2 min readFreemium

Amp

Amp is an agentic coding tool that writes, edits and runs code across your repository from the terminal, desktop or web, for software developers.

// at a glance

Is Amp free?
Freemium. Partly. Amp has a free plan, with paid plans for more features or usage.
Category
#Web Development
Website
ampcode.com ↗
Amp logo

What is Amp?

Amp is an agentic coding tool that writes, edits and runs code across your repository from the terminal, desktop or web, for software developers. It was created by the Sourcegraph team and spun out in December 2025 as Amp Frontier Corporation, led by Sourcegraph co-founder Quinn Slack. Amp uses several frontier models and picks different models for different tasks.

Amp's approach centers on threads and cloud machines. Every interaction is a thread you can save and share with teammates, and agents can run in orbs, which are cloud machines preconfigured with your code and tools, so work continues while your laptop is closed. You can start a task on the web or iPhone and pick it up in the CLI. Developers use it to implement features, fix bugs, refactor code, write tests and review changes across large codebases.

Main Features

  • Runs coding agents from a CLI, a macOS desktop app or the web.
  • Executes tasks in orbs, cloud machines set up with your repo and tools.
  • Saves every session as a shareable thread.
  • Uses multiple frontier models and routes tasks between them.
  • Supports bring-your-own API keys and your own compute runners.
  • Offers team features such as shared threads, multiplayer and permissions.
  • Adds SSO, audit logs and spend controls for Enterprise.

How to Get Started with Amp

  1. Sign up at ampcode.com with GitHub or email.
  2. Install the CLI or the desktop app, or start from the web.
  3. Connect a repository and describe the task in plain language.
  4. Review the agent's changes in the thread and share it with your team.

Amp Pricing

The Hobby tier is free with all product features; you pay as you go for orbs or use your own runners and API keys. Individual costs $20 per month and includes 45,000 orb minutes. Teams can mix Hobby and Individual members at no extra charge, and Enterprise pricing is by quote.

Who Should Use It?

  • Professional developers working in large codebases.
  • Engineering teams that want to share agent sessions.
  • Developers who prefer a terminal-first workflow.
  • Teams wanting agents to run in the cloud unattended.
  • Companies needing SSO and audit logs for AI coding.

Amp Alternatives

  • Claude Code: Anthropic's terminal agent included with Claude plans
  • Cursor: full AI code editor with tab completion
  • Factory: agent platform aimed at enterprise engineering teams

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Amp free?

Yes, Amp has a free Hobby tier that includes all features. You pay for orb compute and model usage or bring your own keys and runners, and Individual costs $20 per month.

Is Amp made by Sourcegraph?

Amp was built by the Sourcegraph team and spun out as Amp Frontier Corporation in December 2025. It is now a separate company.

Does Amp work in the terminal?

Yes. Amp has a CLI for the terminal, plus a macOS desktop app, an iOS app and a web version.

Amp vs Claude Code: which is better?

Amp is better if you want shareable threads, cloud orbs and multiple models, while Claude Code is simpler if you already pay for a Claude plan. Both are strong terminal coding agents.

Try Amp