What is Kiro?

Kiro is an agentic coding tool built and operated by AWS, available as an IDE based on Code OSS, a terminal CLI, a browser app that runs sessions in cloud sandboxes, a mobile app, and Kiro Crew, an open-source workspace that runs on your machine. Its spec-driven development turns a prompt into requirements, an architectural design, and a sequenced task list, then implements them, with hooks that run tasks like unit tests or doc updates in the background and steering files that carry project guidance across every surface.

Kiro lets you choose models from Anthropic, OpenAI, and open-weight providers like DeepSeek and Qwen, or use Auto mode to pick one based on the task. Usage is metered in monthly credits, with each model carrying its own credit multiplier, and paid plans run from $20 to $200 a month per user. If you're weighing it against other coding agents, see these Kiro alternatives.

Key features

Core capabilities this platform advertises.

Spec-driven development: requirements, design, and task lists before code
Hooks that run tasks like tests and doc updates in the background
Steering files shared across IDE, CLI, and web
Models from Anthropic, OpenAI, and open-weight providers, plus Auto mode

Strengths and tradeoffs

What this tool does well, and the limitations to keep in mind.

Pros

Free plan with 50 credits a month
Spec-driven workflow produces requirements and designs, not just code
Choice of Claude, GPT, and open-weight models, with Auto mode
Available as an IDE, CLI, web app, and mobile app

Cons

Credit multipliers vary by model, so cost per task can be hard to predict
Unused monthly credits don't roll over
Free plan is limited to open-weight models and Claude Sonnet 4.5 with rate limits
Enterprise sign-in runs through AWS IAM Identity Center

Plans & pricing

What's included in each plan, and how the tiers compare.

Free

$0

50 credits per month
Open-weight models and Claude Sonnet 4.5
Rate limited

Pro

$20

Per month

1,000 credits per month
Premium models
Add-on credits at $0.04 each

Pro+

$40

Per month

2,000 credits per month
Premium models
Add-on credits at $0.04 each

Pro Max

$100

Per month

5,000 credits per month
Premium models
Add-on credits at $0.04 each

Power

$200

Per month

10,000 credits per month
Premium models
Add-on credits at $0.04 each

Enterprise

Custom

Contact sales for a quote

SAML/SCIM SSO through AWS IAM Identity Center
Centralized billing and usage analytics
Organization management dashboard
Overages at $0.04 per credit, off by default

View official pricing page

Common use cases

Developers who want an AI agent to plan features as specs before writing code

Planning a new feature as a spec before any code is written
Running background checks like unit tests on every change
Working across an IDE, terminal, and browser with shared project rules
Rolling out an AI coding tool to teams already on AWS

Using Kiro with Respan

Kiro helps you plan and write the code, and Respan handles the LLM calls inside the app you're building. Route your app's requests across 1,000+ models, trace each one, and run evals on production traffic from one platform.

Route your app's LLM calls across 1,000+ models through one OpenAI-compatible API
Trace every production request with its cost, latency, and token usage
Catch quality regressions with automated evals on live traffic
Configure fallback chains and spend controls alongside your traces

Observe every LLM call in the app you're building

10KFree traces/mo

1,000+Models

5 minSetup

Respan routes your app's requests across 1,000+ models, then traces and evaluates each one on the same platform. Start free and catch regressions before your users do.

Try Respan free

Best Kiro alternatives & competitors

Top companies in Coding Agents you can use instead of Kiro.

Claude Code

Agentic CLI that edits files, runs commands, and navigates codebases autonomously

Kiro AI IDE: Pricing, Features, and Plans (2026)

What is Kiro?

Key features

Strengths and tradeoffs

Plans & pricing

Free

Pro

Pro+

Pro Max

Power

Enterprise

Common use cases

Using Kiro with Respan

Observe every LLM call in the app you're building

Best Kiro alternatives & competitors

Compare Kiro

Best integrations for Kiro