Amp vs Claude Code
Amp vs Claude Code (Coding Agents (CLI & Cloud)). Agent test scores: Amp 9/10, Claude Code 9.3/10. Claude Code scored 0.3 higher overall in our separate rubric v0.1 tests (editions and tasks can differ — see Edition tested and the notes below). Pricing: Amp — Individual $20/mo (45,000 orb minutes); Claude Code — Included in Claude Pro $20/mo ($17/mo annual, $200 upfront); Max from $100/mo (5x or 20x); or API pay-as-you-go.
Every fact on this page comes from our tool records and test logs. Last updated:
- VibeToolRank score
- 9/10
- Last tested
- 2026-11-06
- Runs
- not recorded
- Outcome score
- 10/10
- Edition tested
- Amp CLI 0.0.1793736138-gdba311 Hobby Free with OpenRouter free model cohere/north-mini-code:free (BYOK, $0)
- Free plan
- Yes (Hobby): all features, local runners, BYOK; ad-supported Amp Free discontinued
- Price
- Individual $20/mo (45,000 orb minutes)
- Pricing checked
- 2026-11-06
- VibeToolRank score
- 9.3/10
- Last tested
- 2026-11-01
- Runs
- 3 runs
- Outcome score
- 10/10
- Edition tested
- Claude Code CLI 2.1.314 with Anthropic Claude Sonnet 5.5 (claude-sonnet-5-5) via API key; OpenRouter free edition also tested the same day (also 9.3 — see FAQ)
- Free plan, as measured
- Not applicable for the Sonnet API edition (~$0.01/run). OpenRouter free edition used free-model quota at $0 the same day.
- Free plan
- No (not included in Claude Free)
- Price
- Included in Claude Pro $20/mo ($17/mo annual, $200 upfront); Max from $100/mo (5x or 20x); or API pay-as-you-go
- Pricing checked
- 2026-10-16
Side by side
| Field | Amp | Claude Code |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | AmpAgentic coding tool from Sourcegraph. | Claude CodeAnthropic's agentic coding tool for the terminal, IDE, desktop, and browser. |
| Pricing | AmpIndividual $20/mo (45,000 orb minutes) | Claude CodeIncluded in Claude Pro $20/mo ($17/mo annual, $200 upfront); Max from $100/mo (5x or 20x); or API pay-as-you-go |
| Free tier | AmpYes (Hobby): all features, local runners, BYOK; ad-supported Amp Free discontinued | Claude CodeNo (not included in Claude Free) |
| Pricing verified | Amp2026-11-06 | Claude Code2026-10-16 |
| Edition tested | AmpAmp CLI 0.0.1793736138-gdba311 Hobby Free with OpenRouter free model cohere/north-mini-code:free (BYOK, $0) | Claude CodeClaude Code CLI 2.1.314 with Anthropic Claude Sonnet 5.5 (claude-sonnet-5-5) via API key; OpenRouter free edition also tested the same day (also 9.3 — see FAQ) |
| Tested on | Amp2026-11-06 | Claude Code2026-11-01 |
| Outcome score | Amp10 | Claude Code10 |
| Speed score | Amp8 | Claude Code10 |
| Cost score | Amp10 | Claude Code7 |
| Developer experience score | Amp5 | Claude Code8 |
| Reliability score | Amp10 | Claude Code10 |
| Overall score | Amp9 | Claude Code9.3 |
What our tests found
Amp
2026-11-06 cross-check: Amp fixed our seeded cart discount bug in 3 of 3 headless Hobby Free runs (62–136s) with a free OpenRouter model and never touched the test file. Cost $0 on OpenRouter (49 free requests). Overall 9.0 (outcome 10, speed 8, cost 10, DX 5, reliability 10). Prior 2026-11-05 batch scored 7.4 (2/3). DX still loses points for device login, API token, full model-routing setup, and the need for a sandbox.cloud free plan
- Fixed the seeded bug in 3/3 cross-check runs with a free OpenRouter model
- Hobby Free + BYOK completed the task at $0 OpenRouter spend
- Did not modify the test file in any scored run
- Free path needs an Amp account, access token, and a full model-ID to :free mapping
- Without a sandbox the local executor can edit files outside the project
- Web and media tools bill Amp credits (small dip observed when the agent called read_web_page)
Who it’s for: Developers who want Sourcegraph's Amp agent with their own keys or subscriptions, and can set up model routing for a free path.
Claude Code
Anthropic Sonnet 5.5 edition (headline): Claude Code CLI fixed our seeded cart bug in 3 of 3 runs (5.7–7.1s, 5 turns each). Test file untouched. Real API spend ~$0.035 for smoke + 3 runs at Sonnet 5.5 list prices ($2/$10 per MTok). Overall 9.3 (outcome 10, speed 10, cost 7, DX 8, reliability 10). Alongside: OpenRouter free-model edition the same day also scored 9.3 at $0 (cohere/north-mini-code:free; slower, free-tier cost 10) — docs/tests/claude-code/RESULTS.md. Opus not run.Anthropic Sonnet 5.5 API
- Fixed the seeded bug in 3/3 runs with Anthropic Sonnet 5.5 in about 6 seconds
- Real API cost about $0.01 per T3 run at Sonnet 5.5 list prices
- Did not modify the test file in any run
- OpenRouter free edition also available at $0 for CLI-loop testing (also 9.3)
- No Claude Free plan access — Anthropic models need Pro, Max, or API credits
- Cost score 7 reflects pay-as-you-go API, not a free tier
- Needs --dangerously-skip-permissions for unattended sandbox runs
- Opus edition not tested (Sonnet already maxed Outcome on this T3)
Who it’s for: Developers who want Anthropic's terminal agent on Sonnet/Opus (Pro, Max, or API). Headline score is Anthropic Sonnet 5.5 via API. A separate OpenRouter free edition (also 9.3) tests the CLI with a small free model only.
Verdict
Scores use rubric v0.1 from separate runs. Editions and tasks can differ (see Edition tested and What our tests found); some tests were a single run, which caps reliability scores. Overall: Amp 9, Claude Code 9.3. Check the free-tier limits above against your project before choosing.
FAQ
Which is better, Amp or Claude Code?
In our tests Claude Code scored higher overall (9.3/10 vs 9/10). Scores use the same rubric (v0.1) but came from separate runs; editions and tasks may differ (see Edition tested and test summaries), so check the per-dimension scores for what matters to you.
Is Amp free?
Yes (Hobby): all features, local runners, BYOK; ad-supported Amp Free discontinued (pricing checked 2026-11-06).
Is Claude Code free?
No (not included in Claude Free) (pricing checked 2026-10-16).
How much does Amp cost compared with Claude Code?
Amp: Individual $20/mo (45,000 orb minutes). Claude Code: Included in Claude Pro $20/mo ($17/mo annual, $200 upfront); Max from $100/mo (5x or 20x); or API pay-as-you-go.
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Scores come from our own tests and are never for sale; sponsored placements are always labelled. Some links are affiliate links (currently Railway). Disclosure