install | bash.

Plans and prices

Kiro FAQ

Is Kiro free?

Yes. The Free plan includes 50 credits a month for open-weight models and Claude Sonnet 4.5. When you first upgrade to Pro, the rest of that month is free and you get 500 trial credits.

How much does Kiro cost?

Pro is $20 a month for 1,000 credits, Pro+ $40 for 2,000, Pro Max $100 for 5,000 and Power $200 for 10,000. Extra credits cost $0.04 each. Each model uses credits at a different rate, from 0.06x for Haiku 5.5 to 6x for Fable 5.1.

What is spec-driven development in Kiro?

Before writing code, Kiro works with you to define requirements, a system design and a task list. Steering files in the .kiro folder carry project guidance across the IDE, CLI and web app.

Does Kiro use my code for training?

Free and individual users who sign in with social login or AWS Builder ID have content collection on by default and can opt out in settings. Paid users signing in through IAM Identity Center or another identity provider, and Enterprise users, aren't used for training.

Can I use my own API keys with Kiro?

We found no bring-your-own-key option. You choose from Kiro's own model list.

Latest changes

Sources

• Kiro pricing
• Kiro changelog
• Kiro changelog (page 2)
• Kiro docs: installation
• Kiro docs: available models
• Kiro docs: data protection
• Kiro docs: compliance validation
• Kiro FAQ
• Kiro CLI 3.0

Facts last checked November 14, 2026.