Amazon Q Developer vs Cline (2026): You Can No Longer Buy Amazon Q Developer
Amazon Q Developer is closed to new signups since 15 May 2026, so for most readers this is not a live choice — it is a migration. What Cline costs (Free (OSS)), what it does differently, and whether it is the right replacement.
DevTools Review
Before you read further
Amazon Q Developer is closed to new signups since 15 May 2026. AWS blocked new Q Developer accounts and subscriptions on 15 May 2026. Existing subscriptions can still add seats, but a developer starting today cannot sign up. Support ends 30 April 2027. Vendor points new users to Kiro. Vendor’s own announcement.
We track 11 AI coding tools and re-check every price against the vendor’s own pricing page. Where we have not tested something ourselves, we say so.
Where Amazon Q Developer and Cline actually differ
These are the only dimensions on which the two record different values. Everything else we track, they match on.
| Amazon Q Developer | Cline | |
|---|---|---|
| Autocomplete | Good | no |
| Codebase context | Workspace | Full project |
| Custom models | no | yes |
| Runs in JetBrains | yes | no |
| Works alongside any editor | yes | no |
| Open source | no | yes |
| MCP support | not verified | yes |
| Team admin & SSO | yes | no |
| Usage model | Existing accounts only (free tier + per-seat) | BYO API key |
“Not verified” means we have not confirmed it against the vendor — it never means no.
| Feature | A Amazon Q Developer closed to new | C Cline |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Closed to new signups | Free (OSS) |
| Autocomplete | Good | |
| Chat | ||
| Multi-file editing | ||
| Codebase context | Workspace | Full project |
| Custom models | ||
| VS Code compatible | ||
| Terminal AI | ||
| Free tier | ||
| Read the AWS announcement | Get Cline Free |
What each one costs
Amazon Q Developer — Closed to new signups, verified 6 September 2026
| Plan | Price |
|---|---|
| Free | Free (existing accounts only) |
| Pro | $19/user/mo (existing subscriptions only) |
Cline — Free (OSS), verified 1 September 2026
| Plan | Price |
|---|---|
| Open Source | Free |
| API costs | Pay your LLM provider |
Full detail: Amazon Q Developer pricing · Cline pricing
What has changed recently
- Cline, 6 September 2026 — Plan Mode’s edit restriction stopped holding on 4.1.x. Users report Cline editing files while still in Plan Mode, without switching to Act Mode or asking (issue #13140, open since 10 Aug, 12 comments); 4.1.x also removed the flag that forbade writing in Plan Mode (#13107, closed 19 Aug without a fix confirmed in-thread). Our own testing predates 4.1.x, so this is reported from the tracker, not re-tested by us.
Amazon Q Developer
Amazon Q Developer
AWS's coding assistant, closed to new signups and being replaced by Kiro.
AWS’s coding assistant, closed to new signups and being replaced by Kiro. We rate it 3.5/5 in our Amazon Q Developer review.
Amazon Q Developer is closed to new signups — since May 2026.
AWS blocked new Q Developer accounts and subscriptions on 15 May 2026. Existing subscriptions can still add seats, but a developer starting today cannot sign up.
Cline
Cline
Open-source VS Code AI agent with Plan/Act modes, terminal execution, and MCP support.
Open-source VS Code AI agent with Plan/Act modes, terminal execution, and MCP support. We rate it 4/5 in our Cline review.
Get Cline FreeAt a Glance
- Which is better, Amazon Q Developer or Cline?
- Amazon Q Developer is closed to new signups since 15 May 2026, so for a new user there is only one option here: Cline, at Free (OSS).
- Is Amazon Q Developer cheaper than Cline?
- Amazon Q Developer is Closed to new signups and Cline is Free (OSS). Both figures were re-checked against each vendor’s own pricing page — Amazon Q Developer on 6 September 2026, Cline on 1 September 2026.
- Can you use Amazon Q Developer and Cline together?
- Only if you already have access to Amazon Q Developer. New users cannot start.
The bottom line
This is not really a comparison any more. Amazon Q Developer is closed to new signups since 15 May 2026, so unless you already have access, Cline at Free (OSS) is the only one of the two you can actually start with. We keep this page because “what happened to it and what do I use instead” is a real question.
Still unsure? Our 30-second picker narrows all 11 down using four questions.
Disclosure: we earn nothing from the links in this article. We are not enrolled in an affiliate programme for any tool here — most of them do not run one. Nobody pays to be ranked, and where we have not used a tool ourselves we say so.
Written by DevTools Review
We're developers who use AI coding tools every day. Our reviews are based on real-world experience, not press releases. We test with real projects and share what we actually find.