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Side-by-side comparison · Coding & Dev Tools

Amp vs Cursor vs Warp

Everything that matters when choosing between them, in one place: our rating, what each can do, what they cost, and the trade-offs.

Amp

4.0

From $20/mo

Cursor

3.9

From $8/mo

Best overall

Warp

4.1

From $20/mo

Comparing 3 tools, the maximum.

At a glance

Amp4.0

Pick it if: Developers and engineering teams working on large codebases who want agents running in the background, not tied to their laptop.

Pick it if: Developers and curious beginners who want AI help but still want a visual editor.

Warp4.1
Best overallEasiest to use

Pick it if: Anyone who has to use the terminal but never wanted to learn it.

Overview

AttributeAmpCursorWarp
In one lineA coding agent that keeps working on remote machines after you close your laptop.A code editor with AI built in, for people who want to watch every change happen.A modern terminal where you can type what you want in normal words instead of commands.
Pricing modelFreemiumFreemiumFreemium
Starting price$20/mo$8/mo$20/mo
Free plan Yes Yes Yes
Works with Claude Code Yes No No

Rating breakdown

Our scores out of 5. The higher bar in each row is highlighted.

AttributeAmpCursorWarp
Overall rating4.03.94.1Winner
Ease of useHow quickly someone non-technical gets value from it.
3.0
4.0
4.5
FeaturesHow completely it covers its own job, and how well the pieces fit together.
4.5
4.5
4.0
Output qualityHow good the results are before you fix them.
4.5
4.0
3.5
Value for moneyWhat you get for the price, including the free plan.
4.0
3.0
4.0
Speed & reliabilityHow fast it is and how often it falls over.
4.0
4.0
4.5

Feature comparison

A tick means it does this today. A dash means we haven't checked.

AttributeAmpCursorWarp
Access & platform
Free plan Yes Yes Yes
Mobile app Yes Yes No
Desktop app Yes Yes Yes
Browser extension No No No
API access Yes––
Teams & business
Team workspace Yes Yes Yes
Enterprise plan or SSO Yes Yes Yes
Connects to other apps Yes Yes Yes
Open source or self-hosted Yes No No
AI abilities
Works with your files Yes Yes Yes
Understands images Yes Yes–
Makes images No No No
Makes video No No No
Writes code Yes Yes Yes
Runs agents or automations Yes Yes Yes
Learns your brand or style– Yes Yes
Works in many languages Yes Yes Yes
Capabilities score13/ 1712/ 1710/ 17

Pricing

Plans as listed on each vendor's site when we last checked. Confirm before you buy.

AttributeAmpCursorWarp
Plans

HobbyOur pick

Free

Developers with their own model subscription or keys.

Free

Free

Trying the editor and a few agent runs.

FreeOur pick

Free

Everyone who just wants a better terminal.

Megawatt

$20/mo

Individuals who want Amp to host the machines.

Plus

$8/mo

Light users who are happy with Grok models only.

Build

$20/mo, or $18/mo billed yearly

People who lean on the Warp agent daily.

Gigawatt

$200/mo

Heavy users running many big jobs.

PremiumOur pick

$30/mo

Most developers, especially if you want Claude alongside Grok.

Max

$200/mo, or $180/mo billed yearly

Heavy agent users.

Enterprise

Custom

Large companies with security and compliance needs.

Super or Ultra

$100/mo or $200/mo

Heavy daily agent users.

Business

$50/user/mo, or $45/user/mo billed yearly

Teams that need SSO and usage metrics.

Legacy Pro

$20/mo

Existing subscribers only. New customers can't buy it.

Enterprise

Custom

Large organisations.

Teams

From $30/user/mo

Companies that need admin controls and SSO.

Which plan to pickStart on Hobby and link a ChatGPT or Claude subscription you already pay for. Move to Megawatt at $20 a month only when you want Amp to host the machines so tasks run while you're away. Teams can create a workspace at no extra charge.If you are on the old $20 Pro plan and it covers what you use, stay put; switching is permanent. New customers should skip Plus unless they are happy with Grok. Premium is the realistic starting point if you want Claude, and budget for the extra usage billing on top of the $30. Large companies can ask about a custom Enterprise plan.Stay on Free. The terminal is the product, and you can run Claude Code inside it on your Claude subscription without paying Warp anything. Only buy Build if you find yourself using Warp's own agent more than Claude Code.

Key features

AttributeAmpCursorWarp
Standout features
  • Orbs
  • Bring your own model
  • Portals
  • Multiplayer threads
  • Subagents and code review
  • Start from anywhere
  • Tab autocomplete
  • Agent mode
  • Chat with your codebase
  • Cloud agents and automations
  • Rules
  • Built on VS Code
  • Commands in normal words
  • A proper text editor for commands
  • Blocks and searchable history
  • Warp agent
  • Home for other agents
  • Shared workflows

Pros and cons

AttributeAmpCursorWarp
Pros
  • Free when you bring your own model access and machines
  • Background tasks keep running when your laptop is closed
  • Strong reputation on large codebases
  • Sharing, multiplayer and live previews make team review easy
  • Can use your existing ChatGPT or Claude subscription
  • The clearest view of what an AI is doing to your code
  • Autocomplete is still the best in the category
  • Feels familiar instantly if you have used VS Code
  • Cloud agents and code review on the mid plans
  • The best-looking and most forgiving terminal available
  • Typing in normal words removes the biggest barrier for beginners
  • Free for the terminal itself, with your own AI keys allowed
  • Fast, and runs on Mac, Windows and Linux
Cons
  • Orbs, runners and model routing take time to understand
  • Built for developers, not beginners
  • Pricing has changed several times in 2026
  • Hosted orb time beyond your plan costs extra
  • Cheap plans only give you Grok models
  • Claude usage is billed on top of the subscription at API prices, so the real cost is hard to predict
  • OpenAI models are due to leave Cursor, which narrows the model choice
  • You now buy it bundled with Grok and X Premium, whether you want them or not
  • Agent runs are less thorough than Claude Code on big tasks
  • Its own agent is a step behind Claude Code and Codex
  • Metered agent usage on paid plans runs out faster than you expect
  • You need an account to use it, which some developers dislike
  • Not an editor, so you still need another tool to browse files

Who each one is for

AttributeAmpCursorWarp
Best for
  • Running several coding tasks in the background at once
  • Working on big, messy codebases
  • Teams sharing and reviewing agent work together
  • Using a ChatGPT or Claude subscription in another agent
  • Editing with AI autocomplete
  • Learning by watching changes happen
  • Multi-file changes in agent mode
  • Developers who like VS Code
  • A nicer home for Claude Code
  • Commands in normal words
  • Searchable command history
  • Sharing commands with your team
You'll find it used by
  • Developers
  • Engineering teams
  • Startups
  • Large companies
  • Developers
  • Startup teams
  • Students
  • Technical founders
  • Developers
  • Ops teams
  • Terminal beginners
  • Founders

Questions people ask

Which is better, Amp, Cursor or Warp?

Warp scores highest overall in our ratings (Amp 4.0/5, Cursor 3.9/5 and Warp 4.1/5). Amp is best for running several coding tasks in the background at once and working on big, messy codebases. Cursor is best for editing with AI autocomplete and learning by watching changes happen. Warp is best for A nicer home for Claude Code and commands in normal words.

Which is cheaper, Amp, Cursor or Warp?

Amp: There's a free plan, and paid plans start at $20/mo. Cursor: There's a free plan, and paid plans start at $8/mo. Warp: There's a free plan, and paid plans start at $20/mo.

Which is easier to use, Amp, Cursor or Warp?

Warp rates highest for ease of use in our scores. Anyone who has to use the terminal but never wanted to learn it.

How we compare

Ratings are our own, from using each tool, across ease of use, features, output quality, value for money, speed & reliability.

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