App Comparison · category peers
Windsurf vs Kiro
Systematic comparison of Windsurf and Kiro across deployment, access, interfaces, automation, and sourced product capabilities. Green highlights mark stronger normalized product-surface values; qualitative tradeoffs remain neutral.
Product Surface
Side-by-Side App Facts
| Field | Windsurf | Kiro |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | Windsurf | Amazon Web Services |
| Category | Coding agent | Coding agent |
| Lifecycle | Active | Active |
| Released | Unknown | Unknown |
| Access | Proprietary | Mixed |
| License | Unknown | Component-specific |
| Self-hostable | No | Yes |
| Local execution | Yes | Yes |
| Cloud execution | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux | macOS, Windows, Linux, Web |
| Interfaces | IDE, CLI | IDE, CLI, Web |
| Model access | Windsurf-managed and supported frontier models | Kiro-managed and supported models |
| Automation | Cascade workflows, rules, memories, and tool calls | Specs, steering, hooks, autonomous agents, and CLI workflows |
| Multi-agent | Unknown | Yes |
| Persistent memory | Yes | Yes |
| MCP support | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing | Free and paid individual and team plans | Free and paid plans; component terms vary |
14 comparable fields · 8 material differences · Editorially curated pair with developer-owned primary sources
Shared Surface
Overlapping Documented Capabilities
Developer Evidence
Sources and Freshness
Questions
Windsurf vs Kiro FAQs
Is Windsurf or Kiro better for coding?+
Model Markets does not currently publish a normalized coding-quality benchmark for apps. Windsurf documents 6 capabilities and Kiro documents 8; compare their shared capabilities, interfaces, execution modes, and model access rather than treating feature count as coding quality.
Can Windsurf or Kiro run locally?+
Both document support.
Does Windsurf or Kiro support MCP?+
Both document support.
Which supports multi-agent workflows and persistent memory?+
Multi-agent: Kiro is the only one currently documented with support. Persistent memory: Both document support.
Is Windsurf or Kiro open source?+
Windsurf uses a proprietary access model; Kiro uses a mixed access model under Component-specific.
Which platforms support Windsurf and Kiro?+
Windsurf: macOS, Windows, and Linux. Kiro: macOS, Windows, Linux, and Web.
Can Windsurf and Kiro run in the cloud?+
Both document cloud execution.
How can I interact with Windsurf and Kiro?+
Windsurf documents IDE and CLI; Kiro documents IDE, CLI, and Web.
Which has more integrations, Windsurf or Kiro?+
Windsurf has 3 documented integrations; Kiro has 3. Integration count measures sourced breadth, not depth or reliability.
How does pricing differ between Windsurf and Kiro?+
Windsurf: Free and paid individual and team plans. Kiro: Free and paid plans; component terms vary. These qualitative plan descriptions are not ranked as if they were equivalent prices.