Side-by-Side Comparison · 2026

Amazon Q Developer vs Windsurf (formerly Codeium): Full Comparison (2026)

Amazon Q Developer is aws-native ai coding assistant with security scanning (rebranded from codewhisperer). Windsurf (formerly Codeium) is ai-first ide, now devin desktop (renamed from windsurf on 2 june 2026). Use the breakdown below to find the right fit for your needs.

Amazon Q Developer

Amazon Web Services

Freemium
vs

Windsurf (formerly Codeium)

Windsurf (Cognition AI)

Freemium
This page presents factual information sourced from publicly available vendor documentation and product pages. AIHub does not endorse either product. The right tool depends on your specific use case, team, and requirements — we recommend evaluating both tools directly before making a decision.

Side-by-Side Overview

Pricing Model
Amazon Q Developer: FreemiumWindsurf (formerly Codeium): Freemium
API Access
Amazon Q Developer: Not availableWindsurf (formerly Codeium): Not available
Platforms
Amazon Q Developer: WebWindsurf (formerly Codeium): Web
Integrations
Amazon Q Developer: —Windsurf (formerly Codeium): —
Vendor
Amazon Q Developer: Amazon Web ServicesWindsurf (formerly Codeium): Windsurf (Cognition AI)
Category
Amazon Q Developer: Code AssistanceWindsurf (formerly Codeium): Code Assistance
Launch
Amazon Q Developer: —Windsurf (formerly Codeium): —

About Amazon Q Developer

Amazon Q Developer (previously CodeWhisperer) is an AI coding assistant deeply integrated with the AWS ecosystem. Offers inline code suggestions, security vulnerability scanning, automated code reviews, and agent capabilities for feature development and code transformation. AWS has said it will end support for the Q Developer IDE plugins on 30 April 2027 and points users to Kiro for similar capabilities.

Designed For

  • AWS development
  • Security scanning
  • Infrastructure as code
  • Code generation
Full Amazon Q Developer details

About Windsurf (formerly Codeium)

Codeium rebranded to Windsurf in late 2024, launching an AI-first IDE (fork of VS Code) with Cascade - an agentic engine that can autonomously plan and execute multi-step coding tasks. Cognition AI (makers of Devin) acquired Windsurf in July 2025, after OpenAI's reported $3B bid lapsed and Google licensed the technology and hired its leadership; Cognition's terms were not publicly disclosed. On 2 June 2026 Cognition renamed Windsurf to Devin Desktop, keeping pricing and the editor the same.

Designed For

  • Code completion
  • Agentic coding
  • Refactoring
  • Multi-file edits
Full Windsurf (formerly Codeium) details

Strengths & Limitations

Amazon Q Developer

Strengths

  • Free for individual use (50 requests/day)
  • Security scanning built-in
  • License tracking
  • AWS Console integration
  • Java/COBOL transformation

Limitations

  • Best for AWS workloads
  • Limited context window vs Cursor
  • Less consumer recognition

Windsurf (formerly Codeium)

Strengths

  • Cascade agentic engine
  • Free tier available
  • 70+ languages
  • VS Code compatible

Limitations

  • New product, less mature than Cursor
  • Cognition acquisition uncertainty

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Amazon Q Developer and Windsurf (formerly Codeium)?

Amazon Q Developer is aws-native ai coding assistant with security scanning (rebranded from codewhisperer), while Windsurf (formerly Codeium) is ai-first ide, now devin desktop (renamed from windsurf on 2 june 2026). Amazon Q Developer is designed for Code Assistance; Windsurf (formerly Codeium) is designed for Code Assistance. The right fit depends on your specific requirements.

How do the pricing models compare?

Amazon Q Developer is available under a Freemium model. Windsurf (formerly Codeium) is available under a Freemium model. Always verify pricing on each vendor's official website as it may change.

How do I choose between Amazon Q Developer and Windsurf (formerly Codeium)?

Consider your team's technical requirements, budget, existing tooling, and use case before deciding. We recommend signing up for free trials or demos of both tools where available, and consulting each vendor's documentation. AIHub provides this comparison for informational purposes only.