Pick Kiro if you want structure before code: built by AWS around spec-driven development, it turns a prompt into requirements, an architectural design and a sequenced task list, then implements them, across an IDE, a CLI, a web agent and the always-on Kiro Crew. Pick Claude Code if you want Anthropic's agent with the newest Claude models (Opus 5.5 by default) on a flat Claude plan, and lighter-weight planning that you switch on when you need it. Kiro runs Claude models too, so the choice is mostly about workflow and pricing.
Kiro and Claude Code at a glance
As of October 2026, from kiro.dev and Anthropic's docs and pricing.
| Kiro | Claude Code | |
|---|---|---|
| Maker | AWS (no AWS account needed) | Anthropic |
| Surfaces | IDE, CLI, web agent, mobile (preview), Kiro Crew | Terminal, VS Code, JetBrains, desktop app, web, mobile app, Slack |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| Price | Free (50 credits); Pro $20 (1,000); Pro+ $40 (2,000); Pro Max $100 (5,000); Power $200 (10,000); extra credits $0.04 | Pro $20 ($17 billed annually); Max $100 or $200; Team $25 per seat; Enterprise $20 per seat plus usage |
| Models | Premium: Auto, Claude Sonnet 5, Claude Opus 5; free: Claude Sonnet 4.5 and open-weight models | Claude: Opus 5.5 default, Sonnet 5.5, Haiku 5.5, Fable 5.1 |
| Planning | Specs and bugfix specs | Plan mode |
| Project rules | Steering | CLAUDE.md, .claude/rules/ |
| Hooks | .kiro/hooks/*.json: PostFileSave, PreToolUse, PostToolUse, Stop; run a command or prompt the agent | settings.json: 33 events; command, HTTP, MCP tool, prompt or agent handlers |
| Skills and MCP | Agent Skills, Powers, MCP, ACP integrations | Skills, MCP, plugins |
| Unattended work | Web agent autonomous mode and automations; Crew runs tasks 24/7 | Cloud sessions; routines on a schedule, API call or GitHub event |
Specs vs plan mode
This is the real difference.
Kiro makes the spec the center of the work. You describe a feature; Kiro writes requirements, an architectural design and a sequenced list of tasks, and you review those before it implements anything. There is a separate bugfix spec flow for bugs. Steering files hold project standards that every task follows. Kiro's pitch is that this keeps the speed of "vibe coding" while fixing its usual problem, code that drifts from what you meant.
Claude Code keeps planning inside the session. Start in plan mode (claude --permission-mode plan, or Shift+Tab) and Claude explores the codebase and proposes a plan; it can't edit files until you approve it. Then it implements, runs tests and fixes what fails. For a lasting record, ask it to write the plan to a file, or keep standards in CLAUDE.md. Our Claude Code plan mode guide shows the flow.
If your team wants written specs reviewed before any code, Kiro builds that in. If you mostly want the agent to get on with it and plan only when the task is big, Claude Code's approach is lighter.
Pricing: credits vs usage windows
Kiro sells credits. The free plan gives 50 a month; Pro gives 1,000 for $20 and Power 10,000 for $200, and any paid plan can buy more at $0.04 each. Kiro notes that not every premium model is available in every region.
Claude Code is included in Claude plans and metered by five-hour sessions plus weekly limits, not credits. Pro gives at least five times the free plan's usage per session and Max five or twenty times Pro. If you want a predictable bill on Claude models, either works; if you want a free tier to try things, Kiro has one and Claude Code doesn't.
Hooks and automation
Both have hooks, with different scope:
- Kiro hooks live in
.kiro/hooks/as JSON files (or~/.kiro/hooks/for the CLI). Triggers includePostFileSave(after the agent saves a file, filtered by path),PreToolUse,PostToolUseandStop. The action is either a shell command or a prompt injected into the conversation, for example "update the tests for this file". - Claude Code hooks cover 33 events, from
SessionStarttoPermissionRequestandSessionEnd, and a handler can be a command, an HTTP request, an MCP tool call, a prompt or a subagent. APreToolUsehook can block an action outright. See our Claude Code hooks guide.
For work that runs without you, Kiro's web agent handles multi-repo tasks in autonomous mode and opens pull requests, and Kiro Crew is a personal agent with scheduling and memory that runs around the clock. Claude Code runs cloud sessions from claude.ai/code and routines that start on a schedule, an HTTP call or a GitHub event.
Skills, MCP and other editors
Both read Agent Skills and connect MCP servers, so a skill folder with a SKILL.md and a remote MCP server can serve both agents. Kiro adds Powers, packages of on-demand tool knowledge, and ACP integrations for using Kiro from other editors and clients. Claude Code adds plugins and marketplaces for sharing a whole setup, and its VS Code extension also installs in Cursor.
Which to choose
- Your team wants requirements and designs reviewed before code: Kiro.
- You want a free plan to start: Kiro.
- You want the newest Claude models and Fable on request: Claude Code.
- You want the deepest hook system and GitHub-triggered cloud runs: Claude Code.
- You want an IDE rather than a terminal: Kiro's IDE, or Claude Code inside VS Code or JetBrains.
- Still comparing: see Antigravity vs Claude Code and our list of Claude Code alternatives.
Questions
Does Kiro use Claude?
Yes. As of October 2026, Kiro's premium models include Claude Sonnet 5 and Claude Opus 5 (plus an Auto option), and the free plan includes Claude Sonnet 4.5 and open-weight models, subject to rate limits.
Do I need an AWS account to use Kiro?
No. Kiro is built and operated by AWS, but its site says you don't need an AWS account to use it.
How much does Kiro cost compared with Claude Code?
Kiro is credit-based: Free (50 credits a month), Pro $20 (1,000), Pro+ $40 (2,000), Pro Max $100 (5,000) and Power $200 (10,000), with extra credits at $0.04. Claude Code comes with Claude Pro at $20 a month or Max at $100 or $200, metered in five-hour windows.
Is Kiro's spec mode the same as Claude Code's plan mode?
They solve a similar problem with different weight. Kiro specs produce requirements, a design and a sequenced task list that stay with the project. Claude Code's plan mode explores and proposes a plan you approve before any edits, inside the session.