Amazon Q Developer vs GitHub Copilot

When to pick Amazon Q Developer

• You build on AWS — Q has unmatched depth on Well-Architected patterns, cost optimization, and console diagnostics.
• You’re modernizing legacy Java or .NET — the transformation agents automate upgrades most rivals can’t touch.
• You want built-in security scanning with automated fixes and IP indemnity, at $19/mo Pro.

When to pick GitHub Copilot

• You want the lowest price and broadest reach — Pro is $10/mo and it runs in VS Code, JetBrains, Neovim, Xcode, and more.
• You live in GitHub — PRs, issues, and repos are all in context, with automated PR review.
• You want a free tier for occasional use: 2,000 completions a month with no paid plan.

Bottom line

GitHub Copilot is the better general-purpose pick: at $10/mo it’s cheaper than Amazon Q Pro ($19/mo), supports more IDEs, and integrates tightly with GitHub workflows. Amazon Q Developer wins decisively for AWS-centric teams — Well-Architected guidance, cost optimization, security scanning, and Java/.NET migration agents that Copilot lacks. Both are strong, but for raw general-purpose coding quality, many developers still find Claude and Claude Code produce better results than either — worth weighing if your work isn’t tied to a specific ecosystem.